Sundby's OT GWG!

This past weekend former St. Croix Fusion defenseman Kendall Sundby flashed the brilliance she demonstrated here in Wisconsin for four years. Friday as her Maine Black Bears headed to overtime against UNH tied 3-3, Sundby took the opening face-off and danced her way to the goal mouth to deliver the game-winning-goal in just nine seconds. It was the kind of goal she made routine during her high school career.

Sundby is a sophomore at Maine where she plays for former Siren native and UW-Badger Hall of Famer Molly Engstrom. Sundby is third on the Fusion’s all-time scoring list with 193 points (125G – 68A). The former Team Wisconsin standout won the Molly Engstrom Defenseman of the Year Award three times.  She has a goal and two assists on the season. As a senior she helped lead the Fusion to the state tournament.

"Kendall is crushing it out here in Maine as a D1 athlete,” exclaimed head coach Molly Engstrom. “She is committed to her craft and her team at an elevated level. The OT GWG she scored on Friday was not only one of the coolest goals I've seen live in the college game, but the sheer determination, courage and individual effort was jaw dropping. She was rewarded on Friday night for the hard work she puts in day in and day out. We're all very proud of her in so many ways."

Photo courtesy of Maine Athletic Department

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Around the State

Everybody has dropped the puck on their season and after two full weeks of games we have three undefeated teams; Bay Area 5-0, Beaver Dam 3-0 and Fond du Lac 2-0-1. Five teams are still looking for their first win. Bay Area has looked as dominant as they did a year ago and have stretched their winning streak to 28 games. The Ice Bears Faye Brunke (4G – 7A) is tied for the state lead in scoring with impressive USM sophomore Esme Loomans (9G – 2A) who leads in goals scored with nine.

It will be a wild week ahead for the Western Wisconsin Stars as they tangle with the Fusion, Hayward and Blake, Minnesota. Hudson and CFM meet as the Big Rivers begins to sort itself out and the Lakeshore Lightning will travel to USM. Bay Area will try to extend their streak against Brookfield and Arrowhead.

BRF – Medford: Seven different Tigers scored as Black River Falls bounced Medford 11-1 in the first game of the new Wisconsin Valley Conference. Chloe Pipkorn had 41 saves for the Raiders. It was BRF’s first win of the season after dropping three games last weekend in Baldwin to three teams all expected to be in the state tournament race, Bay Area, Western Wisconsin and St. Croix Valley.

ECA – Hudson: Last season it was the ECA goalies that most often stole the show, but on Tuesday it was Hudson junior netminder Emma Amundson that stuffed all 30 of the Stars shots in a 2-0 Raiders win at home. Cora Chido and Laura Johnson tallied goals for Hudson.

CFM – Western Wisconsin: Just down the road in Somerset, the Western Wisconsin Stars moved to 3-1 on the season with a convincing 6-1 win over CFM. The Stars bombarded Sabers goalie Aubrie Dowd with 39 shots. Izzy Johnson and Chloe Julson each had a pair of goals and Sierra Andert stopped 20 of 21 shots. In their three wins, WW has allowed three goals.

Janesville – Metro Lynx : Tuesday’s most exciting game took place in Verona between the Metro Lynx and the Bluebirds of Janesville. The Lynx built a 2-0 lead on goals by Anastasia Moreau and Cami Nelson.

Following the time out, Janseville’s Sophia Ferrera nearly got a clean breakaway, but got the puck knocked loose at the last second. Skylar Bierman retrieved the puck and fed Ava Kligora at the bottom of the right circle, and the senior slid the puck past Lynx goalie Addy Buzzell to cut the lead to 2-1. Seventy-seven seconds later Janesville’s Micki Andrews wins an offensive zone face-off back to Maliya Mauer who gets off a shot on net. Andrews went straight to the net and hammers the rebound through Buzzell to tie the game. With overtime looming, Metro forward Coraline Haley powered through a check on the left-wing wall, cut to the middle and sniped Jesse Demarasse over the blocker to put the Lynx’s back on top 3-2. Scout Elmer delivered a huge blocked shot for the Lynx with 12 seconds remaining to seal the win.  Buzzell finished with 30 saves, Demarasse, 23.

New coach Kurt Buchs had this to say after the game, “We just talked in the timeout about having to sell out completely in every aspect, challenging every pass, shot and puck battle.  And to the girl’s credit, they did.  Challenge now is to get that type of effort consistently throughout the game.  I feel we’ve gotten better from game one.”

Fond du Lac - Brookfield: The Warbirds opened their season with a 3-1 decision over Brookfield. Fondy blitzed Glacier goalie Georgianna Janet with 49 shots.

Coulee Region – Winona: Coulee Region hit the road across the border to Winona where they fell short, 3-1 to the Winhawks. Ava Ferguson gave the Cyclones a 1-0 first period lead. Winona scored two in the third to break a 1-1 tie. Grace Johnsrude had 34 saves for Coulee.

WVU – ECA: The ECA Stars ended their two-game scoring drought with two goals by Victoria Kitelinger and one by Molly Wright in a 3-0 win over WVU.  The Union lost for the second time this week and have opened the season with two scoreless efforts. Issie Wojcik saved 31 for WVU and Evie Pritzl 29 for ECA. The Stars at 4-2 have played six games in two weeks.

