USM 3 vs. Cedarburg 2

     Monday, in a semi-final game of the RBC Wealth Management Shootout, the University School boys’ ice hockey team knocked off the tournament’s number 1 seed, Cedarburg, by a 3-2 score.

     The Wildcats sprang to an early lead.  USM junior Simon Leahy grabbed a loose puck just inside the Bulldog’s zone.  Leahy cut across the high slot and fired a shot at Cedarburg’s net.  Cedarburg’s senior goalie Lee Wickert stopped the shot, but the rebound went right to the stick of USM junior Aaron Storch who blasted the puck over Wickert’s arm at 7:26 of the first period.

     The Wildcats lengthened their lead later in the first period.  Leahy’s senior line mate Alex Tesensky carried the puck into the Cedarburg end on a 2 on 1 with Leahy.  Tesensky cut to the right and left the puck in the slot for Leahy.  Leahy picked it up and sprinted past the twisted defender and wristed a quick shot that eluded Wickert at 11:03.

    The Wildcats relaxed with their two-goal lead, and the Bulldogs regained their fire early in the second period.  The spark was a penalty shot.  A USM defender gloved the puck in the USM crease to enable Cedarburg’s penalty shot.  Senior forward Bram Erickson skated the puck into the USM zone, faked a move to his right, drawing the Wildcats’ senior netminder Dan Smyczek to the side.  Erickson blasted the puck into the vacated center of the net for the goal at 2:26.

     The Bulldogs tied it later in the period. Senior Dan Chapman took a hard shot just inside the USM blue line.  The puck ricocheted out to the left circle to junior Danny Valoe who slapped it back into the net at 11:42.

      It was anybody’s game as the third period began. But just 2:28 into the period the tie was broken.  Tesensky intercepted a pass inside the Wildcat zone and took off.  With his eye on the prize, he outraced the two Cedarburg defenseman and headed into the Cedarburg end on a breakaway.  He pulled to his right to force Wickert to commit and then whipped a backhander back to the left and into the net. 

   For the remainder of the game both teams moved the puck into their opponent’s zone only to be stifled by good goaltending.  USM tightened its defense and preserved the lead by preventing Cedarburg from capitalizing on rebounds or USM miscues.

    In the game Wickert stopped 22 of USM’s 25 shots on goal, while Smyczek had 20 saves.

    Cedarburg’s fine record dropped to 9-3-1.  The Bulldogs play the Germantown Co-op team in the tournament’s 3rd place game on Tuesday at noon at the Bradley Center in beautiful downtown Milwaukee.  USM added its first official win to its record, which now stands at 1-4-2.  The Wildcats play in the tournament championship game at 2:45 Tuesday at the Bradley Center. Their opponent is Arrowhead, which beat the Germantown Co-op 5-1 in the tournament’s other semi-final match.