University School defeated Hayward 8-0 in the first round of the Pines
Classic Tournament in Eagle River Friday night.

It didn’t take the Wildcats long to take control of the game as they
scored two power play goals in the first two and a half minutes of the
game.  USM got the first at 1:32 of the first period.  In the Hurricanes’
end, senior Simon Leahy got the puck on the right side-boards stepped into
the near circle and blasted a low shot toward the net.  Senior Nick
Hermberg received the puck, turned and fired it.  The rebound came to
senior James Shovers at the left side of the net, and he snapped it past
Hayward’s senior goalie Mike Billings.

USM scored its second power play goal at 2:36.  Hermberg sent the puck to
Leahy on the right boards.  Leahy crossed it to the far circle to junior
Ashton Wackym who air-mailed a snap shot into the net.

USM went ahead 3-0 later in the first period.  Junior Kenny Servis fired
the puck deep into the Hayward end.  Freshman Vadim Sukhanov beat a
Hayward defenseman to the puck and tapped it behind the net to Leahy.
Leahy quickly spun ot front for a wrap-around goal at 12:17.

USM’s fourth goal was a short-handed goal.  Killing a penalty, Leahy
rushed at a Hayward player who was skating out of the Hayward zone.  He
took the puck from the defender like he was stripping wall paper off a
wall.  Leahy stepped in and then dropped a pass back to Shovers who was
rushing in.  Shovers one-timed the puck past Billings just 23 seconds into
the second period.

The Wildcats scored another at 3:56.  Senior defenseman Jack Minahan got
the puck in the USM zone and lined a pass to senior Andrew Stewart along
the boards in center ice.  Stewart tipped it to Sukhanov who raced past
the Hayward defense and went in on a breakaway.  Sukhanov whizzed a low
shot past Billings to make the score 5-0.

The Wildcats tallied their next goal late in the second period.  Sukhanov
go the puck in the USM end and passed it to Wackym.  Wackym tipped it
forward to Leahy in center ice and Leahy zoomed into the Hurricanes end on
a breakaway.  Leahy moved in, pulled Billings to one side with a fake and
then slid the puck into the net at 14:22.

USM scored another short-handed goal seconds into the third period.
Killing a penalty, the Wildcats sent the puck into the Hurricanes’ end.
Leahy rushed in and knocked the puck away from a defenseman.  It bounced
to senior Aaron Storch who pulled it to one side then pushed it past
Billings on the other side and into the net.

Leahy recorded his hat-trick on a power play.  From the Hayward blue line
senior Zach Hafeman passed the puck into Wackym along the boards.  Wackym
quickly crossed it to Leahy who fired it past Billings at 12:37.

In the game Billings made 34 saves.  USM senior Ben Myers made 4 saves in
two periods and freshman Bryan Botcher made 2 saves in the final period.

Hayward is now 4-10-1.  The Hurricanes face Northland Pines in the
tournament consolation game on Saturday.  The Wildcats improved their
record to 10-6-2.  They play Mosinee in the tournament championship at
5:00 p.m. on Saturday.