On the final day at the NIT, the once in a decade matchup pits the Seniors against their younger brothers on the U18 team.

The puck dropped and for the first five minutes neither team had a distinct advantage. The best scoring opportunity came about six minutes into the game when the U18 line of Marshall ‘Big Truck’ Haukom, Calvin Lakowske, and Jaxon Flanagan cycled the puck down low. Lakowske made a pass from below the goal line to Jaxon Flanagan in the slot, but Senior goalie Owen Nelson slid across to make the save.

The Seniors were the first team to score. Brookfield’s Connor Hillig shot a blaster over Julian Scalcucci’s left shoulder to give the Seniors a 1-0 lead.

Following Hillig’s goal, the Seniors generated more scoring opportunities for the next four shifts. In one shift the line of Austin Westergaard, Gabe Braun and Adam Sexton had multiple shots that would have gone in on most goalies, but not today against the tandem of Julian Scalcucci and Griffen Bunnell.

Halfway through the second period the U18 team tied the game when the Big Truck line got the U18’s on the scoreboard. U18’s Calvin Lakowske of Black River Falls put the puck in the net to tie the game 1-1.

In the final minute of the first period U18’s Jonah Dickens went to the penalty box for tripping. The Seniors were unable to convert but will start the second period with one minute remaining on the power play.

The second period ended tied 1-1 and the Seniors had the shot advantage 17-10.

The second period started with the Seniors on the power play. The U18 penalty kill did their job and the scored remained tied 1-1.

The U18 scored two minutes after killing the penalty. Somerset’s Marshall ‘Big Truck’ Haukom made a sky bomb pass from his D zone. The puck bounced off Calvin Lakowske and into the offensive zone. Jaxon Flanagan of River Falls picked the puck up near the top of the circles, and he toe dragged the puck past a Senior defender, then sniped a shot over Spencer Shober’s right shoulder. Flanagan’s goal gave the U18 team a 2-1 lead.

The U18 team went on a four-minute power play after Jackson Schroeder and Big Truck Haukom had a weight mismatch love hug after a high sticking. Spencer Shober was seeing the puck on the penalty kill and his catlike reflexes were on display. U18 could not convert the four-minute man advantage into a goal.

The second period ended with the U18 team leading 2-1. The Senior’s held a 29-20 shot advantage.

Two minutes into the third period the Senior’s tied the game. Landyn Randt scored a one timer from in tight with assists from Carter Drexler and Jackson Schroeder to even the game at 2-2.

The rest of the third period was a goaltending clinic. Griffen Bunnell and Spencer Shober played great. The Senior team had more opportunities and thus Bunnell faced more shots. With four minutes remaining Cooper Simon caught a stretch pass, and it looked like the puck may have crossed the goal line, but the referee blew his whistle and waved no goal. The game remained tied 2-2.

Regulation ended tied 2-2. So, we have a shootout!

The shootout: U18 Jaxon Flanagan is up first no goal. Senior Max Bennett goal. U18 Cooper Simon no goal. Senior Connor Hillig no goal. U18 Mack Diggins goal. Senior Wyatt Ehrhardt no goal. U18 Henry Steele goal. Senior Austin Westergaard no goal.

The U18 team won the the Battle of Wisconsin in a shootout!

“It was a good team win! We played good hockey on both ends of the ice. Our defenders did a good job keeping them out of the house making it easy for me to see the puck.” U18 Griffen Bunnell, Goalie, DC Everest

“I was reading the play well today. It was a great team effort all weekend. We bounced back after yesterday’s tough loss. We got better as the weekend went on.” U18 Julian Scalcucci, Goalie, Wausau West

Both Wisconsin teams played great. All Wisconsin high school hockey fans should be proud. This was a spectacular event to showcase Wisconsin’s top high school hockey players!

Yours for hockey, Matt Carey