High School Hockey Photo Site

I got a nice e-mail from a reader of H.I.W. with a link to his high school hockey photo site. There's some very good pictures there, so I thought I'd pass along the link. The latest photos are from the Antigo holiday tournament. Just click on the "Hockey" button near the center of the page to get to the list of dates and games there are photos for.

Boys High School Hockey on Saturday

The game of the day on Saturday was # 8 Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago against #7 Milwaukee Marquette. Both teams were coming off big wins with Marquette having downed Honorable Mention Hayward Thursday, while Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago had just beaten #3 University School on Friday.

Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago ended up winning the game 4-2 against University School yesterday, and an anonymous reader left this report:

This was a high tempo game before a packed house at Eble Ice Arena. Marquette came out determined and scored the first goal but after that KMM slowly took control of the game. The difference was KMM's depth and relentless style of play. KMM took advantage of some defensive lapses and scored on two long passes up the middle freeing up a forward one on one against the Marquette goalie. In the third period with a two goal lead the game was all KMM as they never let Marquette get any momentum and continually frustrated the Marquette top line with solid fore and strong back checking. Both teams are very solid and will be strong contenders for a spot at the State Tournament in March.

Saturday in the USHL

Sioux City defeated Lincoln 5-3. Pat Johnson was a game worst -3.

Omaha downed Des Moines 4-1. Matt Thurber finished +1 for Omaha.

Cedar Rapids blasted Green Bay 6-2. Mike Sislo had an assist for Green Bay, and Derrick LaPoint finished a game worst -2.

Waterloo got past Chicago 3-1. Wisconsinites dominated this game. The first Waterloo goal was by Blake Keseel, with assists to Craig Smith and Brett Olson. The second Waterloo goal was by Craig Smith unassisted. The final Waterloo goals was by Josh Turnbull, with Brett Olson picking up the first assist. Keegan Meuer was again active for this game for Waterloo.

Indiana edged Ohio 3-2.

Sioux Falls and Tri-City was postponed due to weather.

Many Badger Women Players Stay Busy Over Break

Many of the Badger Women hockey players, as well as Coach Mark Johnson, have been busy over the winter break as they are currently participating in the 2006 USA Hockey Women's Holiday Camp. The camp runs from December 26th-January 2nd. Here's the full 42 player roster with Badger players, Badger recruits and Wisconsinites highlighted:

Name Ht (cm) Birthdate S/C Hometown Most Recent Team

GOALTENDERS (5)
Emily Brookshaw 5-9 (177) 5/14/86 L Webster, Wis. Bemidji State University (WCHA)
Chanda Gunn 5-7 (171) 1/27/80 L Huntington Beach, Calif. 2006 U.S. Women’s Select Team
Megan Van Beusekom 5-8 (174) 12/14/81 L Loretto, Minn. Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Jessie Vetter 5-8 (174) 12/19/85 L Cottage Grove, Wis. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
Shari Vogt 5-10 (178) 10/23/81 L Richmond, Minn. Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)

DEFENSEMEN (13)
Kacey Bellamy 5-8 (174) 4/22/87 L Westfield, Mass. University of New Hampshire (HEA)
Winny Brodt 5-5 (166) 2/18/78 L Roseville, Minn. Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Caitlin Cahow 5-4 (163) 5/20/85 L Branford, Conn. Harvard University (ECACHL)
Julie Chu 5-8 (174) 3/13/82 R Fairfield, Conn. Harvard University (ECACHL)
Rachael Drazan 5-6 (168) 1/11/86 L Orono, Minn. University of Minnesota (WCHA)
Raylen Dziengelewski 5-7 (171) 5/19/89 L Southwick, Mass. Loomis Chaffee School (NEPSAC)
Molly Engstrom 5-9 (177) 3/1/83 R Siren, Wis. 2006 U.S. Olympic Women’s Team
Kristin Gigliotti 5-4 (163) 7/11/85 R Sauquoit, N.Y. Providence College (HEA)
Jamie Hagerman 5-9 (177) 5/7/81 R North Andover, Mass. 2006 U.S. Olympic Women’s Team
Kelli Halcisak 5-8 (174) 1/26/82 R Grosse Ile, Mich. East Coast Wizards Senior A
Anya Miller 5-7 (171) 4/5/86 R Elk River, Minn. University of Minnesota (WCHA)
Julianne Vasichek 5-10 (179) 2/9/83 L Great Falls, Mont. Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Kerry Weiland 5-4 (163) 10/18/80 L Palmer, Alaska Etobicoke Dolphins (NWHL)

FORWARDS (24)
Kelli Blankenship 5-6 (169) 6/23/87 R Jacksonville, Fla. University of Minnesota (WCHA)
Natalie Darwitz 5-3 (160) 10/13/83 R Eagan, Minn. Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Meghan Duggan 5-9 (175) 9/3/87 R Danvers, Mass. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
Sam Faber 5-4 (163) 5/8/87 R Mt. Sinai, N.Y. University of New Hampshire (HEA)
Tiffany Hagge 5-9 (175) 5/3/84 R Minneapolis, Minn. Mississauga Aeros (NWHL)
Chelsey Jones 5-6 (169) 1/28/88 R Lake Elmo, Minn. Northeastern University (HEA)
Kristin King 5-4 (163) 7/21/79 R Piqua, Ohio Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Hilary Knight 5-10 (178) 7/12/89 R Hanover, N.H. Choate Rosemary Hall (NEPSAC)
Jessica Koizumi 5-4 (163) 4/15/85 L Simi Valley, Calif. University of Minnesota Duluth (WCHA)
Jocelyne Lamoureux 5-6 (168) 7/3/89 R Grand Forks, N.D. Shattuck St. Mary’s (U.S. Prep)
Monique Lamoureux 5-6 (168) 7/3/89 R Grand Forks, N.D. Shattuck St. Mary’s (U.S. Prep)
Erika Lawler 5-0 (152) 2/5/87 R Fitchburg, Mass. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
Gigi Marvin 5-8 (174) 3/7/87 R Warroad, Minn. University of Minnesota (WCHA)
Hayley Moore 5-6 (169) 8/4/86 R Wakefield, Mass. Brown University (ECACHL)
Andrea Nichols 5-2 (157) 9/28/84 L Mt. Iron, Minn. University of Minnesota (WCHA)
Erica Olson 5-4 (163) 8/13/79 L Minneapolis, Minn. Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL)
Holly Roberts 5-6 (169) 7/15/87 R Warroad, Minn. St. Cloud State University (WCHA)
Kyla Sanders 5-6 (168) 5/17/87 R Parrish, Fla. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
Karen Thatcher 5-8 (174) 2/29/84 L Douglas, Mass. BC Breakers (WWHL)
Krissy Wendell 5-6 (168) 9/12/81 L Brooklyn Park, Minn. Etobicoke Dolphins (NWHL)
Emily West 5-5 (166) 3/22/89 L Colorado Springs, Colo. Colorado Select U19 AAA
Sarah Wilson 5-5 (166) 10/26/86 R Avon, Conn. Harvard University (ECACHL)
Jinelle Zaugg 6-0 (183) 3/27/86 L Eagle River, Wis. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)
Rush Zimmerman 5-11 (182) 11/7/82 L Grosse Pointe, Mich. 2006 U.S. Women’s Select Team

Badgers Take Third in Badger Showdown

The Wisconsin Badger Men played uninspired hockey on Friday night, and were throttled by #15 Clarkson 6-2. The Badgers were embarrassed by their play on Friday, and as expected, bounced back with a 5-0 shutout of Providence on Saturday. The Badgers put up two goals in the first 37 seconds and never looked back. Shane Connelly played in net for the Badgers against the Friars.

