Thunder show depth, beat Middleton
By Dan Larson, Sauk Prairie Eagle
It didn't matter whether it was the Badger Thunder's first line, second line or third line that was on the ice.
It didn't even matter whether it was a defender or forward handling the puck.
All three lines, the defense and the front line did their part Nov. 29, and it translated to a 6-1 win over host Middleton co-op in both team's Badger Conference girls hockey opener.
"It was a great team effort from everyone," head coach Jim Cabaj said in a phone interview Dec. 1. "We got scoring from all three lines, and we got some scoring from defense (as well)."
Indeed it was a team effort. Ripley Klemm (Baraboo) was able to take advantage of a line change by Middleton with an assist to Chelsay Showers, who scored the Thunder's first goal four minutes, 34 seconds into the contest.
"It's always big to get the first goal in hockey, to get the momentum right away," Cabaj said.
It didn't take long for that momentum to show, either.
Rachel McElhenie, who entered along with the rest of the Thunder's third line shortly after Showers' goal, (Sauk Prairie) scored her third goal of the season on an assist from Rachel Holtz (Baraboo) and Kelly Brickl (Sauk Prairie) exactly one minute later to make it 2-0.
"They've been fantastic all season," Cabaj said of his team's third line. "That (second goal) gave us confidence for the rest of the period, and we took over the game."
They showed that control later in the period when Kelsey Jensen (Baraboo), who is on the team's second line, scored on what Cabaj said was "one of the prettiest goals I've seen from us in a while." Jensen scored from about ten feet out after getting a pass from Amara Miescke, who was behind the net to the left. Miescke was able to set up the goal because of a move by Klemm, who took the puck into the corner right of the net to clear the defense before passing to Miescke.
The second period was more about defense than offense. As in, holding Middleton scoreless after it was able to get the puck into the Thunder's zone more frequently than it did in the first. And, fittingly, defender Hannah Schreiber (Baraboo) scored the only goal of the period to extend the Thunder's lead to 4-0.
Kyanna Kyley scored for Middleton on assist from Morgan Miller 12 seconds into the third, but the Thunder responded. Schreiber got her second goal unassisted a little over a minute later to make it 5-1.
And Quinn Natzke (Sauk Prairie) punctuated the win with an assist from McElhenie at the 5:29 mark. Natzke faked a defender behind the net to free herself up, and then she took the puck to the front of the net and set herself up for a one-on-one opportunity against goaltender Emily Holmquest.
"She showed patience, and then when the goalie started to move, (it) opened up a space between her pads and she found (the net)." Cabaj said.
The win was important for the Thunder, which Cabaj considers to be among the conference front runners. The Badger Conference is in its first year with a girls hockey alignment.
"To come out and get that first win, I think that'll go a long way towards our accomplishing that goal," said Cabaj, whose team will also compete with Viroqua co-op, Stoughton co-op, Reedsburg co-op and Sun Prairie co-op for the inaugural conference title.
Badger conference girls hockey standings
W L
THUNDER 1 0
Stoughton 1 0
Sun Prairie 1 0
Viroqua 0 0
Middleton 0 1
Reedsburg 0 2
(all are co-ops)
Results
Nov. 29: Thunder 6, Middleton 1
Nov. 25: Sun Prairie 10, Reedsburg 0
Nov. 21: Stoughton 7, Reedsburg 0