Bay Area – Lakeshore: The beat goes on for the Bay Area Ice Bears as they win their 27th straight convincingly over the previously unbeaten Lakeshore Lightning 4-0. Zunker, Buchan, Von Haden and Brunke, four names you will be hearing often this season, all scored for the Bears. Elizabeth Bowers made 20 first period saves to keep it scoreless after one, finished with 43 saves. The Lightning managed only 10 shots on goal.

Hayward – Stillwater: The Stillwater Ponies ran their season record to 5-1-1 with a 6-2 win over Hayward on Thursday. Mariah Hooten scored the hat trick for Stillwater, while Olivia Webster and Abby Elliott scored for the Hurricanes. Makenna Hutchison was busy facing 46 shots in the Hurricane net.

Janesville – Badger Lightning: For the second consecutive game, the Bluebirds came from behind late to tie the game. At 5:08 of the third period, Macy Murphy scooped up loose puck off a face-off and fired it on net from just above the goal line, catching Olivia Renneberg by surprise to tie the game at 2-2. 1:48 into overtime, the Lightning’s  Kate Brandt came down from the point, took the puck below goal line before finding Elizabeth Haag at the top of the crease, where she banged home the game winner. Piper Aaker had 28 saves for Janesville and Renneberg 25 for the Lightning.

Western Wisconsin – Bloomington Jefferson: The Western Wisconsin Stars crossed the border into Minnesota and emerged with a 2-0 win over the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars. Freshman goaltender Stella Olson was the Star with a solid 33 save performance. “That was an outstanding performance by a young goaltender in her first varsity start,” said excited Stars head coach Chris Lepper. “She held the team in it until we could get going offensively, she gave us a chance to win, which we did. She made some miraculous saves that were just purely outstanding.” Ashley Jensen and Izzy Johnson scored goals 29 seconds apart early in the third period to break the scoreless tie.

Fondy – Arrowhead: Warbirds took a 3-0 first period lead on goals by Adrianna Goetz, Kayla Dogs and Sydney Vogtman. Emily Van Saun broke up the shut out in the third period. Kennedy Kohlman 18 saves.

Medford – Beaver Dam: Zayleah Leonhardt played goalie for the Raiders and turned in 44 saves in a 5-1 loss. Beaver Dam scored two shorthanded goals by Brenna Rhodes and Addisyn Mueller. Freshman blueliner Macy Damon had three assists.

Cap City – Northland Pines: The Cougars scored three goals in the first six minutes of the third period to break a 1-1 tie and lead them to a 5-1 win over the Eagles in Eagle River. Lucy Nowak had 32 saves for Pines and Sophia Martinelli 21 for Cap City.

Viroqua – Stoughton: Adey Oliver kept the Blackhawks close with a 42 save effort as the Icebergs skated past Viroqua 4-1. Ashlyn Bartels had two goals for Stoughton as they secured their first win of the season. Brenna Rodgers got the lone Blackhawks goal. Viroqua head coach Paul Severson offered his optimism after the game, "Lots to work on, but lots to work with, I like our potential."

The teams played again on Saturday with Stoughton completing a sweep with an 8-0 victory. Sydney Gilbertson and Ashlyn Bartels scored twice each for the Icebergs.

USM – Fox Cities: Esme Loomans scored two goals including the game winner as USM edged Fox Cities 3-2 in Neenah. Maggie Johnson stopped 22 shots for the Wildcats.

Hayward – Coulee Region: The Hurricanes wore out two Cyclone goalies in their 8-0 defeat of Coulee Region. Three Hurricanes scored twice, Colby Sprenger, Baylie Schuh and Olivia Webster.

Hudson – Superior: The Spartans built a 4-0 after two periods in a 5-2 decision over the Hudson Raiders. Adalyn Benson had a pair of goals and PaisLee Lystig had a goal and two assists. Shots favored the Spartans 25-24.

Lakeshore – Fox Cities: It was powerplay night at the Tri-County Ice Arena. The Lightning took a 2-0 lead in the first period on two powerplay goals. Liela Reed set up Erin Brezovar for the first and then Reed scored the second. Evie Mursau scored twice in the second period, both on the powerplay to tie it for Fox Cities. Then in overtime, Olivia Dykema scored the game’s fifth powerplay goal to send the Lightning to a 3-2 win. Addison Grasse stopped 39 for the Stars and Elizabeth Bowers 36 for Lakeshore.

Arrowhead – Brookfield: Emma Hantke walked off the wall in overtime and sniped a short-side, top corner overtime game winner to earn a 3-2 win for the Warhawks.   

USM – Bay Area: Make it 28 straight wins for the Ice Bears as they took apart the USM Wildcats 8-0 in their championship banner raising home opener on Saturday. Bay Area ran away with five third period goals while holding the Wildcats without a shot on goal in the period. Hannah Von Haden and Addison Dahl each had a pair of goals. The defending champs are off to a 5-0 start out scoring their opponents 27-3.

WIAA Hockey History

We are still looking for the history of many WIAA programs, boys and girls, in Wisconsin. If you have access to season-by-season stats or cumulative program stats, please send those on the WiPH: drbauer13@gmail.com