Team USA Slams Slovakia 6-1 at World Junior Championship

Team USA slammed Slovakia by a score of 6-1 today in the World Junior Championship. Both Jack Skille and Blake Geoffrion had an assist in the game. Team USA must defeat Sweden tomorrow to advance to the medal round.

How Wisconsinites Fared Friday in the USHL

Cedar Rapids snuck past Green Bay in a shootout 5-4. Mike Sislo continued his great run this season with two goals, while Derrick LaPoint and Justin Cseter had assists for Green Bay.

Sioux Falls blasted Lincoln 5-1. David Solway had a big night with two goals for Sioux Falls.

Omaha edged Des Moines 3-2 in a shootout. Matt Thurber had an assist for Omaha.

Sioux City won a defensive battle against Tri-City.

Chicago shut out Ohio 3-0.

In the surprise of the day, Indiana blanked Waterloo 4-0. Josh Turnbull got off 6 shots for Waterloo, but couldn't put one in the net. Keegan Meuer was active for Waterloo as he has been since being named Offensive Player of the Week several weeks ago.

Girls High School Recap....

Onalaska ended up losing all 3 games on their trip to the Shootout at Dodge. They lost 8-0 to New Ulm MN (Wed.), and also lost to Totino-Grace MN (Thursday) and St. Paul United MN (Friday). Fond du Lac/Waupun won 2 out of 3 in the Shootout beating St. Paul United MN 4-3 (Wednesday), New Ulm MN 2-0 (Thursday) and losing to Winona MN 3-2 (Friday).

On Friday the game of the day was between Appleton and Point-Rapids. Point-Rapids won another big game defeating Appleton 3-2.

In other Friday action:

Freeze over Rhinelander 4-1
Moose Lake MN beat Blizzard 4-1
St. Bernards MN nipped Hudson 4-3
Badger Thunder edged Long Prairie MN 2-1
Eveleth-Gilbert MN took out Madison 3-1
Menomonie outscored Watertown SD 7-4
Arrowhead shuts out Tomahawk 5-0
Waseca MN 5 handled St. Croix Valley 5-0

Friday Night Boys High School Action

In Friday night boys high school hockey action, the game of the night was #3 University School of Milwaukee against #8 Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago. KM/Mukwonago ended up winning by a final of 4-1.

In other action:

#6 Wisconsin Rapids downed Neenah 6-2
#3 University School defeated St. Rita (IL.) 5-3
(University School played St. Rita first, then KM/Mukwonago the same day...)

Tonight's best game features #7 Marquette against #8 KM/Mukwonago.

Thursday Boys High School Games

#1 Eau Claire Memorial cruised past Northland Pines 5-0
#5 Fond du Lac shut out Antigo 5-0
#6 Wisconsin Rapids tied Tomah 1-1
#7 Marquette defeated HM Hayward 3-2 in overtime
#8 (tie) KM Mukwonago crushed St. Rita (IL) 7-0
#10 Hudson beat Simley (MN) 4-1
HM Homestead edged HM Arrowhead 4-3
Mosinee over Monticello (MN) 7-6

Other Thursday Night Girls Hockey Action

Madison and Badger Thunder ended up playing one another at the Schwan's Cup in Blaine, MN (that's a long way to go to play a team within an hour of where you live!). The score ended up as a 1-1 tie, with Madison winning the shootout.

Other scores:

Hudson 1 @ Apple Valley (MN) 6
Appleton United 6 @ Freeze 1
Point-Rapids 10 @ Rhinelander 0
St. Croix Valley Fusion @ Simley - 7:15
Menomonie 1 @ Bloomington (MN) Kennedy 5

Shootout in Dodge Update

I received an update on Wednesday night's girls hockey game between Onalaska and New Ulm (Mn.). New Ulm shut out the Hilltoppers 8-0. This morning Fond du Lac/Waupun played New Ulm, and came away with a 2-0 victory. Onalaska plays the late game again tonight against Totino-Grace. Tomorrow Fondy/Waupun plays Winona, while Onalaska plays St. Paul United.

Fond du Lac Product Ryan Little Commits to UW

Defenseman Ryan Little of Fond du Lac, who is currently in his second season with the Green Bay Gamblers, has committed to UW for the 2008-2009 season. A 4.0 student, Little chose UW over Notre Dame. If there is a need, he could join UW for next season.

There is a strong possibility that forward Mike Sislo from Superior, who also plays for the Gamblers, could become a UW recruit. He is in the process of setting up a campus visit.

Wednesday Boys High School Hockey Games

Holiday tournaments are in full swing. Here's how some of the top Wisconsin's boys high school teams fared Wednesday night:

#1 Eau Claire Memorial blasted Monona Grove 9-0
#4 Superior beat #10 Hudson 4-1
#5 Fond du Lac blanked Menomonie 5-0
#7 Marquette got past Rice Lake 4-2
Honorable Mention Arrowhead defeated Middleton 4-1
Honorable Mention Homestead edged Loyola Academy Gold (IL.) 4-3
Honorable Mention Haywqard topped Madison Memorial 6-4
Mosinee downed Irondale (MN.) 5-2

Wednesday Games in Girls High School Hockey

Playing in just their fifth game this season, Northland Pines knocked off Point/Rapids by a score of 4-2 Wednesday. Fondy/Waupun came back from a 3-1 third period deficit to beat St. Paul United (MN.) 4-3 at the Shootout in Dodge. Onalaska squared off against highly rated New Ulm (MN.) at the Shootout in Dodge and was down about 7-0 after two periods from what I have heard. Fondy/Waupun will play New Ulm (MN.) tomorrow.

St. Paul United is the 25th ranked Class A team in Minnesota while New Ulm is ranked 16th in Class A. There are 55 Class A and 59 Class AA girls teams in Minnesota.

Team USA loses to Canada, Skille Named US Player of the Game

Team USA lost to Canada by a score of 6-3 Wednesday at the World Junior Championship. Jack Skille had an assist in the game, and was named Team USA's Player of the Game. Team USA is back in action on Saturday against Slovakia.

Team USA Starts 0-1

Team USA lost today to Germany despite outshooting them 39-16. The linked article mentions that Jack Skille hit the crossbar twice within a two minute span in the second period.

