The Central Wisconsin Storm looked like a team ready to defend their championship with their season opening 5-1 win over the Wisconsin Valley Union, Tuesday night at Ice Hawks Arena in Stevens Point. Jayden Yirkovsky scored twice and freshman goaltender Camille Flohr stopped 17 shots to open her high school career with a victory. After a back-and-forth first period, the Storm defense led by seniors Ava Rode, Taylor Freidel and Michaela Gerum locked down the Union offense and took control of the game.

The defending champs literally stormed out of the gate dominating the games first six minutes with a 6-0 shots advantage. Sophomore goaltender Issie Wojcik was solid stopping a couple of early chances by Storm senior Gabi Heuser. A Storm penalty at 9:20 turned the momentum and the Union began to battle back evening the shots at ten by the end of the period. Sophie Bohlin hit a post for CWS and junior Madeline Kelter just pushed a rebound wide with 17 seconds left in the opening period. The Storm held an advantage in quality scoring chances, but the game remained scoreless.

The second period started much like the first with Central Wisconsin generating more chances including an early two-on-one with defenseman Taylor Freidel just missing a redirect from the net front. At 7:54 the Storm opened the scoring on a pretty passing play off the rush. Kelter carried the puck down the left wing then slid a rink wide pass to Heuser whose shot rebounded to Ava Whitmore who tapped it into an open net.  It became 2-0 when Sophie Bohlin crossed inside the blue line and dropped a pass to Yirkovsky in the high slot where the Mosinee sophomore ripped a wrist shot past Wojcik. With just under three minutes to play in the period, Taylor Freidel stepped in front of an errant neutral zone pass and quickly sent a pass to Senior Malia Baregi who tucked her own rebound in for a 3-0 Storm lead. The Union came close to getting on the board with two minutes remaining on a scramble at the CWS net, but Flohr kept the door closed.

Yirkovsky got her second of the game from in tight after a face-off win early in period three. Just over a minute later, Union fans got something to cheer about when sophomore Campbell Spees sniped Flohr on a clean breakaway. Gabi Heuser, who had been around the Union net all night, scored late, thanks to some good work along the boards by Baregi for a 5-1 final. The Storm finished with a 32-18 shots advantage.

The win was the tenth straight by the Storm over WVU. The Union defeated the Storm, 2-1, in their first ever game as a co-op program in 2017. WVU assistant coach Kendra Robinson and Markie Ash scored for WVU and goalie Pistol Cowden made 36 saves.

Following the game WVU head coach Rachael Graves acknowledged playing a lot of young players, “We threw them (freshmen) into the fire. The team played flexible team first hockey and we tried to juggle lines but just couldn't get it done tonight.” Graves continued, “The Storm is a solid team and our bad habits had nowhere to hide. But I appreciate the way we played the game. The team gives effort/competing and there is solid leadership, and we're planting a lot of seeds right now that hopefully bloom before the end of February.”

Storm coach Jana Wimmer was pleased with her team’s victory. "It's early in the year and we are still working on putting the puzzle pieces together,” said Wimmer, “but it feels good to start the season with a win, especially against a tough and well coached WVU squad.” She applauded her team’s blue-collar effort.  “While we are unlikely the hardest working team in the state, I was proud of the effort displayed and we continue to preach to work hard every day and good things will happen.  I was proud of how the girls responded to some early adversity and excited to see some girls start stepping up into new roles. We hope to continue that this weekend at Gobbler Cup.”

The Storm will be back on the ice Friday when they host USM at the annual Gobler Cup in Mosinee. WVU will travel to Medford next Tuesday to face the Red Raiders who opened their season with a hard-fought overtime loss at Northland Pines.