skip navigation

Tritons top West in second extra period for first state title

By Michael Trzinski, 03/03/12, 5:35PM CST

Share

Appleton scores game-winner for Notre Dame Academy



For Notre Dame Academy, the third time is a charm.

The last two years, the Tritons won their quarterfinal game, only to lose in the semifinal round.

Not this time.

Shortly after Mason Appleton banged home a puck off Wausau West goalie Sam Wiegert's left pad and the post and into the net, the white-clad Notre Dame players flung sticks, gloves, and helmets into the air to celebrate their first state tournament championship as they beat West 3-2 in two overtimes Saturday afternoon at the Alliant Energy Center.

The teams flew up and down the ice most of the first period without scoring. Then late in the period, West got on the board first.

Kyle Lee and Seth Wage came in on a 2-on-1 break. Lee fired a shot from the right circle that NDA goalie Chris Nell stopped, but the rebound bounced out to Wage, who cashed it in from the left side to give West the 1-0 lead at the 15:07 mark. Kevin Conley also earned a helper on the play with the initial pass to Lee.

The period ended with the Tritons holding an 11-6 shot advantage.

Midway through the second, NDA tied the score.

Jason Reynolds took a pass in the neutral zone and skated in on a 2-on-1 with Riley Christensen, who after taking the pass pitchforked the puck over Wiegert to knot up the contest at the 8:45 mark. Jarod Zirbel also earned an assist. 

Eleven seconds later, Lee scored again, this time on an on-ice shot from the slot that snuck just past Nell's stick on the short side. Wage and Thomas Brown were given assists on the play.

West held the one-goal lead until there was less than a minute left, and then Notre Dame tallied the dreaded late period goal.

Christensen scored his second goal on a shot from the top of the left circle that fluttered a bit on Wiegert and snuck between his blocker and body to tie the game at two with just 24 seconds left. Will Woodward got an assist on the scoring play.

Shots in the period showed West with an 11-6 edge.

In the scoreless third, NDA had three PP opportunities and West had one, but neither squad converted. Shots were 11-9 in favor of the Tritons.

The first OT was scoreless, shots in favor of West (9-4).

Midway  through the second extra period, Appleton got behind the defense and snuck the puck past Wiegert to start the celebration.

"Very proud of the boys," said NDA coach Cory McCracken. "Very much a solid team effort all weekend. We used our depth effectively all three games which paid off greatly on Saturday."

NDA ends the season at 27-3, while West drops to 20-8-2.

 

WiPH Game Summaries