The worst news of all for Team USA is not that they lost, it's that they play Team Canada in pool play tomorrow...

Girls High School Hockey Rankings

Here they are, the original girls high school hockey rankings:

1. (1) Onalaska 6-0-0 Playing in Rochester, MN tourney this week
2. (2) Superior 7-4-0 Eleven games already in the books for the Spartans
3. (3) St. Croix Valley 7-2-0 Handled Hudson this week
4. (4) Point/Rapids 4-2-1 Idle last week...3 games this week
5. (5) Fondy/Waupun 4-3-0 Also playing in Rochester, MN tourney this week

Honorable Mention:
Milwaukee North Shore 4-2-0 Four straight wins after losing first two
Appleton 4-2-1 Twenty-eight goals for and twelve goals against this season
Chippewa Falls 4-1-0 Averaging 7 goals per game after putting up 11 on New Richmond

Am I losing my mind or did the Coaches Poll move Eau Claire/Altoona into the Top 5 this week after they were not ranked last week? Also did Badger Thunder move onto the Honorable Mention this week after being not ranked last week? I believe that is what happened, and I'm trying to figure out why since both teams were inactive last week. You wouldn't think you'd have inconsistencies when you have 23 Coaches voting but I suppose some don't vote every week, some only see certain teams and don't spend much time looking at other teams' records, etc. Let me know if I'm just imagining these things....

World Junior Championship Preview-Skille/Geoffrion/McBain

Hockey's Future has a nice preview on the players for Team USA at the World Junior Championships. The players include Jack Skille, Blake Geoffrion and Jamie McBain. It does a nice job of talking about how each players' skills will help them fit into the team.

The United States opens against Germany tomorrow.

New Players Added to Wisconsin Hockey Players Division 1 Watch

I have added some new players to Hockey in Wisconsin's "sister website", Hockey Players Division 1 Watch. Thanks to a reader who helped unearth the new additions. Most are guys I would not have found on my own as they may have moved from Wisconsin and now their hometowns are not listed as a Wisconsin city, or they are playing outside the midwest and went thus went underneath my radar.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE DPLAYA FAMILY!

From my family to yours, Merry Christmas. We hope the jolly old elf is good to you this year!

Boys Saturday Scores

In high school boys hockey action last night, Appleton upset #4 Kettle Moraine/Mukwonago by a score of 1-0, knocking them from the ranks of the undefeated. #8 Marquette squeaked past Verona 4-3.

Mike Connolly Update

Mike Connolly, forward for Camrose of the AJHL, is a potential target at forward for UW in 2007. He has been named to the AJHL South All-Star Team and currently is 16th in scoring in the AJHL with 18 goals & 25 assists for 43 points in 37 games.

Junior Hockey Update

I haven't had time to watch the transactions pages of the USHL and NAHL very closely of late, and wanted to catch up on the news of players moving into and out of leagues, being placed on IR, etc. I will make these changes to Wisconsin Hockey Players Division 1 Watch shortly.

Sean Wiles was traded from Tri-City to Santa Fe of the NAHL on December 7th. He still has not shown up on the NAHL website or the Santa Fe website, so he may be out of hockey at this point.

Potential UW recruit Jason Gregoire was put on the 45-day IR by Lincoln on 11/27, meaning he will not be back in action until mid-January at the soonest. He played in just 4 games this year racking up 8 points. It's very ironic that Gregoire's injury, among others, gave Patrick Johnson the chance to join Lincoln, play extremely well, and have Johnson get a scholarship to UW while Gregoire is still sidelined and has not made a college commitment.

Scott Pulak was traded out of the NAHL to the Soo Indians.

Team USA Wins Final Tune-up

Team USA beat Team Switzerland 5-3 in their final tuneup for the World Junior Championship which begins Tuesday, December 26th. Jack Skille was held off of the score sheet in this game.

Boys High School Hockey

On Thursday #6 Fond du Lac got past Honorable Mention Homestead 1-0. From what I hear there is no love lost in this rivalry, which seems strange to me since they are two teams that only play each other once in a while.

Friday night games seemed to go as most people would assume. The score that jumped out at me was Sheboygan over Neenah 4 to 3. Over the past several years Neenah has been the stronger team, but Sheboygan is putting together a very solid season so far.

A week ago I posted a link to a page that showed the girls high school hockey teams' records by sectional, including their record within the section. The creator of that page has also put together the same type page for boys high school hockey, which can be found here.

Red Line Report Says Badgers Have Top Recruiting Class for 2007

Kyle Woodlief of the Red Line Report indicates in his latest USA Today column that the University of Wisconsin has the most productive recruiting class for 2007. In the same article, they indicate that they currently have Kyle Turris ranked as the sixth best player in the 2007 draft. They also indicate that they have Sam Gagner rated as the second best player in the 2007 draft. If only Gagner could have stayed in the USHL and kept his verbal to UW, their class would have been mind-numbing for 2007. As it is, it's still number one.

Stoughton Stays Hot

Stoughton beat Honorable Mention Waukesha Catholic Memorial 4-2 after beating then #9 Stoughton over the weekend. It looks like other than Waukesha Catholic Memorial, the rest of the Top Ten and Honorable Mention teams took care of their business last night.

The Ring is Back

It turns out that the Badger player whose Championship Ring had been stolen was Davis Drewiske, but it turns out his ring has been found and was returned to him.

US World Junior Championship

Team USA downed the Czech Republic today in an exhibition game prior to the start of the US World Junior Championship on December 26th. The final score was 6-3, with Jack Skille chipping in a goal for Team USA. On Friday, Team USA will play their final exhibition against Team Switzerland. Games from the actual tournament will be audio webcast, with Jeff Sauer doing Color Commentary.

It's Official-Pat Johnson Will be a Badger

Pat Johnson has now officially given a verbal to the Wisconsin Badgers for the 2007 season. The Madison native and Mark Johnson's son has set the USHL on fire with 8 goals and 5 assists for 13 points in 13 games.

Give Back the Championship Ring & Put Your Hands Up!

Unfortunately it appears that one of the Badgers players' championship rings was stolen. Here's the police report:

Case Date:12/10/06
Case Time: 7:20 AM
Release Date:12/19/06
Release Time:11:54 AM
Released By: PIO Michael Hanson
Address 100 block of W. Gilman St.
Arrested person/suspect n/a
Victim/Injuries Male, 22, Madison
Details: On 12/10/06 at approximately 7:20 a.m. a Madison Police Officer took a residential burglary report. A window was pushed in to gain access to an apartment. The thief made out with a UW Men's National Championship Hockey Ring, 2 laptops, portable DVD and other items. If anyone has information about this crime, they are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 266-6014. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

Good Sunday for Patrick Johnson

Lincoln squared off against Ohio on Sunday night and took the game by a score of 4-2. Patrick Johnson had a nice game for Lincoln with a goal and an assist, after having been quiet for a number of games lately.

Badger Target?

