Blackhawk hockey team finishes 1-2 this past week
By Brian Nadeau
The Blackhawk skaters hosted the Regis/McDonnell Saints last Tuesday at United Civic Center in a Middle Border Conference contest and came away on the short end of a 7-2 score.
Regis/McDonnell netted the first seven goals of the game, including five in the first period, to put the Blackhawks in a huge hole early.
The Blackhawks were not without chances, however, as they outshot the Saints 34-26 on the game. The Saints goalie, a highly regarded player in Wisconsin, turned aside all but two attempts by the Hawks.
The Saints added two second period goals to extend the lead and go to running time. With the Blackhawks trailing 7-0 going into the third period, Mitchell Larson was able to break the shutout at 12:42 with assists to Luke Meyer and Gavin Hessler. Eli Stoehr added a second goal at 16:45 for the final tally of 7-2.
On Friday, the Blackhawks began a weekend road trip at Barron as they took on the Northwest Icemen.
At 4:48 of the first period, Landon Albrightson scored on the power play to make it 1-0. He was assisted by Brandon Connett and Gavin Hessler.
The Icemen tied it at 1-1 later in the period, but as has been the case often this season, the Blackhawks wasted little time answering.
Thirty-three seconds later, at 10:54 of the first, Larson made it 2-1 with an unassisted goal. In the second period the Hawks continued solid play and at 6:39 Albrightson scored again making it 3-1, assisted by Connett.
Noah Lindus scored to make it 4-1 at 11:33 of the second assisted by Meyer. The Icemen were able to capitalize on a turnover as the Hawks were coming out of their defensive zone, and made it 4-2 at 16:48.
The Blackhawks began the third on the power play, and Albrightson netted a hat trick at 0:18 of the third. Connett and Hessler assisted on the power play goal.
The Icemen would score three goals over the next ten minutes to tie the game at 5-5 with 6:21 left to play in the game.
Gavin Hessler delivered the game-winner at 15:35 and was assisted by Leo Rasmussen and Connett.
The Hawks would add an insurance goal at 15:58 when Albrightson scored again, assisted by Connett, and the game would end with a 7-5 victory.
On Saturday the Blackhawks continued north to Ashland to take on the Oredockers. The first period saw plenty of shots, but only one goal, which came late in the first by Ashland.
Entering the second period, and the Blackhawks trailing 1-0, Connett scored on the power play at 6:40 to tie the game 1-1.
Rasmussen and Meyer assisted on the goal. Mitchell Hurtgen then scored the next two goals to make it 3-1, with Albrightson assisting on both goals.
The Blackhawks would take that lead into the second intermission. The third period belonged to Ashland, as they scored three goals over the first twelve minutes of the period to reclaim the lead 4-3.
The Oredockers would add an empty-net goal with 1 second left for a final score of 5-3.
The Blackhawks are 14-8 on the season and 5-4 in MBC play. They return to action on Thursday February 5th at home when they host the New Richmond Tigers on Parent’s Night at United Civic Center, and then travel to Hobbs Ice Arena in Eau Claire on Saturday February 7th to take on the Eau Claire North Huskies.