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Wildcats fall to second-ranked Middleton

By VERONA PRESS, 01/15/16, 12:30AM CST

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Verona gives up goal, have another waved off against Cardinals; shut out Lakers at home

 

Submitted by admin on Fri, 01/15/2016 - 12:06am
By: 
Jeremy Jones
Photo by Mary Langenfeld. Verona’s Zach Ritter competes with Middleton’s Braxton Walby for control of the puck on Saturday. The Wildcats lost the Big Eight Conference game 3-1.

Something had to give Saturday evening when the Verona boys hockey team hosted the second-ranked Middleton Cardinals. 

While both teams entered the Big Eight showdown undefeated in conference, it was the Cardinals that improved to 15-0-0 overall and 8-0-0 in conference last weekend with a 3-1 victory inside the Verona Ice Arena.

Verona gave up a fluky goal in the first period and had an apparent game-changing goal waved off in the second period after losing the team’s top defenseman.

Senior defenseman Zach Lanz appeared to take a shoulder to the head and then hit his helmet on the ice early in the second period. He was helped off the ice almost immediately after the check an taken to a local ER.

“We had to dig deep on the bench,” Wildcats head coach Joel Marshall said. “It was definitely a setback and we struggled on the bench a bit defensively having to kill off all those penalties in the second period.”

The Wildcats, however, appeared to take the lead following a Zach Ritter roughing penalty when defenseman Noah Maurer fought through traffic in front of the Cardinals net and poked a loose puck between the legs of Middleton goaltender Tony Wuesthofen.

“The ref came over and told me the puck never went in and he lost sight of it,” Marshall said. “It looked like from the bench it was between his legs and the goalie spun around after it crossed the goal line. But regardless, we have to capitalize on the odd-man-rushes and point-blank chances we had in the first and third period to win these kind of games.”

Instead, Middleton defenseman Zach Heidl scored what would prove to be the game-winner 10 1/2 minutes into the second period via a power-play goal through a screen in front of Verona senior goaltender Nathan Cleghorn.

“I didn’t see the puck until the last second,” Cleghorn said. “I need to be fighting through the crowds, though. That’s just part of the game and I just need to learn how to make those saves.”

The Wildcats spent the remaining 8 1/2 minutes of the second period killing off four penalties, including a 5-on-3.

“We were very confident that we had the ability to win this game going into the second intermission,” Cleghorn said. “It was a huge momentum shift for us killing off that 5-on-3. We knew we could compete with them and just wanted to give it all we had.” 

Cardinal forward Griffin Gussell added an insurance goal a little under 9 1/2 minutes into the third period. Davis Bunz moved the puck around the net and then centered the puck to Gussell in the slot where he powered the puck into the back of the net.

Ritter tried to rally the Wildcats over the final 2 1/2 minutes centering a pass to Josh Novotny in the slot, stealing and wristing another shot on goal and shooting wide of the net.

Verona pulled Cleghorn with 1:32 left only to have to put him back in the game 24 seconds later for a faceoff in the Wildcats’ zone. He was pulled again with 55 seconds remaining, but Verona was unable to score.

Wuesthofen stopped 15 of 16 shots on goal in the win, while Cleghorn posted 31 saves on 34 shots in the loss after allowing a fluky first period goal.

Middleton Colin Butler scored the game’s first goal 7 1/2 minutes into the first period after Cleghorn lost his stick.

“I got distracted when I lost my stick and couldn’t grab it up,” Cleghorn said. “I should have been more focused on the puck and hugging the post there. It was unfortunate that they scored.

“There is nothing I can do about it now but learn from it.”

Junior defenseman Jeff Bishop answered with a Verona even-strength goal 7 minutes later.

“We wanted to prove to Wisconsin that we’re a top 10 team,” Cleghorn said. “We want another conference banner on the wall. Knowing that Middleton was undefeated and ranked No. 2, it just made us a lot more focused and energized to go out and win.”

The Wildcats could still end up sharing the title if they win out.

“I feel like we could still tie for conference,” Cleghorn said. “We’ve just got to win out. But our ultimate goal is to make it to state and win it.”

Verona 7, Eastside Lakers 0

The Wildcats had six different goal scorers Tuesday as they topped the Eastside Lakers 7-0 at home.

Juniors Jacob Keyes, Braeden Schindler, sophomore Riley Frieburg, senior Zach Ritter, Anderson and Novotny all collected goals in the win.

In two games against the Lakers (0-12-0 overall, 0-8-0 conference), the Wildcats (9-6-1, 7-1-0) have won a combined 18-0 this season.

Verona senior Alex Jones stopped two shots on goal before giving way to junior AJ Augello, who turned away four shots over the final two periods.

Sean Gross had 55 saves for the Eastside Lakers. 

The Wildcats travel to Madison Ice Arena at 8 p.m. Friday to face Madison Memorial. The Spartans (10-5-0) are 4-5 in conference this season.