Mike Sislo has been hot of late for the Green Bay Gamblers, and it could be that the Badger Coaching Staff has taken notice. Over the past several weeks Kevin Patrick has been spotted at the Resch Center twice, and Mike Eaves has been spotted there as well. Mike Sislo is certainly among the players they might be looking at a little bit more closely, as UW needs at least one more forward for next season.

Here's a great photo of Mike Sislo with the autographed ceremonial hard hat after putting up a hat trick and an assist against Chicago Friday night. The hard hat gets tossed into the stands as a souvenir, and Friday Mike's mother Karen caught the helmet.

Thanks to JG for the photo and hard hat story.

Hockey's Future Talks About "Little Joe"

The San Jose Sharks are calling Joe Pavelski "Little Joe", even though his play has been big. Hockey's Future is the latest to put forth an article on Pavelski's wild success since his NHL callup. It's nice to read articles from Hockey's Future because they get into specifics on player's games which you don't hear from any other outlets.

The Original Girls Hockey Top 5

Here's the original girls high school hockey rankings....The Hockey in Wisconsin Top 5 for December 17:

1. (1) Onalaska 6-0-0 The Hilltopper train keeps rollin'
2. (2) Superior 6-4-0 Only loss to Wisconsin team is Onalaska
3. (4) St. Croix Valley 6-2-0 Superior & Fondy/Waupun only ones to slow them down so far
4. (NR) Point/Rapids 4-2-1 Big win over Fondy/Waupun on the road this weekend
5. (3) Fondy/Waupun 4-3-0 Scoring lots of goals, but letting up a lot too


Honorable Mention:

Milwaukee North Shore 4-2-0 Seem to have found some footing after slow start
Appleton 4-2-1 Four straight wins after tough early part of schedule
Chippewa Falls 4-1-0 Averaging over 6 goals per game

USHL Saturday Report

Tri-City defeated Cedar Rapids 4-1. Kyle Ensign and Luke Lucyk finished +1.

Omaha downed Indiana 4-1. Matt Thurber finished +1 with one shot on net for Omaha.

The battle of the "Sioux's" ended with Sioux City over Sioux Falls by a score of 4-3. Patrick Tiesling had an assist for Sioux Falls.

After finding themselves down to Des Moines 2-0 after one period, Waterloo lit the lamp at a torrid pace, eventually winning 7-3. Waterloo got started as they often have this season with a goal by Josh Turnbull. Their final goal was scored by Craig Smith, and Blake Kessel assisted on their fifth goal. Keegan Meuer was active for the game for Waterloo and had two shots on goal.

Chicago edged Green Bay 3-2 in a shootout. Mike Sislo c0ntinued his hot streak with a goal.

Ohio nipped Lincoln 2-1. Patrick Johnson had four shots on net for Lincoln and finished even on the night. Ross Henry finished the night -1 for Lincoln. Potential UW recruit Jason Gregoire still is not in the lineup for Lincoln.

Saturday Boys High School Report

#8 Fond du Lac beat #7 Marquette 2-1.
#6 Superior defeated #5 Wisconsin Rapids 3-2
DC Everest beat Honorable Mention (and my darkhorse pick for the season) Mosinee 3-1
#2 Stevens Point over Northland Pines 4-1
Hayward got past Honorable Mention Hudson in overtime 3-2
Honorable Mention Homestead squeaked past Cedarburg 4-3
#9 Madison Edgewood shut out McFarland 4-0
#10 Waukesha Catholic Memorial handled Brookfield 6-3
Honorable Mention Tomah tied LaCrosse in overtime 2-2

Thanks to Wisconsin Prep Hockey for some of the scores.

Point/Rapids Girls Upset Fondy/Waupun

The Stevens Point/Wisconsin Rapids girls hockey team upset #3 Fondy/Waupun today 6-5 in Fond du Lac. The Warbirds of Fondy/Waupun led the whole game including a 5-3 lead, but surrendered the final three goals of the game to the Point/Rapids Red Panthers.

In another upset, Milwaukee North Shore defeated the Badger Thunder 4-2. Appleton outlasted Northland Pines 3-2, and Superior edged New Richmond 3-2.

Thanks to Wisconsin Girls Hockey for some of these scores.

Girls High School Hockey Rankings by Section

There is a great page on the Reedsburg Area Hockey website that shows girls high school hockey rankings by section. It also shows head to head records within the section, and more. It's a great way to check out what's going on in girls hockey and where each team stands within their section. Check it out here.

Kyle Turris Update

Kyle Turris has been a bit quiet in the BCHL since returning from the World Junior Challenge as the MVP. Earlier this week Turris had an assist in the CJAHL Prospects Game. Now, he has been named to Team Coastal for the BCHL All-Star game.

Turris has played a heck of a lot of hockey, done quite a bit of traveling, and had a lot of pressure placed on his shoulders over the past year and a half and I've got to wonder if it doesn't wear him out at times....

Gagner Makes Canadian World Junior Roster

One time UW recruit Sam Gagner, who took his game to the OHL rather than play NCAA hockey, has been named to Canada's World Junior roster which is loaded with talent.

Hockey's Future has this article on Gagner, where he speaks highly of the University of Wisconsin and Head Coach Mike Eaves.

Scott Gudmandson BCHL Update

Scott Gudmandson has now played in two games with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the BCHL since leaving Omaha of the USHL. On Thurdsay, he came on in relief of Eric Babcook when Salmon Arm was down 3-0 in the first seven minutes. He ended up stopping 29 of 31 shots over the final 53 minutes in a 5-2 loss.

Last night Gudmandson got the start against high-octane Victoria. Scott stopped 38 of 44 shots in a 6-3 loss.

A Boys High School Hockey Upset in Madison...

Stoughton upset #9 Madison Edgewood 3 to 2. Stoughton is now 6-0-1 and never trailed in the game. I'd expect them to make an appearance in the Top 10 or at least Honorable Mention next week.

Other top teams around the state were victorious Friday night in boys high school hockey. #7 Marquette beat Oconomowoc 6-1, #4 KM/Mukwonago squeaked past #10 Waukesha Catholic Memorial 3-2 in overtime, and Honorable Mention Homestead pounded Wauwatosa 11-2.

Friday in the USHL

Tri-City edged Cedar Rapids 4-3 in a shootout.

Omaha took care of Indiana 4-1. Wisconsin native and UW recruit Matt Thurber had 5 shots on net and was +1 for Omaha.

Sioux City got past Des Moines 2-1.

Green Bay downed Chicago 5-3. Superior native Mike Sislo had a hat trick, with the last goal being an empty-netter. Sislo also had an assist and was named First Star of the Game. Derrick LaPoint assisted on the final Sislo empty-net goal as well.

High School/Midgets/Juniors

The Cap Times has a piece on high school players leaving to play Midgets and Juniors. I wasn't terribly impressed with the article on the whole, but there is a section of the article that runs down all of the Madison area players who have made the jump to Midgets or Juniors this season. It's also an interesting point that Vic Levine makes about kids not having the option to play before and after for the Badger Big 8 team probably having an effect on these kids' decision to leave high school hockey.

