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Cap City edges Lynx in Badger battle

By Chris Anderson, Metro Lynx coach, 12/11/19, 8:00PM CST

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Cougars win early season area contest

The Cap City Cougars scored twice in the middle period and held off Badger Conference foe Metro Lynx Tuesday night in Sun Prairie, earning a 3-1 win.

The Cougars came to play. From start to finish their energy was at its peak. They were beating the Lynx players to loose pucks and winning battles along the wall. Their effort constantly disrupted the Lynx attempts to transition the play up ice. 

The first period saw the Cougars outshoot the Lynx 9-8. Camryn McKersie kept it scoreless in the first on a great save near the end of the first period. Cap City’s, Lauren Bliefernicht, won the race to a loose puck to the left corner of McKersie. She found Brynna Banuelos all alone in front who fired a quick shot. McKersie slid across the crease making a quick glove save to keep the first period at 0-0.

Cap City started the second period on a power play and it didn’t take long to convert.

Mackenzie Rosin fired a shot initially stopped by McKersie. A scrum ensued and it was Olivia Thompson who was eventually able to poke the puck through all the chaos giving the Cougars the lead.

The Cougars' hard work rewarded them with great offensive zone pressure. They continually forced turnovers leading to scoring chances. McKersie was forced to make multiple saves including one on a breakaway late in the second. Lauren Bliefernicht got a great feed from Zephryn Jager springing her on a breakaway with just under 2 minutes left in the second. She drove in hard on the Lynx net being chased by the Lynx defenseman. McKersie made the stop, Bliefernicht picked up her own rebound and fed Jager all alone on the back door. She snapped off a quick shot and McKersie slid across, batting it away with a blocker save.

However, a penalty for slashing put the Cougars back on the power play and they would respond. The shorthanded Lynx had a chance to clear the puck but the Cougars forechecker caused a turnover. Seconds later they worked it to the left side and Rosin rifled off a low shot far side and McKersie stopped it with the left pad. The rebound shot out the backside to a wide open Bliefernicht who was able to lift it past McKersie’s outstretched glove putting the Cougars up 2-0. 

WiPH Game Summaries

The third period saw the Lynx finally start to push back but Cougars goaltender Lexi Holman played solid all night. She brushed aside multiple opportunities the Lynx threw at her. Lynx defenseman Grace Bonnell would finally get the Lynx on the board when she ripped a shot from the right side that beat Holman high to the glove side making it 2-1 in favor of the Cap City.

This gave the Lynx a much needed boost and they started to get pressure. However, the Cougars defensive zone efforts would continue to deny them good scoring chances and Holman kept making saves. 

With about 3 and a half minutes left, the Cougars were whistled for a penalty. After a Lynx time out, they came out hard on the power play moving the puck and firing shots. However, many were blocked before they even got to the net.

With about 2 minutes left the Lynx would pull their goalie in a desperate attempt to gain that much needed goal. After a transition, the Lynx were offside near the Cougars blue line. On the face off, Cougar defenseman Mary Goss picked up the puck, raced by the Lynx forwards gaining the redline and lifting a shot into the empty net with about 30 seconds left to seal the Cougars victory.

Cougars netminder Holman finished with 20 saves while McKersie turned away 28.