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USM boys sneak past Arrowhead 3-1

By Tom Geilfuss, USM Asst. Coach, 01/27/16, 8:15AM CST

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Epperson scores a pair in Senior Night win

Tuesday’s battle for first place in the Classic Eight Conference had all the makings of a classic.  It did not disappoint.  The hockey game at University School featured a long-simmering rivalry between two good hockey teams; fast, continuous action; good defense; good play-making; good goaltending; great tension; and a close score.  By its conclusion, the University School boys’ hockey team had defeated Arrowhead 3-1.

It was Senior Night at USM.  The Wildcats and their fans honored the USM hockey careers of Tommy Ferrara, Levi Geisness, Jerzey Judge, Jake Kandel, Billy Miller, John Ostermeyer, Mac Schmidt, and Joey Wallskog. 

It was juniors, however, who provided the goal scoring for the Wildcats.  Logan Geisness scored the game winning goal and assisted on USM’s other two goals scored by his line mate and fellow junior Nick Epperson.

“What a great high school hockey game,” said a smiling Jason Woods, USM’s head coach.  “Arrowhead is a hard-working group that is obviously well-coached and extremely disciplined.  I thought in the first period we tried too much individual play.  It didn't work.  In between periods we talked about moving the puck and taking care of the small things, which changed the game.  I am proud of these guys tonight.”

The official scorekeeper gave Schmidt, USM’s goaltender, 34 saves and Arrowhead’s senior goalie, JJ Gerlach, 17 saves, but the fast-paced action made the game seem closer than those numbers did.

The Warhawks scored the only goal in the first period.  Skating into the zone on a three-on-two rush, senior Jonathan Daury sent the puck in deep.  It swung behind the net into the left corner.  Arrowhead junior Jack Schlinsog knocked a defender off the puck, so that sophomore Jaxson Carr could gain control of it.  Carr swung towards the net and spotted Daury all alone in front of it.  Carr’s pass was tape to tape, and Daury’s quick shot past Schmidt gave Arrowhead the early lead.

Schmidt made a great save to stop a breakaway in the waning seconds of the period to keep the score close and allow USM to tie it in the opening seconds of following period.

Epperson got the puck in the USM end and took off on a three-on-two rush with Geisness and junior Brandon McGill.  In center ice, Epperson passed the puck to Geisness who carried it along the right boards into the Warhawks’ zone. As Epperson buzz-sawed toward the net, Geisness sent the puck toward Epperson who had time to extend his stick and tip it past Gerlach at 1:01 of the second period.

There were no more goals scored for the next twenty-nine minutes, but the action made every one of those minutes exciting.

With the score tied at 1-1 heading into the third period, it was easily appeared that it was anybody’s game to win.  At 12:59 USM made it clear which team it would be.

The Wildcats dumped the puck into the Arrowhead zone to start the play.  Geisness raced in and fought for it with an Arrowhead defender who was trying to skate it out of the right corner.  Geisness won the battle in the slot and turned and fired the puck on net.  Gerlach’s save caromed to Epperson below the goal line.  Epperson saw Geisness in the slot and sent the puck his way. Geisness dove for it.  As he fell, he whipped it past Gerlach for the game-winner.

The excitement didn’t quit.  The Warhawks played furiously in the final minutes and had several good attempts, but they were for naught.  The Wildcat defense held firm.

Epperson scored an empty-net goal after a pass from Geisness on a two-on-one rush to seal the victory for the Wildcats with 31 seconds left in the well-played game. 

USM is now 13-4-2 and 4-0-1 in the Classic Eight Conference.  Arrowhead is 12-5 overall and 3-2 in the conference. As a result of the outcome the Wildcats will play another game for supremacy in the Classic Eight Conference when they take on another arch rival, Marquette, at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 29th at Eble Park Ice Arena in Brookfield.

WiPH Game Summaries