Thursday Boys High School Game Updates

#1 Eau Claire Memorial took care of cross-town rival Eau Claire North 8-4 and remain undefeated. My dark horse selection for the season, Honorable Mention Mosinee, also remains undefeated after beating Wausau West 5-2. Honorable Mention Tomah beat Black River Falls 5-3, while #5 Wisconsin Rapids downed Antigo 4-1, bouncing back from their overtime loss earlier in the week to #2 Stevens Point. Stevens Point put up a 12-spot to defeat Rhinelander 12-3.

Linkorama

UW recruit Scott Gudmandson's play and playing time has been erratic with the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. Their coaching staff has had a very quick hook, and it seems that Gudmandson has seen enough. He is apparently headed to Salmon Arm of the BCHL to finish out the season. There is also a mention of the Nick Pryor injury in this article as well.

USA Hockey has a nice article up on goaltender Emily Brookshaw of Bemidji State, who is from Webster, Wisconsin.

According to Hockey Thoughts, U-17 USNTDP forward Vinny Saponari has Wisconsin as his front-runner. While Saponari is a great player, it is surpising to see the Badgers after more forwards for 2008 and/or 2009, as they would seem to need more forwards for either of those years about as much as I need to make a second trip through the buffet line. Matt Ford is the only forward to graduate prior to the 2008 season, and Gorowsky, Street and Skille are the only forwards set to graduate prior to the 2009 season, and Skille will likely be gone after this season. Slated to arrive in 2008/2009 at forward already for UW are Derek Stepan, Brock Montpetit, Jordy Murray, Craig Smith, Matt Thurber and Chris Hickey, although as I've said all along, I have to believe they'll bring Hickey in for 2007...and that looks to make more sense than ever.

Juutilainen to Omaha Nebraska

One of the forwards Wisconsin was thought to still be interested in for next season was Jan-Mikael Juutilainen from the Waterloo Blackhawks. According to Chris Heisenberg's website, Juutilainen has committed to Omaha-Nebraska, which is where he had reportedly committed to last year before re-opening his recruitment this season.

Wednesday Night in the USHL

Green Bay handled Ohio 3-1. Nick Graves got the win in net for Green Bay, while Derrick LaPoint tallied a goal and an assist on the offensive side of things.

Sioux Falls snuck past Waterloo 3-2. David Solway had a goal for Sioux Falls. Keegan Meuer had a goal for Waterloo, with one of the assists going to Craig Smith.

Girls High School Battle of the Honorable Mentions

Appleton and The Central Wisconsin Storm both have obtained Honorable Mention status in the latest Hockey in Wisconsin Top 5 Poll. Last night, Appleton showed they have the upper hand on the Storm defeating them 5-1.

In other girls high school hockey action, #4 St. Croix Valley Fusion blanked New Richmond 5-0 and Menomonie downed Hayward 4-3 in overtime.

AJ Sturges Article

USA Hockey has a nice article up on Madison native AJ Sturges, who plays for the USNTDP U-18 team and has committed to Michigan State.

World Junior Roster Breakdown

College Hockey News has an article breaking down the Team USA roster for the upcoming World Junior Tournament. It's an interesting read, and of course the team includes UW's Jack Skille, Blake Geoffrion and Jamie McBain.

Turris & Smith Square Off Again

Kyle Turris and Brendan Smith are once again slated to face off in another competition pitting Eastern Canada with Western Canada. Turris will play for Team Canada West and Smith Team Canada East tomorrow night in the CJAHL Prospects Game. There will be a radio broadcast of the game you can access here.

Tuesday Boys High School Hockey Action

#2 Stevens Point managed to squeak past their nemesis #5 Wisconsin Rapids by a score of 3-2 in overtime.
#1 Eau Claire Memorial 9 @ D.C. Everest 1
Sun Prairie 3 @ Honorable Mention Madison West 2
Honorable Mention Arrowhead 9 @ Kenosha 0
Appleton 2 @ #8 Fond du Lac 3
Hermantown (MN) 10 @ #6 Superior 1

Tuesday in the USHL

Green Bay downed Ohio 2-0. Derrick LaPoint was +2 for Green Bay.

Tomorrow night Green Bay and Ohio will play again, and Waterloo faces off against Sioux Falls.

Jake Dowell Named WCHA Player of the Week

Jake Dowell was named WCHA Player of the Week following his three goal and one assist performance this weekend vs. North Dakota.

Phil Kessel Diagnosed with Testicular Cancer

Madison native Phil Kessel has been diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Hockey in Wisconsin Girls High School Hockey Rankings

H.I.W. Girls Top 5 Rankings
(December 11th, 2006)
1. Onalaska (6-0) Previous rank: #1 Handled Point-Rapids & Madison. The Fusion and Thunder get their shot at #1 next.
2. Superior (5-2) Previous rank #2 Beat St. Croix Valley 3-1.
3. Fondy/Waupun (4-2) Previous rank #3 Silenced the Thunder 7-2. Point/Rapids comes to town this weekend.
4. St. Croix Valley (4-2) Previous rank #4 Lost to Superior 3-1.
5. Badger Thunder (3-1) Previous rank #5 Handled Madison, but not Fondy/Waupun. Milwaukee North Shore this week will be another test.

Honorable Mention:
Central Wisconsin (3-0) Previous Rank: Not ranked. Win over Point/Rapids puts them on the board. Square off against Appleton tomorrow night.
Appleton (2-2-1) Previous Rank: Not ranked. Win over Arrowhead. Play Storm tomorrow night.

Phil Kessel Mystery Medical Ailment

The Bruins have released a statement on behalf of the Kessel family that Phil has a medical condition not related to hockey for which he is being treated today, and asking everyone to respect their family's privacy at this time.

Saturday Night Badger Report

The Badger Women squandered a 3-0 lead eventually settling for a tie with St. Cloud State. Two games on the weekend against St. Cloud State and two ties were the result....that's pretty unusual.

The Badger Men completed their sweep in North Dakota with a 4-2 victory. The Badgers trailed with just five minutes left in the game, but were able to score three goals including an empty-netter down the stretch to secure the win headed into semester break.

Saturday Night in the USHL

Tri-City blew out Chicago 6-0.

Sioux City breezed past Ohio 6-1.

Des Moines outgunned Omaha 6-4. UW recruit Scott Gudmandson was not in net in this game.

Green Bay downed Waterloo in a shootout 3-2. Mike Sislo had a goal and an assist for the Gamblers. Sislo also was the first shooter in the shootout for Green Bay and converted. Josh Turnbull was the first shooter for Waterloo, but did not score. It looks like Keegan Meuer did play in this game as he is listed on the scoresheet.

Cedar Rapids squeaked past Lincoln 3-2.

Indiana defeated Sioux Falls 4-2. Jacob Drewiske had an assist for Sioux Falls.

