SPASH Hockey Downs Notre Dame
By Robert Whitmire
Smarting from a 9-2 setback at the hands of Northland Pines Tuesday night, the SPASH hockey team returned to the friendly confines of K. B. Willett Arena last night playing host to Green Bay Notre Dame.
The Panthers scored early and often to come away with a big early season win over the Tritons, 9-3.
Notre Dame, out of the Fox River Classic Conference, came to town ranked third in the latest division one poll with a 5-1 overall record, 3-0 in conference play. The Tritons were averaging 6.17 goals per game with a 1.5 per game goals against average.
The Panthers, now 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the Wisconsin Valley Conference stepped on the ice ranked tenth in the latest state poll.
“It was a whole team effort,” said senior forward Eli Haas. “Everyone came to play. We knew we had to come focused and that’s what we did.”
Sophomore forward Barrett Brooks paced the Panthers ringing up three goals and two assists on the night.
It was sophomore forward Dayne Hoyord however that put SPASH on the board just 0:36 seconds in with Brooks on the assist.
The Tritons answered with a score at 8:09 of the period off the stick of Mike Gregoire to knot the score at 1-1. The remainder of the game belonged to SPASH scoring three goals in the first period and four in the second and two in the third.
Notre Dame scored their final two goals at 12:59 and 14:00 of period three.
SPASH Goalie Spencer Wierzba finished the evening with 18 saves. Triton goalie Bo Buckley recorded 16 saves and gave up seven goals. He was replaced mid-way through period two by Ben Hathaway who recorded six saves and gave up two goals.
The Panthers return to the rink Saturday, December 16 at K.B. Willett Arena when they host Ashwaubenon in a 6:00 pm contest. Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln comes to town Tuesday, December 19. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:00 pm at the Willett.
Panther Scoring:
Period One: Dayne Hoyord (asst. Barret Brooks, 0:36 EV); Barrett Brooks (asst. Hoyord, Jake Minch, 11:09 EV); Eli Haas (asst. Cole Beilke, Carter Smigaj, 14:36 EV); Period Two: Trey Zagrzebski (asst. Barrett Brooks, 5:12 EV); Barrett Brooks (asst. Hoyord, 8:21 EV); Barrett Brooks (asst. Devon Blaes, Cole Beilke, 9:33 PP); Carter Smigaj (asst. Cole Beilke, 12:07 EV); Period Three: Devon Blaes (asst. Leo Knapp, 7:28 EV); Dayne Hoyord (asst. Cole Beilke, Devon Blaes, 8:26 PP).
Triton Scoring:
Period One: Mike Gregoire (asst. Jon Fry, Corbin Skinner, 8:09 EV); Period Three: Logan Braun (asst. Brendan Poshak EV); Bryce Poshak (asst. Logan Braun, Jacob Conrad 14:00 PP).