RHS improves to 2-3

STAR JOURNAL REPORT

After giving up three goals in the first 17 minutes Tuesday, the Rhinelander High School varsity boys hockey team did all the scoring in the final two periods and ended up winning a non-conference game at the Rhinelander Ice Arena over Marshfield, 5-3.

“We were overwhelmed early on as Marshfield had some good team speed that we didn’t handle very well…,” said RHS head coach M.J. Laggis. “Our kids played a really strong second period and carried it into the third. We finished the game strong.”

The Hodags scored first 2:23 into the game on the goal by Tyler Kolasa. The Tigers then took a 3-1 lead on a pair of goals from Ryan Krueger and a single tally by Isaac Wellens. RHS pulled within a single goal before the first period expired when Cole Spaulding scored on the power play assisted by Logan Wild at the 15:44 mark.

“We made good adjustments after the first period and played much better in the second,” Laggis said.

The tying goal came 13:27 into the second period when the Hodags’ Konner Kennedy scored assisted by Freddie Wisner.

“Wisner played strong all night long and forechecked hard,” Laggis said.

Wisner recorded what turned out to be the game-winning goal 4:08 into the final period when he scored assisted by Spaulding and Wild. RHS added its final goal less than 2 minutes later when Caleb Pierson scored on an assist by Kolasa.

The Hodags’ Seth Stafford stopped 19 out of 22 shots to record the win in goal. Haydon Roy-Peterson made 24 saves in a losing effort in net for the Tigers.

With the win, RHS improved its overall season record to 2-3 going into Thursday’s game at Tomahawk.

Hodags 5, Tigers 3

Tigers    3              0              0 – 3

Hodags  2              1              2 – 5