Down three goals, the University School ice hockey team rallied late and ended up tying Stoughton 3-3 in an overtime game Tuesday in Stoughton.

The Vikings took advantage of lackluster play by the Wildcats in the first and second periods to take a three-goal lead.  Stoughton tallied its first goal at 14:49 of the first period.  Issac Hale moved the puck unimpeded into the right circle in the USM zone.  The puck slid to Shawn Buelow near the inner hash marks.  Buelow shot the puck along the ice, and it went into the USM net near the far post.

Hale scored Stoughton's next goal while killing a power play.  He picked off a poor USM pass in the USM zone, and quickly fired a low shot between the legs of USM's goaltender Bryan Botcher at 1:49 of the second period.

The Vikings made the score 3-0 at 12:33 of the second period.  During a face-off in the USM zone, Brode McCaughn won the draw and pushed the puck toward the net.  Unchecked, Chris Mill dashed to it and knocked it into the net.

The Wildcats began their comeback less than a minute later.  Skating into the Stoughton zone on a two-on-one break.  He waited until his line mate Ashton Wackym had sped past the defender, then he passed the puck to Wackym.  Wackym finished the play by sweeping past Stoughton's goalie Nick Myers then snapping a shot into the open side of the goal at 13:25.

In the locker room between the second and third periods, the Wildcats determined to play full-team hockey with leadership and decisive effort.  Their play in the final period demonstrated their determination. They out shot the Vikings 15-6 and scored two goals.

The Wildcats scored their second goal of the game at 4:48.  Cycling the puck in the Stoughton zone, Wackym passed the puck to Corey Roadhouse in the left corner.  Roadhouse skated along the boards and spotted Kenny Servis all alone in the slot.  Roadhouse passed the puck to Servis who rifled a high shot beyond the reach of Myers to pull USM within one goal.

USM finally tied the score while on a power play.  The Wildcats moved the puck around Stoughton's zone.  It skittered to defenseman Joey Judge at the blue line.  Joey blasted a shot at the net.  Servis tipped it off the goalpost and into the net at 15:12.

That sent the game into overtime. The action was intense but no goals were scored in the eight-minute time frame.

In the game both Botcher and Myers made 25 saves.

After the game USM’s head coach Cal Roadhouse told his team, “I like the energy we had in the third period.  We need that energy in every period in the play offs.”

As a result of the game, Stoughton is now 8-11-2.  USM is 14-9-1.  The Wildcats now move into the playoffs for the state tournament.  Their first regional game is 8:00 p.m. Friday, February 17th at USM.  They will host the winner of the game between Fond du Lac and Waupun, which takes place February 14th.