MIDDLETON — The rink is like a second home for Middleton senior Casey Harper.

“When I come to practice and games, it’s like my second family,” said Harper, a forward for the Cardinals’ undefeated boys’ hockey team. “They are my favorite people to be around. We have each other’s backs. We pick each other up.”

The close-knit Cardinals, ranked second in this week’s Wisconsin Prep Hockey coaches’ poll, have started the season 14-0-0, after beating Beloit Memorial 9-0 Tuesday night.

“We have a great group of guys,” Middleton senior defenseman Braxton Walby said after a practice this week at Bob Suter’s Capitol Ice Arena in Middleton. “We are a family. We say a brotherhood. We are fighting and competing to improve each day. Knowing the importance of being a team is helping us and that makes for great results.”

The results have been great for Middleton so far this season for a plethora of reasons.