USM 3 vs ONALASKA 3

University School fought back from a two-goal deficit to tie Onalaska 3-3 in an overtime game in Onalaska on Saturday.

USM scored the game’s first goal on a power play early in the first period.   In the Hilltoppers’ zone, junior defenseman Zach Hafeman controlled the puck at the blue line.  He passed it across the line to senior Alex Tesensky.  Tesensky forwarded it to junior Aron Storch on the left mid-boards.  Storch skated into the low circle and laced a shot past Onalaska’s sophomore goalie Scott Sibik. 

The Wildcats kept Onalaska at bay until the period’s last minute.  Then the Hilltoppers struck.  On a power play, Onalaska senior defenseman Mson Sedlacek chipped the puck out of the Onalaska  zone into center ice to junior Randy Burkhardt.  Burkhardt skated along the right boards to the USM blue line and blasted a quick shot that beat USM’s senior goaltender Dan Smyczek on the far side at 16:16.

Onalaska added its second goal in the first minutes of the second period.  In the Hilltoppers’ zone, junior Avery Waldera passed the puck to freshman Gabe Flood who sent it ahead to sophomore Keaton Bronston.  Bronston and Waldera headed toward the USM end on a two-on-one break.  As he moved into the lower left circle in the USM end, Bronston fired a shot along the ice that hit the inside of  Smyczek’s leg pad and trickled over the goal line at 1:10.

Onalaska increased its lead at 7:11 of the second period.  Senior defenseman Igor Karaba gunned the puck out of his team’s zone, and it slid toward the USM goal line.  Racing to prevent an icing, sophomore jess Tredinnick got the puck before it crossed the line and whipped a back hand pass into the slot to senior Vladimir Hegely, who was trailing the play with no back checker.  Hegely one timed it in to make the score 3-1.

USM began its comeback at 11:46 of the second period.  Just after a USM power play ended, in the USM zone, Storch sent a breakout pass over to Tesensky.  Tesensky lined a long pass to senior Charlie James who had snuck behind the Onalaska defensemen.  James sped in on a breakaway.  Entering the low slot, he snapped a shot past Sibik who had dropped back in the crease anticipating a deke.

USM finally tied it while on a five-on-three power play in the third period.  The Wildcats moved the puck around the Onalaska zone waiting for a scoring opportunity.  It came when Hafeman passed the puck to junior Simon Leahy in the right circle.  Leahy made a cross ice pass to Tesensky who fired a low shot into the net at 11:50.

Tied, the came eventually moved into overtime.  Although neither team was able to put another tally on the scoreboard, the overtime period had plenty of action.  About three minutes into the overtime, USM’s Ian Palin took a shot that hit Sibik’s glove, popped over his head, and fell behind him.  It looked to many as if it had gone in, but the referee ruled it did not cross the goal line completely.  In the period’s last minute Burkhardt had a point blank shot from the slot, but Smyczek’s skate flashed out, and he got a toe on the shot to kick the puck away from danger.

In the game, Sibik made 34 saves and Smyczek made 30.

Onalaska is now 14-3-2.  The Hilltoppers play next against Black River Falls at the Omni Center on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.  USM is 9-7-3.  Tuesday the Wildcats travel to Hartland to face arch-rival Arrowhead at the Mullett Center at 6:30 p.m.