Boys High School Saturday Night Key Matchups

Here's the scores from the key boys hockey matchups Saturday night:

(Honorable Mention) Madison Edgewood 4 @ (#10) Catholic Memorial 0
(Honorable Mention) Eau Claire North 0 @ Hudson 1
(#6) Fond du Lac 3 @ Sun Prairie 1
River Falls 8 @ Menomonie 4
New Richmond 3 @ (#7) Superior 5
(Honorable Mention) Homestead 6 @ Germantown 0

Saturday Girls High School Games

There were 3 big games in girls high school hockey last night, and all went as the Hockey in Wisconsin rankings would have predicted. You'll find the scores below along with the Hockey in Wisconsin Top 5 Rankings in parenthesis:

(#3) Fondy/Waupun 7 (#5) Badger Thunder 2
(#4) St. Croix Valley Fusion 1 @ (#2) Superior 3
(#1) Onalaska 6 @ (Honorable Mention) Madison 2

Other scores in girls high school hockey:

(Honorable Mention ) Appleton United @ Arrowhead
ECA Stars 7 @ Hayward 0
Viroqua 12 @ Tomahawk 0
Northland Pines 8 @ Blizzard 4
Culver Academy @ Milwaukee North Shore

Jordan Murray Commits to UW...SSM's Entire First Line to Become Badgers

The rumor that Jordan Murray has verballed to the Badgers has now been verified by Todd Milewski. His commitment means Shattuck St. Mary's entire first line (Jordan Murray, Brock Montpetit and Derek Stepan) and top three scorers at this point in the season have committed to play for UW. In 26 games the triumvirate has recorded a total of 51 goals & 55 assists for 106 points.

Friday Boys High School Hockey Update

#4 Arrowhead was downed by #10 Waukesha Catholic Memorial 8-6.
#8 Marquette 4-1 over Milwaukee Pius
Honorable Mention Madison Edgewood 3 at Oregon 2
Honorable Mention Homestead rolled to a 9-1 victory over Whitefish Bay.

Friday in the USHL

Tri-City blanked Chicago 4-0. Luke Lucyk had a goal and Kyle Ensign recorded an assist.

Lincoln and Cedar Rapids put up a football score Friday night, with Lincoln winning 7-3. Patrick Johnson had an assist in the game.

Sioux City was victorious over Ohio by the score of 6-2.

Lots of Wisconsinites got in on the scoring action as Waterloo took out Green Bay 5-2. For Waterloo, Josh Turnbull scored a goal and Keegan Meuer had an assist. For Green Bay, Mike Sislo had a goal and Justin Cseter had an assist. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first weekend that Keegan Meuer has suited up for a Friday night game. I guess that's what happens when you score two goals, including the overtime game winner, and are named the USHL's Offensive Player of the Week based on your performance the previous Saturday...

Indiana scraped past Sioux Falls 4-3. David Solway continued his solid season with a goal tonight, while Sam Zabkowicz recorded an assist.

Badger Men Win....Women Tie

The Badger Women recorded a come from behind tie against St. Cloud Friday.

The Badger Men got a much needed win against North Dakota 4-3. Four different Badgers-Joudrey, McBain, Dowell and Ford scored for the Badgers in the game. I only had the opportunity to listen to the second period, and watch the third period. In the second, the Badgers were great and recorded three of their goals. In the third, Brian Elliott was great as the Badgers went into their "just hang on for the win" mode and were outplayed by North Dakota.

Boys High School Best Taken to the Limit

There were a lot of close calls for top boys high school hockey teams Thursday night, but they all managed to squeak by. #1 ranked Eau Claire Memorial slid past River Falls 3 to 2 while crosstown rival and Honorable Mention Eau Claire North nipped Chippewa Falls 5 to 4. Stevens Point, currently ranked #2 by Wisconsin Prep Hockey needed overtime to defeat Wausau West 6 to 5. Number 9 ranked Wisconsin Rapids actually won handily 5 to 0 over Marshfield, as did Hockey in Wisconsin's darkhorse of the season Mosinee. They handled Park Falls 9 to 0.

Tomorrow night will feature #8 Marquette in action vs. Milwaukee Pius, as well as Honorable Mention Madison Edgewood at Oregon. Homestead is also on the Honorable Mention list and will square off against Whitefish Bay.

Patrick Johnson Appears Headed to UW

Andy Baggot is reporting that it is likely Patrick Johnson will come to and play for the University of Wisconsin. He could enroll as early as next year. Patrick has taken the USHL by storm since heading to Lincoln when injuries decimated their lineup. He has quickly put up seven goals and three assists for a total of 10 points in just 9 games.

Joe Pavelski TV & Radio Interviews

I found this link today of a radio interview with Joe Pavelski after his game-winning goal against Detroit. While the questions aren't the greatest Joe does a nice job and is very likable in the interview. He mentions that he has been getting advice on playing in the NHL from former Wisconsin Assistant Coach Troy Ward and PK O'Handley, who is the Head Coach of the Waterloo Blackhawks, where Pavelski played Junior Hockey. The clip is about 11 minutes long...

Since I was at it, I also found this TV interview with Joe after his first NHL goal in his first NHL game, and this interview with Pavelski after his game-winner against Detroit.

Kessel/Decker/Bilko Updates From Shattuck St. Mary's

Wisconsinites Brianna Decker and Amanda Kessel, as well as Barb Bilko who lived in Wisconsin for part of her childhood, continue their outstanding play for Shattuck St. Mary's Girls Prep Team. Amanda Kessel from Madison has scored 22 goals and 30 assists for 52 points in 25 games. Dousman native Brianna Decker has 35 goals and 30 assists for 65 points in 25 games. Barb Bilko lived in Oshkosh for a time, but now lives in the crease at SSM. She's 10-1-0 this season with a 1.2 goals against average and .92 save percentage.

Stepan/Montpetit Update From Shattuck St. Mary's

Through 26 games with Shattuck St. Mary's Prep Team, Wisconsinite & UW recruit Brock Montpetit & UW recruit Derek Stepan are tied for the team lead in scoring with 36 points. Montpetit has 23 goals and 13 assists to reach 36 points, while Stepan has 16 goals and 20 assists for a total of 36 points.

Girls High School Scores from Tuesday

Here's a few girls high school hockey scores from last night of interest...

Badger Thunder downed Madison 4-2
Onalaska handled Point-Rapids 7-4
St. Croix topped Menomonie 7-3

Tuesday Night Boys Hockey Games

All of the top boys high school teams "held serve" Tuesday night with wins. #1 Eau Claire Memorial, #2 Stevens Point, #6 Fond du Lac, #9 Wisconsin Rapids and Honorable Mention Tomah all took care of business. My darkhorse pick for the season, Mosinee, also won tonight 7-2 over Lakeland.

Tuesday Night USHL Games

Sioux City blasted Omaha by a score of 6-1. UW recruit Scott Gudmandson was shelled early and often giving up 4 goals on 20 shots in the first two periods and first five minutes of the third.

