It’s been a challenging season for both the Rhinelander Hodags (1-10) and Medford Raiders (2-13) of the Great Northern Conference. However, when two evenly matched teams face off, as we've always noted at Wisconsin Prep Hockey, there’s potential for an exciting game. Saturday’s matchup at the Charlie Phelps Memorial Hockey Tournament in Merrill delivered just that, with Rhinelander earning a hard-fought 5-3 victory.
The Hodags opened the scoring when Dylan Shefveland found the back of the net on a pass from Zach Edyvean. Medford responded five minutes later with a shorthanded breakaway goal by Tucker Phillips, who used his speed to beat the goalie to the forehand corner. Rhinelander regained the lead before the period ended as Shefveland netted his second goal, assisted by Nathan Cordy, making it 2-1.
The second period remained quiet until a miscue in the Medford zone allowed Rhinelander to capitalize. Shefveland dumped the puck near the net, and when the Raiders failed to clear it, Drake Nelson was waiting to slap it home for a 3-1 advantage. Medford answered just 38 seconds later with a goal from Fischer Thums, assisted by Mason Harris, cutting the lead to 3-2.
Logan Leonard widened Rhinelander’s lead in the third, scoring twice at 5:28 and 8:10. Riley Quires assisted on Leonard’s first goal, while Shefveland and Cordy contributed to the second. Medford kept battling, and Cole Pernsteiner delivered a corner snipe at 11:08 to narrow the deficit to 5-3. Late penalties on Rhinelander at 13:04 and 16:22 gave Medford a prolonged power-play opportunity, but even with the goalie pulled, the Raiders couldn’t convert.
Reflecting on the game, Medford coach Klayton Kree emphasized the team’s struggle to maintain consistent effort. "I thought we had spurts where we were putting pressure on and generating offensive chances," Kree said. "Unfortunately, that’s been our Achilles' heel this year—finding a way to sustain high effort throughout the whole game."
"Defensively, we need to focus on taking care of the puck in the corner and hitting our wingers for a breakout pass. One of the killers against us today was not handling Rhinelander’s low net-front presence. They did a great job putting home loose pucks," Kree explained.
Despite the loss, Kree remains optimistic about their next matchup. "Heading into Thursday, we know the offensive looks will be there. We just need to capitalize on those chances. Rhinelander's coach (MJ Laggis) has done a great job with his roster, and it should be a great game. We’ll work hard to flip the result."
Ashwer Rivord made 19 saves on 22 shots to secure Rhinelander’s second win of the season. Medford’s Talan Albers faced a heavier workload, stopping 33 of 38 shots. The two teams will meet again Thursday for a Great Northern Conference rematch.