The Warriors served notice early that they were the state’s top-ranked team.  As the first period opened, they quickly got the puck into the USM end.  Senior defenseman Brett Ziegel sent the puck into the right corner where junior Kyle Lee snared it.  Lee skated out of the corner toward the USM net.  In the slot, Lee passed the puck back to senior Garret Clemment who was in the right circle.  Clemment quickly fired the puck past USM’s senior goaltender Ben Myers just 42 seconds into the game.

 

Wausau West made it 2-0 at 5:03.  From the USM blue line sophomore defenseman John Feemster sent the puck to senior Matt Bautch on the mid-boards.  Bautch passed it to Lee in the high slot and Lee gunned it in.

 

Down 2-0, USM quickly rallied.  Junior defenseman Nathan Burke intercepted a Wausau West pass near the USM blue line and sent it to junior Corey Roadhouse in center ice.  Roadhouse raced in on a breakaway.  He cut across the low slot and fired a low shot past Wausau West’s junior goalie Austin Priebe at 6:04 of the first period.

 

The Wildcats tied it in the opening seconds of the second period.  Breaking out of the USM zone, Roadhouse sent the puck to senior Simon Leahy along the left boards.  Leahy moved into the Warriors’ zone and pulled to a stop.  He lined a diagonal pass toward the net to senior Aaron Storch.  Storch and the puck arrived in the crease at the same time, and Storch touched it past Priebe at 0:23.

 

The goal awoke the Warriors, and they scored three straight goals.  In the Wausau West end, Feemster sent the puck to junior defenseman Seth Wage who forwarded it to Clemment as Clemment exited the zone.  Clemment raced down the left side deep into the Wildcats’ zone.  Near the bottom of the circle he blasted a shot over Myers’ shoulder to make the score 3-2 at 8:05 of the second period.

 

Wausau West went ahead 4-2 several minutes later.  In the USM end, Clemment avoided a soft check in the right circle, skated through the slot, and unleashed a shot that went inside the far side post at 12:24.  Bautch and Ziegel were awarded assists on the play.

 

The Warriors added another goal to their increasing lead just 12 second later.  Moving into the USM zone off the center ice face-off, senior Robbie Poirier moved the puck to classmate Anthony Caroselli and he pushed the puck to senior Ryan Condon. Condon surprised Myers with a quick shot from the high slot to make it 5-2.

 

USM closed the gap to 5-3 at 14:28 of the second period.  Junior Kenny Servis got the puck on the boards in the USM end and centered it to senior Ian Palin on the breakout.  Palin saw senior James Shovers cutting through center ice and forwarded a pass to Shovers’ stick.  Shovers took off on a breakaway.  As he entered the slot of the Warriors’ zone, Shovers clotheslined a low shot past Priebe.

 

The Warriors’ seemed unfazed and added another goal before the second period ended.  In the USM end, Senior Tanner Blachka passed the puck to junior Steve Leonhard.  Leonhard moved it to junior Tom Kilgore at the point, and Kilgore fired a high shot into the net at 16:03.

 

Wausau West continued their domination with two goals early in the third period.  Lee blazed a high shot from the top of the circle that hit a USM defender and glanced into the net at 3:26.  Feemster and Bautch assisted.

 

The Warriors made it 8-3 at 5:49 on a power play.  Bautch sent the puck deep into the USM zone. Clemment raced to get it.  He zinged a pass out front to Kilgore who one-timed it in for Wausau West's final goal.

 

In the game Priebe made 21 saves, and Myers turned aside 43 during the onslaught he faced.

 

Wausau West remained undefeated at 3-0.  The Warriors face a Wisconsin Valley Conference challenge when they travel to Stevens Point for a 7:00 game on Tuesday, December 7th.  USM’s early season record dropped to 2-4-2.  The Wildcats head home to lick their wounds before they host the Brookfield Co-op at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 10th.