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SPASH advances with solid win over Eau Claire North

By Bill Berg, WiPH Staff, 02/17/23, 11:30AM CST

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The second-seeded SPASH Panthers hosted the number seven Eau Claire North Huskies at KB Willet arena in Stevens Point on Thursday in a Regional Final game. The Huskies defeated DC Everest 7-2 on Tuesday, while the Panthers waited patiently. SPASH scored first and never trailed, downing ECN 6-3 to advance to the Sectional round.

The Panthers got on the board early, at 3:14 in the first. Matthew Eiden took a snap shot from the left face off dot that beat Huskies goalie Tristan Bock over the blocker shoulder.

Nick Thompson tied it up for ECN on a one timer from the edge of the crease off a nifty pass from Brayton Thillman behind the net.

Point went back on top 2-1 late in the period when Jackson Schroeder shot from the bottom of the right circle off a pass from Kade Smigaj.

Bock stopped ten shots in the first period, while SPASH goalie Hunter Christjohn stopped eight.

SPASH expanded their lead to 3-1 early in the second. Mason Keller fired a slap shot from the point that went high over the net and caromed off the glass back to the front of the net. Grant Molski put a rebound shot on net, but Bock stopped it. Smigaj put in a the second rebound. Coy Brish made it 4-1 when he sniped one from just above the goal line on the left side.

Bock again made ten saves in the period, while Christjohn stopped all seven shots he faced.

Three straight Huskie power plays to end the second and start the third period brought the shot counts closer, but the only scoring during that time was an even strength breakaway goal by Noah Bestul to bring ECN with two goals.

SPASH expanded their lead again after a mad scramble in front of the Huskies net, the puck bounced out to Keller in the high slot, and he had time to pick a corner and fire away. Kade Smigaj somehow kept his feet as he fought his way between to Huskie defensemen and planted an empty netter to make it 6-2 Panthers with 30 seconds left.

The Huskies weren’t ready to roll over, and Thompson scored off a face-off win with just four tenths of a second to play to make the final score 6-3.

WiPH Game Summaries