The University School Wildcats scored four first period goals and cruised to a 6-0 victory over the Waukesha Wings in a Classic Eight Conference boys’ hockey game on Tuesday, January 21st at USM.
“It was a good win for us tonight,” said Jason Woods, USM’s head coach. “We had complete control throughout the contest. It’s a credit to all the guys; they came ready to play. Tyler Herzberg and Blake Carey showed how they can dominate a game, and I thought Ethan Thombs played inspired hockey. Now it’s time to get ready to go compete in Eagle River.”
As Woods stated, the Wildcats dominated the contest. From the opening faceoff they moved the puck into the Wings’ zone and began firing at Alex Miller, Waukesha’s goalie. Miller made 28 saves during the one-sided affair. Patrick Kelly, USM’s goaltender faced only 8 shots; he stopped them all.
Herzberg, Carey, and Thombs scored the Wildcats’ goals. Herzberg scored 3 goals; Carey scored 2 goals; and Thombs scored 1 goal for the victors.
Thombs scored his goal just one minute into the game. After USM pummeled the Waukesha goalie with 5 shots in the opening seconds, the Wings were able to clear the puck. Garrett Cox retrieved it just inside the Wildcats’ blue line and sent a pass ahead to Thombs at the Wings’ line. Thombs flipped the puck off the boards, skating past one defender. He collected it, and swung around another defender. Then, as he skated through the low slot, he flung the puck into the net to score what would prove to be the game winning goal at 1:02.
Carey scored the first of his two goals a few minutes later. As the Wildcats continued their relentless forechecking, Noah Eghbali snared a loose puck along the right mid-boards. He swung and fired it toward the net. Carey caught it, near the lower edge of the circle. Carey twirled like a wound-up top and whipped the puck past Miller at 6:35.
Then it was Herzberg’s turn. Alex Thundercloud intercepted a Wings’ clearing pass just outside the blue line and tipped it toward Herzberg who was just leaving the zone. Herzberg wheeled and sped back in. Eghbali joined him and called for the puck. Herzberg centered it to his linemate and kept going. Like he was threading a needle, Eghbali passed the puck through two defenders back to Herzberg. Herzberg swooped across the top of the crease then deposited the puck into the corner of the net at 9:35.
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Herzberg scored his second goal in the final minutes of the first period. Pinching down the right boards, Michael Vogel checked a Waukesha breakout attempt. The puck slid into the right corner where Ben Moalusi stabbed it. He passed it into the near circle to Herzberg who immediately rifled a shot between Miller and the pipe at 15:02.
The Wildcats scored one goal in each of the following periods.
Carey made it 5-0 at 10:02 of the second. Eghbali began a clear from the USM zone by passing the puck from the sideboards to Herzberg near the center of the blue line. Herzberg tipped it back to Carey. Carey skated into center ice and headed toward the right side of the Waukesha zone. Entering it, he picked up speed. Shielding the puck from a defender, he swung through the low circle and cut in on Miller. He cut to the crease then jammed the puck under the goalie’s legs to give USM a formidable lead.
Herzberg attained his hat trick at 10:47 of the third period when USM was on a power play. As the USM contingent moved the puck around the Wings’ zone, Reid Woods got it on the left boards. He passed it to Eghbali in the corner. Eghbali then passed it to Herzberg who was skating into the left circle. Herzberg fired. Herzberg scored. 6-0, USM.
Waukesha is now 6-9-0 and 3-2 in the Classic Eight Conference. The Wings host Stevens Point in a non-conference game at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, January 25th at the Nagawaukee Ice Arena in Delafield.
USM is 12-2-1 and 4-0 in the Classic Eight Conference. The Wildcats head to the northwoods to play in the annual Pines Classic Tournament in the famed dome at the Eagle River Recreation Arena. They play Mosinee in a non-conference game on Friday, January 24th in Eagle River. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
