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Boys hockey overcomes sluggish start to bury Sun Prairie

By Verona Press: JOnes, 02/18/16, 10:00PM CST

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Thrown together a couple of weeks ago, the play of the Verona boys hockey team's first line has been hit or miss at times this season.

Thrown together a couple of weeks ago, the play of the Verona boys hockey team's first line has been hit or miss at times this season.

Tuesday evening was one of the nights were forwards Josh Novotny, Jackson Anderson and Zach Ritter couldn't miss, combining for seven goals in a 7-1 regional final victory over the visiting Sun Prairie Cardinals.

The win moved the fourth-seeded Wildcats on to the sectional finals at Tuesday, Feb. 23 more than likely against the top-seeded Middleton Cardinals, who beat Verona twice this season.

Novotny scored in every facet of the game, scoring a short-handed goal in first period, an even-strength goal in the second and a power-play goal in the third period to cap his hat trick. He also set up Anderson and Ritter once.

Verona, which hadn't allowed a goal to Sun Prairie in two games this season, took a 2-0 lead 13 minutes into the first period.

Anderson found the back of the net first, scoring an unassisted, even-strength goal 30 seconds into the game when Sun Prairie goaltender Sam Dunn didn't play the puck at the side of his net. A streaking Anderson picked up the puck and scored on a wrap-around. It was 13 minutes later before Anderson and the Wildcats threatened again. Outshoot 13-6 in the first period, Anderson found his way behind a pair of Sun Prairie defenseman and popped in a second goal on the penalty.

Verona senior goaltender Nathan Cleghorn weathered the storm for the majority of the first period as the Wildcats were outshot 13-6. The Cardinals, however, finally ended their scoreless drought with 55 seconds remaining in the first period as Denver Baker poked a loose puck under Cleghorn.

Head coach Joel Marshall reiterated to his team that Sun Prairie wasn't just going to roll over, and the Wildcats responded by shutting out the Cardinals 5-0 over the final two periods despite behind outshot in every period but the second.

Verona put some distance between themselves and Sun Prairie with three goals in the second period, including two from Novotny and another from Ritter.

Novotny and Ritter each added another in the third to give the Wildcats running close with three-and-a-half minutes remaining.

Both Cleghorn and Dunn finished the game with 31 saves.