NORTE DAME ACADEMY 3 vs USM 4

University School advanced to the finals of the 2010 Wisconsin State High School Hockey Tournament by knocking off Notre Dame De La Baie Academy of Green Bay 4-3 Friday night.

The game was well-played and close.  Notre Dame scored first on a power play.  Sophomore defenseman passed the puck from the point in the USM zone to senior Alex Stein on the right.  Stein crossed it to senior Max McCormick who was hanging on the backdoor like a knocker, and McCormick one-timed it past USM’s senior goaltender Dan Smyczek  at 8:08.

USM tied it back up less than a minute later.  Sophomore Ashton Wackym skated the puck into the Notre Dame end along the left side on a 2 on 1 break with junior Aaron Storch.  Wackym faked a slap shot and slid the puck to Storch, who fired it at the Triton’s goalie Tony Kujava.  The puck rebounded to Wackym who smashed it in at 8:58.

USM went ahead 2-1 early in the second period.  Fighting to clear the puck from the USM end, USM sophomore Kenny Servis chipped it out to his classmate Corey Roadhouse, who swooped along the boards like a Coast Guard cutter, gathered up the puck, and  skated into the Notre Dame end.  USM senior Alex Tesensky sprinted to catch up, making the play a 2 on 1. From the right circle Roadhouse dished the puck across to Tesensky, who snapped it past Kujava at 5:03. 

Notre Dame tied it right back up just 34 seconds later.  In the Notre Dame end, the Tritons’ senior defenseman Logan Doran got control of the puck and sent a long pass through center ice to McCormick at the USM blue line.  McCormick zoomed in on a breakaway, deked Smyczek, and fired the puck high into the net.

USM went back ahead on a power play.  Junior Simon Leahy fired the puck on net from the right mid-boards.  The puck rebounded to senior Charlie James who jammed it into Kujava’s pads.  The puck fell in front, and Storch lifted it over the fallen goalie at 12:25.

Notre Dame tied it again on another power play early in the third period. As the Tritons moved the puck on their power play in the USM zone, sophomore defenseman Tim Davidson passed it along the USM blue line to Stein.  Stein gunned a shot on net.  It hit Smyczek’s pads and popped into the air.  It hit McCormick’s face mask, dropped to his chest, and bounced from there into the net at 5:34. 

The momentum had swung toward Notre Dame, but USM withstood the pressure and kept the score even.  Eventually the Wildcats rallied to get the game winner.  It began when Roadhouse got the puck in the USM end and raced into the Notre Dame zone.  He blasted a shot that hit off the cross bar and caromed into the slot.  Senior Augie Fritz was tailing the play, and he skated in and lifted the puck high into the corner of the net at 14:48 to give USM the victory and a chance to compete for the State Championship.

In the game Smyczek made 24 saves and Kujava made 31 saves.

The Triton head back to Green Bay with a stellar 23-2 record.  USM headed to the finals with a record of 17-7-3.  The Wildcats play Wausau West at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.