STAR JOURNAL REPORT

The Rhinelander High School varsity boys hockey team recorded 27 shots but couldn’t muster a goal Saturday when the Hodags were shut out in a non-conference road game against Wausau East/Merrill, 4-0.

“We got off to a rough start and it never got much better,” said RHS head coach M.J. Laggis. “We had numerous power-play chances and moved the puck really well, but couldn’t get it to the net in a productive way….

“We overhandled the puck throughout the game with too much stickhandling and not enough passing. As a team we failed to make the pass when we needed to.”

The Hodags started in net with Cody Pratz, who made 11 saves and gave up three goals before being replaced early in the second period by Seth Stafford, who made 13 saves while allowing a goal.

“We need to get more pucks into the scoring area and even if the initial shot doesn’t score, we need to get rebounds,” Laggis said. “We are not getting to the rebound enough, and we need to step on the gas in front of their net.”

The loss against No. 8-seeded Wausau East/Merrill, which is the same team RHS will face when it opens the WIAA playoffs Feb. 14 as the No. 9-seeded team in the sectional, dropped the Hodags’ overall season record to 6-12 going into Monday’s Great Northern Conference game at home against Lakeland Union High School.