The University School hockey team began its 2010-2011 season with a 5-2 victory over the Co-op team from Germantown, Hamilton, Hartford Union, Menomonee Falls, Slinger, West Bend East, and West Bend West in the first round of the Paul Meyer Memorial Tournament at USM Friday evening.

 

After a scoreless first period, the Wildcats outshot the Ice Bears 14-7 in the second period and put four of those shots past Germantown’s goalie Alex Crane.  USM’ first goal came just 9 seconds into the period.  Off the opening face off, the puck went to senior defenseman Zach Hafeman who fired it across ice to senior Simon Leahy at the blue line.  Leahy skated in, and made a sly toe drag to move into the slot around a Germantown defender.  Leahy gunned a shot into the upper corner over Crane’s glove to make it 1-0.

 

USM scored its second goal on a power play.  Working the puck around the Ice Bears’ zone, the Wildcats got the puck to Hafeman at the point.  He walked it along the blue line and sent a pass to Leahy in the right circle.   Leahy zipped a low shot toward the net.  The puck hit the stick of junior Ashton Wackym and it slithered across the goal line like a worm looking for its home to give USM a 2-0 lead just 2:30 into the second period.

 

USM went further ahead less than two minutes later.  Junior defenseman Kenny Servis got the puck the USM end and chipped it out of the zone to senior Nick Hermberg.  Hermberg sent a sharp pass to the stick of freshman Ryan Mezera who was speeding toward the Germantown end.  Like an untethered colt, the freshman raced in, deftly stickhandled around Crane, and scored his first Varsity goal in his first high school game at 4:03.

 

The Ice Bears took advantage of lackadaisical play by the USM power play to close the score to 3-1.  Senior Austin Haga stripped the puck from USM’s last defender and skated in on a breakaway.  He deked USM’s senior goalkeeper Alex Langer and tucked the puck into the net at 13:22.

 

The Wildcats were momentarily fazed, but they scored their second power play just over a minute later to retake a 3-goal lead.  Leahy got the puck behind the net, and fed it to his linemate senior Aaron Storch behind the net.  Storch stepped toward the net then lined a pass to Hafeman who was skating unnoticed down the slot.  Hafeman blazed a quick shot into the upper corner of the Germantown net at 14:35.

 

Germantown made it 4-2 midway through the third period.  Dylan Krivoshein got the puck below the USM goal line and winged a pass to Ross Wirsbinski as Wrisbinski skated unchecked down the slot.  Wirsbinski then gunned his shot past Langer at 7:35. 

 

USM tallied the game’s final goal half a minute later.  Junior Corey Roadhouse sent the puck to senior Ian Palin along the left boards.  Palin moved it to the point to junior Nathan Burke.  Burke ripped a low slap shot, and sophomore Joey Judge tipped it past Crane at 8:03.

 

In the game Crane made 33 saves, while Langer stopped 18.

 

Germantown is now 0-1.  The Ice Bears play in the tournament consolation round at 9:15 a.m. against Prairie Ridge at USM.  USM’s record is 1-0.  The Wildcats move on in the tournament play their second round game at 11:15 a.m. against New Trier at USM.