The fifth-ranked Wausau West Warriors last participated in game action on December 18, and while they had to skate a couple periods to knock the rust off, managed a goal late in each of the final two stanzas to edge host Wisconsin Rapids 2-0 Thursday evening at the South Wood County Rec Center.

While the scoreboard did not show a lot of activity, there was furious action on the ice at times as each team had opportunities to score but failed due to stellar goalie play, good defensive play or by having the puck slide off the stick just as a good chance developed.

Each team had at least two good chances in the first but didn't capitalize as both Sam Wiegert and Tyler Gilbert stopped everything that came their way. Wiegert stopped 11 shots in the first, while Gilbert turned aside nine at the east end of the rink in the first 17 minute period.

The second period began as the first--with plenty of action but no goals to show for it--but finally with 2:40 left in the period, Justin Anderson cashed in on a rebound from the low slot to give the guests a 1-0 lead. Adam Parsells earned a helper on the play. West held a slight 8-5 shot edge in the period.

The third period was pretty wild, with Gilbert stopping a 2-on-1 early in the period and Rapids missing a golden chance when Caleb Schroer airmailed the net on a breakaway a few minutes later.

The official's whistles got a workout, as 20 penalty minutes were tweeted in the period.

West made it 2-0 on an innocent-looking shot with just under four minutes to play.

Zach Peterson ripped a shot from the top of the right circle, but the puck might have not settled and that caused it to flutter past Gilbert's glove and into the back of the net. Anderson was given an assist on the score at the 13:08 mark.

Rapids coach Pat McDonald pulled his netminder with just under a minute left, but since they had a player in the box, that brought the action back to 5-on-5 and they were unable to score in the last minute of play.

West (7-3-1, 4-0 WVC) outshot the home team 11-7 in the period.

Wiegert had 23 saves for his fourth shutout of the year. Gilbert also played very well, stopping 26 shots for Rapids, who dropped to 8-3 (1-2 WVC).

West will host #9 SPASH next Tuesday at Marathon Park, while Rapids plays host to #2 Fond du Lac this Saturday in WiPH's Game of the Week.

NOTE: The shutout was also the 12th of Wiegert's career, which sets an all-time West record, breaking the 20-year-old mark of Aaron Guenther, which was officially 11.7 shutouts.