University School scored two third period goals to take a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over the Appleton United Co-op Saturday evening at USM.

USM nearly scored in the opening minute when senior James Shovers took a pass from his classmate Nick Hermberg and skated in on a breakaway, but Appleton’s freshman goalie Aaron Campbell made the save.

Seconds later a jarring body check in Appleton’s right corner caused a hole in the boards. It took over 20 minutes to effect the necessary repairs. So the game essentially started anew with 16:10 on the clock.

Appleton seemed invigorated by the break, and it took the play to USM in the first period. Appleton scored the game’s first goal at 7:19 of the first period. Senior Timmy Westmark forwarded a pass from the Appleton end to freshman Brett Gruber skating through center ice. Entering the USM zone, Gruber skated between two USM defensemen and went in on USM’s senior goaltender Ben Myers on a breakaway. Gruber mortared the puck into the upper left side of the net to give Appleton a 1-0 lead.

The Wildcats applied more pressure on Appleton in the second period with forechecking and some solid body checks, but Campbell turned aside every USM shot, and Appleton maintained the slim 1-0 lead through the second period.

But USM scored two quick goals early in the third period to snatch the victory.

The Wildcats scored their first at 1:26. Sophomore defenseman Joey Judge sent a breakout pass to junior Kenny Servis on the right boards in the USM end. Servis slipped the puck to freshman Vadim Sukhanov who raced past the pinching Appleton defenseman and out of the zone. USM freshman Ryan Mezera jumped into the play from the right side and he and Sukhanov sped into the Appleton end on a 2-on-1 break. As he crossed the blue line, Sukhanov rifled a shot that flew over Campbell’s shoulder and entered the net just under the cross bar to tie the game.

The Wildcats sensed carrion and from the ensuing face-off, they quickly got the puck into the Appleton zone. Forechecking ferociously, they kept the puck deep in the Appleton end. An Appleton defenseman got control of the puck and sent a blind D-to-D pass behind the net. Like he was receiving a gift from his secret Santa, USM senior Simon Leahy intercepted the pass and immediately wired his own pass out front to junior Ashton Wackym. Wackym thundered the puck high into the net at 2:26.

The remainder of the period saw intense action on both ends of the ice. At one point, USM had a 5-on-3 power play for two full minutes but was unable to score. Appleton had several good rushes and a couple of near misses on its shots, but it too was unable to tally another goal. Time ran out, and the Wildcats were the winners.

In the game Campbell made 25 saves and Myers made 23.

Appleton is now 8-10. USM is 13-6-2. The Wildcats next play Monona Grove at the Hartmeyer Ice Arena in Madison at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 4th.