Marinette Youth Hockey Association

Pink Out

The Thunder Pink Out game has become a highlight on the local sports schedule. With many great prizes available, the Thunder expect another great turnout as the community comes together to support a family in need. All proceeds from this Friday’s Game, will go to Lizzie VandeHey and her family. Lizzie, a sophomore at Menominee High School, was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and is currently undergoing aggressive chemotherapy.

Admission to the game is free. The puck will drop at 7:30, but doors will open at 6 p.m. and fans are encouraged to arrive early to take part in the many planned fund-raising festivities.

This year’s game will feature a gun raffle as well as many other great prizes including a PS5 gaming console, a wine and alcohol pull, a Lazyboy recliner, an iPad, 50/50 raffles for each period and a “free” bake sale where donations will be accepted.

High School

A shorthanded Thunder team headed south over the weekend to take part in the Dodgeville Ice Wolves Invitational.

Missing several key players, the Thunder dropped game one by a score of 11-1 to the Watertown Lakers (S.D.).

Things could have gone from bad to worse as the Thunder played the remainder of the weekend without either of their regular goalies, but Nico Fox made her debut between the pipes against the Niles Rangers (Ill.) and came up with 38 saves, and her team responded with a late offensive flurry.

After the Rangers put in two early goals, the Thunder came back with strikes from Theron Thayer and Simon Bowers just before the end of the first period.

The game remained tied through the end of the second period, and the Thunder offense came alive midway through the third. Logan Sakovitz, Caiden Radtke, Brayden Rounds (2) and Damien Winterbottom all hit the net to give the Thunder seven unanswered goals and a 7-2 lead.

The Rangers scored an inconsequential goal with just over a minute to play to account for a 7-3 final score.

The win put the Thunder into the consolation bracket final where they ran into a hot Iowa City Jr. Heartlanders squad. This time, the Thunder managed only a second-period goal from Rounds while Fox made 20 saves in an 11-1 loss.

The Thunder hope to be healthy and ready to perform in front of a large crowd at the REC Center on Friday. The Thunder are looking to complete a season sweep of Manitowoc after taking a pair of road games (3-1 and 7-3) earlier this season.

Bantam

The Thunder Bantam team took part in the Winter Wonderland outdoor tournament in Rosemont, Ill. This weekend.

Playing in the Bantam B/C bracket, the Thunder fell 3-0 to the Las Vegas Ice Warriors in their opening game before defeating the Springfield Yellow Jackets 5-0 to advance to the consolation bracket final.

In the fifth-place game, the Thunder dropped a 5-0 decision to the Glenview Stars (Ill.)

The Thunder will travel to De Pere for a doubleheader on Saturday.

Peewee A

The Thunder Peewee A team went 1-2-1 in doubleheaders at Green Bay on Saturday and at home against Shawano on Sunday.

After dropping their opening game 6-3 on Saturday, the Thunder got a goal from Carter Erdman late in the third period and another from Brayden Forgette with ten seconds to play to erase a 2-0 deficit and earn a draw against the Bobcats. Sam McKenney recorded 22 saves including one at the buzzer to preserve the tie.

Against Shawano, the Thunder opened with a 12-2 romp over the Lightning. Erdman turned in a hattrick as well as two assists in the win, while Perket (5 goals) and Landon Dura also contributed hattricks to the effort.

The Lightning stormed back for a 4-3 win in game two. The Thunder got two early goals from Wyatt Kneath and another from Perket, but came up just short.

The Peewee A team will host Marquette in a doubleheader at the REC Center on Friday before traveling to Manitowoc for their WAHA State Playdown game on Sunday.

Peewee B

The Thunder Peewee B team went 1-1-1 at the Onalaska Invitational tournament this weekend.

After opening with a 12-1 loss to Waunakee, the Thunder pulled out a 3-3 tie against Oregon and a 12-6 win over Onalaska to take third in the round robin tournament.

The Peewee B team will travel to Waupaca on Sunday where they will take on Oshkosh in their WAHA State Playdown game.