Wausau West 7 vs USM 3

     Wausau West demonstrated to the University School faithful why it was ranked number 1 in the state by convincingly defeating the Wildcats 7-3 Saturday evening.

     USM stemmed the tide for awhile and scored the game’s first goal.  Aaron Storch fought threw a Wausau West check at the Wausau West blue line and rushed down the right boards.  As he got to the bottom of the circle, Storch sent a pass across to junior Simon Leahy who was speeding toward the net.  Leahy one-timed a low shot that beat the Warriors sophomore goalie Austin Priebe at 8:13.

     The Wildcats held the 1-0 lead until 14:51 of the first period.  Wausau West junior Cody Hahner lined a pass to senior Derek Knetter near the USM blue line.  Knetter fired a shot and the puck rebounded to junior Brad Peterson who clubbed it over the blocker of USM’s senior goaltender Dan Smyczek.

    In the second period Wausau West struck like a heavy storm, pouring five goals into the USM net.  On the first of these, The Wildcats failed to clear the puck from their own end, and during an ensuing scramble in front of Smyczek, junior Garrett Clemment fired a loose puck into the net at 1:39.  Senior Troy Fochs and junior Anthony Caroselli were awarded assists on the goal.

   The Warriors went ahead 3-1 at 4:29 when junior Matt Bautch slipped into the slot and blasted in a quick pass from behind the net by Peterson who himself had received a pass from Hahner. 

     Just over a minute later lightning struck twice from the same place when junior Robbie Poirier bolted into slot and flashed in a pass he received from behind the net from senior Mitch Borneman at 5:26.

     USM quelled West’s thunder momentarily when sophomore defenseman Nathan Burke spotted classmate Kenny Servis rushing from the USM zone into center ice and lined a pass up the boards to him.  Servis made a move around a Warrior defender and headed into the Wausau West end on a breakaway.  Servis deked Priebe and lifted the puck over his glove at 7:09.

     The Warriors were unfazed and added their fifth goal just over a minute later when junior defenseman Brett Ziegel sent the puck to senior Chase Garavet who furthered it over to Poirier.  Poirier skated in unimpeded and lofted it over Smyczek at 8:18.

     At 10:53 of the second period both team’s changed goalkeepers.  USM replaced Smyczek with junior Alex Langer and Wausau West substituted junior David Knetter for Priebe.

     USM stemmed the Wausau West downpour and attempted to make a game of it by scoring the next goal on a power play.  The Wildcats controlled it in the Wausau West end.  Storch passed it to the point to junior Zach Hafeman.  Hafeman blazed a low shot that went through Knetter at 11:52.

     Not to be out done, West got a power play goal a minute later.  Moving it around the USM zone, the puck went from sophomore defenseman Seth Wage to Poirier in the circle.  Poirier fired, and the rebound went to Borneman who slammed it in at 12:53.

    Things quieted down in the third period, and the play was more even until Wausau West struck once more on a set face-off play.  Sophomore Kyle Lee drew the puck back to Clemments who skated across the top of the right circle and blazed it past Langer at 13:30.

     In the game Smyzcek made 14 saves and Langer made 17 for USM.  Priebe stopped 12 and Knetter 10 for Wausau West.

     Wausau West heads back north with a 3-0 record.  The Warriors have a tough game against Wisconsin Rapids at 7:15 on Tuesday, December 8, at Marathon Park.  The Wildcats have some time to lick their wounds.  USM doesn’t play until Sunday, December 27, when it heads to the Bradley Center in beautiful downtown Milwaukee to compete in the RBC Wealth Management Tournament.