BOYS HOCKEY: Hodags win WIAA opener in OT
RHS avenges loss in regular-season finale to Mosinee
STAR JOURNAL REPORT
The same two teams faced off Tuesday night to open WIAA tournament play at the Rhinelander Ice Arena as were there for Friday’s regular-season finale, but this time the winner ended up being different.
The No. 7-seeded Rhinelander High School boys hockey team avenged its loss from four days earlier with a 5-4 overtime victory over No. 10-seeded Mosinee.
“We had a really nice playoff win over Mosinee (Tuesday) night,” said Hodags head coach MJ Laggis.
The Indians pulled out to a 2-0 lead less than 2:30 after the opening faceoff with even-strength goals from Max Beste and Keign Charneski. RHS was able to cut the deficit in half before the first period ended when Freddy Wisner scored unassisted at the 11:54 mark.
The Hodags tied the game 11:29 into the second period when Abe Laggis scored assisted by Matthias Schneider and Wisner. However, Mosinee pulled back in front at the 12:52 mark when Trey Fitzgerald scored assisted by Beste and Spencer Schmirler.
Forty seconds into the third period, the Indians extended their lead to 4-2 with Charneski’s second goal of the game assisted by Beste and Fitzgerald. The Hodags then scored twice to force overtime with Abe Laggis scoring again at 7:44 assisted by Schneider and Wisner before Harlan Wojtusik added the equalizer with less than 4 minutes left in regulation assisted by Wisner and Bridger Flory.
RHS picked up the game-winning goal 5:53 into overtime when Danny Zuiker scored assisted by Wisner.
Shots on goal favored the Hodags, 33-24, with Seth Stafford making 20 saves to record the win in net. Stanford Swid stopped 28 shots in picking up the loss in goal for Mosinee.
RHS, which improved its overall season record to 16-9, advances to play No. 2-seeded Northland Pines on Thursday at 7 p.m. in Eagle River. The winner advances to the sectional semifinals Feb. 20 to face the winner of Thursday’s game between No. 3-seeded Stevens Point and No. 6-seeded Lakeland Union High School.
Hodags 5, Indians 4 (OT)
Indians 2 1 1 0 – 4
Hodags 1 1 2 1 – 5
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