Big Rivers opener ends tied 4-4

Eau Claire Memorial visited Chippewa Falls Tuesday night to begin the 43rd season of Big Rivers Conference hockey.

Chippewa Falls enters 2024/25 as the defending Big Rivers champion. Last season the Cardinals won their second Big Rivers championship. The lone other conference title was in 1989.

Eau Claire Memorial has won a whopping 15 Big Rivers championships, tied with Hudson for the most. However, Memorial has not won the conference since 2019.

The intensity of tonight’s game was sky high. Eau Claire Memorial HS and Chippewa Falls HS are separated by a 15-minute drive. The players on each team have competed against each other since squirt hockey, and some play on the same fall or summer teams.

The game started and Memorial controlled the puck and dictated play. On the very first shift Old Abes senior Gabe Pankratz hit a post. Memorial had another chance a couple minutes later when they went on power play but were unable to convert. During the first period Memorial had better play, momentum, and were dramatically outshooting Chippewa.

The momentum shifted about eleven minutes into the first period when Chippewa was killing a penalty. A little over one minute into the penalty kill, Chippewa sophomore Matt Frenette picked up a loose puck in his D zone and made a pass to senior Ethan Foiles in the neutral zone behind the Memorial defense. Foiles raced to the Memorial net and with precision he scored to give Chippewa a 1-0 lead.

Fifty seconds later Ethan Foiles gave Chippewa a 2-0 lead. Foiles’ goal was a result of determined forechecking. He battled behind the Memorial net, got the puck and went to the front of the net and scored unassisted.

In a span of less than one minute, Memorial went from being on a power play, dictating play, more offensive zone time and better opportunities to down 0-2.

Chippewa’s two goal lead did not last long. Memorial’s Gabe Pankratz decided it was his turn to take over. With one minute remaining in the first period, Pankratz snapped a quick release low shot that cut the Chippewa lead to one goal.

The first period ended with Chippewa leading 2-1 but Memorial had a 13-4 advantage in shots.

Ten seconds into the second Chippewa’s Bret Carlson scored on a low stick side shot after he received a pass from linemate Jackson LeMay. Carlson’s goal gave Chippewa a 3-1 lead.

Chippewa’s two-goal lead lasted a little more than six minutes. While Memorial was killing a penalty Gabe Pankratz struck again. Pankratz beat the Chippewa defenders into their D zone for a puck that was iced. Pankratz was near the goal line by the boards, and he blasted a shot from a bad angle that found its way into the back of the net. With Pankratz’s unassisted shorthanded goal Chippewa’s lead was back to one goal.

Six minutes later Chippewa extended its lead to two goals for the third time after an odd rebound bouncy puck was not cleared. Chippewa freshman Easton Skelton scored with an assist from Matt Frenette. With Skelton’s goal the Cardinals were up 4-2 with about four minutes remaining in the second period.

In the final minute of the second period Memorial went on the power play due to a 5-minute head contact call on Chippewa. The Old Abes had offensive zone possession and some opportunities but were unable to score.

The second period ended with Chippewa leading 4-2, but Memorial had a 22-9 advantage in shots.

Memorial started the third period with a two-goal deficit but fortunately for the Old Abes they had a power play. In tonight’s game when Memorial needed someone to step up it was Gabe Pankratz.

Four minutes into the third period Pankratz scored his third goal. Pankratz’s goal was a rocket shot that came off his stick like it was propelled with jet fuel. The puck entered the net before Chippewa’s goalie could move. Pankratz’s third goal cut Chippewa’s lead back to one and it put wind in the Old Abes sails.

About 90 seconds after Pankratz cut Chippewa’s lead to one goal, Memorial’s Mack Diggins tenaciously attacked the Chippewa net for a rebound and he tied the game with an even strength goal with assists from Ethan Beglinger and Tucker Lossman.

After Diggins scored to tie the game 4-4, the third period still had over 10 minutes remaining. Each team had plenty of chances to score a fifth goal but miraculously, despite cross bars, goal posts, and even a double goal post, nobody scored.

So, we went into an eight-minute five on five OT period. Memorial had a slight advantage in shots during the OT period, but each team had opportunities to end it. Both goalies played well, nobody scored, so we went to a second OT.

The second OT was a five-minute three on three period. Three periods and one OT took its toll. Fatigue started to show. During the second OT players looked like they had spaghetti noodle legs. It was a long and hard-fought battle. Neither team scored in the second OT. The game ended tied 4-4.

The Big Rivers conference opener for Eau Claire Memorial and Chippewa Falls was a thrilling emotional roller coaster. Memorial was down by two goals three separate times, 2-0, 3-1, and 4-2, yet they never flinched. Chippewa watched a two-goal lead in the third period vanish, but they never panicked.

The rematch between Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire Memorial is Thursday, January 16 at Hobbs Ice Arena in Eau Claire.