Des Moines handled Chicago 5-1.

Three Badgers Named to 2007 US World Junior Championship Roster

The roster for the 2007 US World Junior Championships was announced tonight, and includes three Wisconsin Badgers-Jack Skille, Blake Geoffrion and Jamie McBain. Here is the complete roster:

GOALTENDERS (2)
No. Name Ht. (cm) Wt. (kg) Birthdate S/C Hometown 2006-07 Team/NHL Team Rights
30 Jeff Frazee# 6-0 (183) 187 (85) 5/13/87 L Burnsville, Minn. University of Minnesota (WCHA)/New Jersey Devils 37
Jeff Zatkoff 6-1 (185) 165 (75) 6/9/87 L Chesterfield, Mich. Miami (Ohio) University (CCHA)/Los Angeles Kings

DEFENSEMEN (7)
4 Taylor Chorney# 5-11 (180) 194 (88) 4/27/87 L Hastings, Minn. University of North Dakota (WCHA)/Edmonton Oilers
6 Erik Johnson# 6-4 (193) 222 (101) 3/21/88 R Bloomington, Minn. University of Minnesota (WCHA)/St. Louis Blues
3 Jack Johnson# 6-1 (185) 215 (98) 1/13/87 L Ann Arbor, Mich. University of Michigan (CCHA)/Los Angeles Kings
2 Kyle Lawson 5-11 (180) 205 (93) 1/11/87 R New Hudson, Mich. University of Notre Dame (CCHA)/Carolina Hurricanes
22 Brian Lee*# 6-3 (191) 205 (93) 3/26/87 R Moorhead, Minn. University of North Dakota (WCHA)/Ottawa Senators
17 Jamie McBain 6-1 (185) 186 (84) 2/25/88 R Faribault, Minn. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)/Carolina Hurricanes
23 Sean Zimmerman 6-2 (188) 201 (91) 5/24/87 R Denver, Colo. Spokane Chiefs (WHL)/New Jersey Devils

FORWARDS (13)
18 Justin Abdelkader 6-1 (185) 210 (95) 2/25/87 L Muskegon, Mich. Michigan State University (CCHA)/Detroit Red Wings
16 Mike Carman 6-0 (183) 183 (83) 4/14/88 L Apple Valley, Minn. University of Minnesota (WCHA)/Colorado Avalanche
11 Jim Fraser 5-11 (180) 181 (82) 1/16/87 R Port Huron, Mich. Harvard University (ECACHL)
5 Blake Geoffrion 6-1 (185) 192 (87) 2/3/88 L Brentwood, Tenn. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)/Nashville Predators
9 Nate Gerbe# 5-5 (165) 169 (77) 7/24/87 L Oxford, Mich. Boston College (HEA)/Buffalo Sabres
27 Patrick Kane 5-10 (178) 166 (75) 11/19/88 L Buffalo, N.Y. London (OHL)/2007 Draft Eligible
24 Trevor Lewis 6-1 (185) 196 (89) 1/8/87 R Murray, Utah Owen Sound (OHL)/Los Angeles Kings
88 Peter Mueller# 6-2 (188) 194 (88) 4/14/88 R Bloomington, Minn. Everett (WHL)/Phoenix Coyotes
8 Kyle Okposo 6-0 (183) 200 (91) 4/16/88 R St. Paul, Minn. University of Minnesota (WCHA)/New York Islanders
12 Jack Skille# 6-1 (185) 202 (91) 5/19/87 R Madison, Wis. University of Wisconsin (WCHA)/Chicago Blackhawks
19 Ryan Stoa 6-3 (191) 220 (100) 4/13/87 L Bloomington, Minn. University of Minnesota (WCHA)/Colorado Avalanche
21 Bill Sweatt 6-0 (183) 187 (85) 9/21/88 L Elburn, Ill. Colorado College (WCHA)/2007 Draft Eligible
20 James vanRiemsdyk 6-3 (191) 190 (86) 5/4/89 L Middletown, N.J. U.S. National Under-18 Team/2007 Draft Eligible

*2005 U.S. National Junior Team Member
#2006 U.S. National Junior Team Member

Keegan Meuer Named USHL Offensive Player of the Week

The USHL has named Keegan Meuer Offensive Player of the Week. Meuer scored his first points of the season this weekend with two goals against Indiana, including the overtime game-winner. Not bad for a kid that is only dressing for every other game at this point.

Keegan Meuer Article

The Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier has a nice article on Keegan Meuer following his two goal performance Saturday night for Waterloo of the USHL.

Girls High School Hockey Rankings

I've decided to "take the plunge" and start the Hockey in Wisconsin Girls High School Hockey Rankings. With 23 total teams playing Girls WIAA hockey this season, I've decided to do a top 5 list, as well as honorable mention.

H.I.W. Girls Top 5 Rankings
(December 4th, 2006)

1. Onalaska (4-0) With wins over Superior & Fondy/Waupun, they are a clear-cut #1
2. Superior (3-2) Beat Fondy/Waupun & lost to Onalaska
3. Fondy/Waupun (3-2) Two losses are to two teams above them
4. St. Croix Valley (2-1) Downed Appleton & Menomonie, and took Fondy/Waupun to OT
5. Badger Thunder (2-0) This week will be big with games against Madison & Fondy/Waupun

Honorable Mention:
Madison (1-0) I wish I knew if they beat Milwaukee North Shore on 12/1...
Point/Rapids (2-0-1) They tangle with #1 on 12/5
Appleton (1-2-1) Losses to Onalaska & St. Croix, tied Point/Rapids

Wisconsin Prep Hockey Top Ten

Wisconsin Prep Hockey has released their latest Top 10 Poll as of December 3, 2006.

As you would expect, there's quite a bit of jostling in the rankings after the first week of play. I'm a little surprised Mosinee isn't getting any love after their convincing win over Northland Pines, but they have only played one game so far.

Nice Article on Kyle Turris

Andy Baggot has a very good article on Kyle Turris. It recounts his visit to Madison as a 15-year old in late October after visiting Minnesota the night before, as welll as Turris' considerable accomplishments since then.

The night Turris came to UW on his visit two years ago, I happened to come through the Player/Coach Ticket Will Call area right behind him. As we were both picking up our tickets I was trying to figure out who in the heck he was. At the time, I remember thinking he couldn't possibly be a recruit as he was about 5'6" and 140 pounds and looked like he was 15. Turns out not only was he a recruit, he's turned out to be a major league recruit. Looks certainly can be deceiving, especially without skates on.

In the last line of the article, Turris states, ""I wish I was there right now". In the understatement of the year, so do the Badger players and fans Kyle.

I'm a Travelin' Man....

I'm headed out for a week-long trip today. Hopefully my laptop setup will work just fine while I'm on the road and I can continue to post. Just in case my laptop setup doesn't work for some reason, I wanted to let everyone know what's going on so nobody sends out a search party for me.

