USM scored the game’s first goal while skating short-handed. Clearing the puck from the USM end, senior defenseman Zach Hafeman sent the puck up the boards. Junior Corey Roadhouse cut across the ice, picked up the puck, and skated into the Onalaska zone. Roadhouse cut into the slot and thundered a shot over the glove of Onalaska’s junior goalie Scott Sibik at 3:55 of the first period.
The Hilltoppers tied it later in the first period. Junior Jesse Tredinnick collected a loose the puck in the Onalaska end and sped along the left boards into the USM zone. As he reached the center the circle he sent a pass across the slot to senior Randy Burkhardt who had raced into the play. Burkhardt snapped a one-timer past USM’s senior goaltender Ben Myers at 10:41.
The Wildcats dominated the second period, out-shooting Onalaska 15-6, but it wasn’t until the period’s last minute that USM was able to put one of those shots past Sibik. As the Wildcats cycled the puck in the Onalaska end, junior Ashton Wackym pushed it to senior James Shovers behind the Onalaska net. Shovers skated to the right and deftly passed the puck out to senior Simon Leahy in the low slot. Leahy gunned a low shot that hit Sibik, and then, like mustard applied to a hot dog, squirted across the goal line at 16:09.
USM scored the game winner early in the third period. Fighting for the puck along the right boards in the Onalaska end, freshman Vadim Sukhanov gained control of it, skated into the circle, and blazed a shot at the net. Sophomore Joey Judge followed Sukahnov’s shot and rapped in the rebound from just outside the crease at 1:46.
Once again USM controlled the play during the period, but the Wildcats took several penalties and despite out-shooting the Hilltoppers 16-4, they were unable to put the game out of reach. Onalaska took advantage of one of those penalties to score a late power play goal. The Hilltoppers had the puck under control in the USM end and moved it around waiting for the right opportunity. It arrived like a package at Christmas at 14:21 when junior defenseman Keaton Bronston got the puck at the right point and lined a cross-ice pass to sophomore Gabe Flood in the lower left circle. Flood one-timed his shot into the net to make score 3-2.
There was still time for the Hilltoppers to tie the game, but a penalty with just over two minutes left gave the USM its only power play of the game, and the Wildcats adroitly kept the puck under control in the Onalaska zone as time ticked down to zero.
In the game, Sibik made 33 saves while Myers stopped 18 shots.
Onalaska is now 15-3. USM improved its record to 12-6-2. The Wildcats have little time to savor their victory. They play the Appleton United Co-op at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday at USM.
