Athletic events featuring closely-ranked teams often result in low-scoring, tightly-played games, with the outcome in doubt until the final moments of play.

Such was the case Saturday afternoon in the WiPH Girls Game of the Week at the United Civic Center in Baldwin, where second-ranked Central Wisconsin Storm edged third-ranked St. Croix Valley Fusion 2-1.

The guests got on the scoreboard first midway through the opening period courtesy of a power play goal by Savannah Felch. The initial shot came from the left point and when the rebound was left unattended, Felch was happy to stick the puck in the net for the score. Megan Marlowe got the helper at the 8:01 mark.

Two minutes later, Fusion senior Allie Demotts had a breakaway attempt, but was stoned by Storm goalie Lisa Fowle to keep the one-goal visitor's lead intact.

Maddie Rowe did not fail as she tied the score at one for the Fusion with just under two minutes left. The sophomore standout came steaming down the left side, snuck behind the Storm defense and loosed a shot that beat Fowle low on the stick side. The unassisted goal came at 15:01.

As the period ended, the scoreboard showed the visitors holding an 8-4 shot edge.

The first half of the middle period was scoreless before Katelyn Ramthun got the game-winner with just over eight minutes left. The initial shot bounced off Fusion goalie Carlie Christensen and slid over the goalie's left side. Ramthun beat the defense to the loose puck and flipped it past the prone netminder to give the Storm a 2-1 lead. Elizabeth Bauer was given the assist on the play.

The hosts had a golden opportunity late in the period when two Storm players visited the sin bin, giving the Fusion fifty-three seconds of 5-on-3 (which carried over to the final period), but they were unable to convert.

The Storm held a 12-5 shot margin the the stanza.

The final period was a penalty-fest, as the teams combined for 12 penalty minutes, but neither team was able to score on the man-advantage. A late Storm penalty gave the Fusion a 6-on-4 advantage after Christensen came off for an extra attacker, but a combination of tenacious Storm defense and a little luck kept the puck out of the net as the horn sounded on a narrow 2-1 Storm win.

Unofficially, the Fusion were held with out a third period shot until late in the period, but Fowle stopped two shots and watched as two others slid just outside of the posts to keep the game in the Storm win column.

Shots were 9-2 in favor of the guests.

The Storm were missing top players Kelly Knetter and Alex Guenther due to injuries.

Fowle stopped 10 shots for the win, as the Storm improved to 8-0-1. Christensen performed well at the other end, stopping 27 of 29 shots for the Fusion, who fell to 4-2-1.