Badger Women Pitch Another Shutout; Bauer Becomes Career Point Leader

The Badger Women shutout Robert Morris 5-0 yesterday. Sara Bauer netted a goal and an assist to move past Megan Hunter as the Badger's all-time career points leader during the game.

Eau Claire Memorial Cruises Past Superior

#4 Eau Claire Memorial cruised past #7 Superior last night by a score of 5-1. In other games of interest, #5 Madison Edgewood needed overtime to down Verona 3-2. #2 Fond du Lac got past Neenah 3-1. #8 University School finished off their Northwestern Wisconsin trip with an 8-1 drubbing of Black River Falls. Honorable Mention Tomah defeated Janesville soundly by a score of 6-1.

Saturday USHL Report-Two Madison Natives Have Two Point Nights

Omaha neeeded a shootout to put away Ohio 4-3 in a come from behind victory. UW recruit Matt Thurber had an assist in the game for Omaha, while UW recruit Scott Gudmandson stopped 14 of 17 in net for Omaha.

Sioux City also needed a shootout to win Saturday night, defeating Lincoln 5-4. Patick Johnson had a goal and an assist for Lincoln, but was stopped on his attempt during the shootout. Patrick Johnson now has 7 goals and 3 assists for 10 points in just 9 games. Potential UW recruit Jason Gregoire still is not in the lineup for Lincoln, and has played just 4 games, all of which were early this season.

Waterloo squeaked past Indiana in overtime. Keegan Meuer had two goals, including the overtime game-winner. Meuer was named First Star of the Game.

Cedar Rapids tripped up Chicago 3-1.

Sioux Falls edged Green Bay in a shootout 2-1. Sam Zabkowicz assisted on the Sioux Falls goal, while David Solway was stopped in his shootout attempt.

Onalaska Girls Down Fondy/Waupun

Last season saw Onalaska defeat Fondy/Waupun twice in the regular season, only to fall to the Warbirds in the State Championship. Today the Hilltoppers dealt Fondy/Waupun another regular season defeat with an 8-6 victory at the Omni Center in Onalaska. Fondy/Waupun was able to control the play for much of the game, but Onalaska came away with the win. Fondy/Waupun had 42 shots on net to just 22 for Onalaska.

Badger Women Blast Robert Morris/Career Records Piling Up

The Badger Women's Hockey Team blasted Robert Morris 10-0 Friday night.

Sara Bauer now has 177 career points (65 goals, 112 assists), equalling Meghan Hunter’s career total.

Junior Jinelle Zaugg became the fifth Badger to reach 50 career goals last weekend. She joins Meghan Hunter (84 goals), Kendra Antony (67), Senior Sara Bauer (63) and Jackie Friesen (53) in the 50-goal club.

Friday USHL Report

Lincoln topped Tri-City 3-2. Patrick Johnson scored two goals for Lincoln in the win.

Omaha defeated Ohio 3-2 in a shootout. Omaha outshot Ohio 45-14 in this game. Matt Thurber had an assist for Omaha in the game. Scott Gudmandson came into the game in the second period, and played 45 minutes stopping 10 of 10 shots faced. He then stoned all five Ohio players in the shootout to lead his team to the win.

Des Moines got their "score on" while blistering Chicago 6-1.

Indiana downed Cedar Rapids 5-3. The scoresheet for this game is marked unofficial, though I'm not sure why...

Sioux Falls got lots of contributions from Wisconsin players in beating Green Bay 3-2. David Solway scored the first two goals for Sioux Falls, while Jacob Drewiske assisted on their third goal. Derrick LaPoint had an assist for Green Bay.

U School Crushes Eau Claire North

Defending State Champ and #8 ranked University School crushed #3 ranked Eau Claire North 6-0 last night.

Last season University School graduated ten seniors including five of their top six scorers in Cole Holmes (All-State), Ryan McEnerney (All-State), Alex Graf, Will Bartlett (All-State) and Tim Olson. They also graduated starting goaltender Ben Jurken (Honorable Mention All-State). All told they graduated 6 forwards, 3 defensemen and their starting goaltender. It is very impressive that they have managed to rebound from the size and quality of their graduating class.

Eau Claire North lost 6 players to graduation, but three of them played vital roles. Derrick LaPoint (All-State) is tearing up the USHL, will play for North Dakota next season and was taken in the NHL draft. He was the Huskies' third-leading scorer. Second-leading scorer Ryan Goodmanson (Honorable Mention All-State) also graduated, along with starting goaltender Justin Strehlau (All-State). In addition, two other forwards and a defenseman also graduated. Senior defenseman and Captain Nick Roscoe (Honorable Mention All-State) is also out with a torn ACL for the season, although he hopes to return in time for the playoffs.

It is very impressive that USM has managed to rebound from the size and quality of their graduating class. For North, they're going to need to keep working hard and hope that Nick Roscoe's a quick healer.

One other game last night that is worth mentioning is Marquette defeating Madison Edgewood 7-6. Both teams finished last season ranked Honorable Mention in the Wisconsin Prep Hockey Poll.

Primetime Boys & Girls Hockey Matchups This Weekend

There is a full slate of boys high school hockey games this weekend across the state, but the place to be is going to be Eau Claire. Tonight #8 University School visits #3 Eau Claire North while tomorrow #7 Superior visits #4 Eau Claire Memorial.

On the girls hockey side, there is only one game scheduled for tonight, but it should be a good one. Milwaukee North Shore visits the Madison Metro Lynx. Both teams made pretty good runs at the State Tournament last season and look to again be in that second tier of teams behind Onalaska, Superior and Fondy/Waupun. Saturday features plenty of games around the state, with the best being the State Tournament Final rematch featuring Onalaska and Fond du Lac/Waupun. Onalaska has looked awful good so far this season and I would expect them to come out on top of this one.

Boys High Shool Games from 11/30

A complete listing of game scores from last night can be found at Wisconsin Prep Hockey.

There were several games of interest. Stevens Point defeated their nemesis Antigo 4-2, while EC Memorial put up four field goals in shutting out Menomonie (12-0). The most interesting score from last night in my opinion was a rematch of a State Tournament Regional Final last season, which ended in the same way. Northland Pines again was knocked off by Mosinee 5-2. Over the summer I mentioned Mosinee was a team that could surprise this season, and they already have by knocking off #9 Northland Pines.

Future Badger Injuries Abound

Andy Baggot mentioned today that along with Chris Hickey's and Garrett Suter's injuries, which I've mentioned recently, Brendan Smith is still fighting off effects of a broken hand he suffered over the summer, and that Cody Goloubef had hip surgery and has missed most of the first half of the season.

Welcome to the Garrett Suter Update Center

Garrett Suter injured a shoulder, needs surgery and will be out for the season, thus the reason for Omaha releasing him. The latest news is that Mike Eaves indicated today that Garrett is still welcome to join UW next season if he qualifies academically. There have been a lot of people wondering if his offer from UW was still good, so it's nice to have a definitive answer.