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Randall Von Haden handles the puck

18U's Open with Wins over Ontonagon

12/14/2022, 11:30am CST
By Josh Lacy

MARINETTE – The M&M Thunder high school hockey team opened its season with a pair of resounding wins over Ontonagon at the Community REC Center on Sunday.

 

HIGH SCHOOL

With the puck dropping two weeks later than expected, the Thunder made it worth the wait with an 8-0 shutout in their season opener followed by an impressive 12-2 win in the nightcap.

The team was originally scheduled to open the season on Nov. 26, but a state-wide referee shortage left the Thunder without officials. However, coach Alex McDonald’s team clearly took advantage of the extra practice time.

“I was proud of them, they did really well,” McDonald said. “I think the canceled games really helped us. I don’t think we were quite ready to play, and those two weeks of practice really got us ready to play the way we want to play.”

Ontonagon held a size advantage in the contest, but the Thunder used their quickness to their advantage and blitzed the opposition with 85 shots on the day.

“It’s going to be typical all year long,” McDonald said. “We are going to play bigger stronger teams, but we are typically going to be faster. We did not get into a physical game with them. Had we done that it would have been a tighter game, but the kids did not get physical with them. That was the message; we are going to play fast, we are going to play quick, and we are going to possess the puck.

“We are a young team, and we have to control our emotions because teams will try to beat us physically. That’s what their intent is. That is their style of hockey and there’s nothing wrong with that. They’re going to try to intimidate us and beat us physically. I was proud of them. Today they were able to just play their game, and we were really able to rack up the goals.”

Ontonagon was called for three penalties in the first period of the opening game, and the Thunder converted on two of those power plays. Broden Krause got the scoring started with five minutes to play in the period, and Blue Haley made it 2-0 with an assist from Joey Danielak on another power play two minutes later.

Haley and Theron Thayer each contributed a pair of goals in game one while Danielak, a senior captain, turned in a goal and three assists. Brayden Rounds and Ava McDonald also found the net in their debut game at the high school level.

Glen Woodworth notched a shutout in his goaltending debut, turning away all nine Ontonagon shots.

Woodworth added 12 saves against 14 shots in game two, giving him a save percentage of 87% on the day.

Haley got rolling in game two, scoring the first of five goals just five minutes into the first period.

Haley had completed his first hattrick of the season by the end of the second period while goals from Dnaielak and Thayer made it 5-0.

The floodgates opened in the third period with Haley scoring twice more along with a pair of goals from Krause another from Danielak, as well as goals from Mason Denny and Avery Waloway.

Danielak and Denny also had a pair of assists each while Thayer dished out three helpers. Rounds, Addison Lacy and Jack Starich also had assists.

The Thunder will be back in action at the Community REC Center on Friday when they host Manitowoc. That game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.

BANTAM

The Thunder Bantams dropped a pair of games at Shawano on Saturday. Logan Sakovitz and Chase Nerat contributed goals for the Thunder while Wes Baty had an assist.

PEEWEE A

The Peewee A team stretched its winning streak to five games with a pair of victories over Fox Valley at the Community REC Center on Saturday.

The Thunder won with scores of 5-1 and 6-1.

Owen Shaffer (2), Parker Perket, Owen Haley and Simon King scored in game one while Perket (2), Wyatt Kneath (2), Haley and Alex Bird handled the offense in game two.

Jack Aftanas made 31 saves in game one while Grace Loomis stopped 20 of 21 shots in game two.

PEEWEE B

The Peewee B team played a pair of games against Fox Valley at the REC Center on Saturday and two more at Appleton on Sunday.

Lucien Thayer and Calvin Schroeder each scored three goals in the four games, while Chet Lacy and Callie Trensch scored as well.

Sam McKenney averaged 26 saves per game while stopping 74% of the shots he faced.

SQUIRT A

The Squirt A team fell with scores of 6-4 ad 7-2 against DePere on Sunday.

Jaxen Teteak, Erin Vincent, Nova Cook and Landon Dura found the net in game one, while Liam Koch and Holden Ruiz scored in game two.

Lucas Wiltzius stopped 35 of the 46 shots he faced.

SQUIRT B

The Squirt B team notched a 4-0 weekend with a pair of wins each over Green Bay Gold and Oshkosh B.

The Thunder topped Green Bay 6-1 and 5-4 on Saturday. Carter Campbell handled the offense, scoring ten of the team’s 11 goals on the day. Finn Eastman also scored in game two, with an assist from Campbell.

Liam Kegley tended the net in both of those games, making 24 saves.

Campbell turned around and manned the net on Sunday, needing just two saves to notch a 7-0 shutout in game one.

Meanwhile the Thunder got goals from Eastman (2), Kegley (2), Henry Schutt (2) and Ashton Behrens.

Ryan Haile made seven saves to preserve a 10-1 win in game two at Oshkosh.

Campbell and Behrens each had a hattrick, while Eastman (2), Schutt and Liam Hofer scored as well.

Thunder upcoming schedule

Friday

High School vs. Manitowoc, 7 p.m.

Bantam at Baraga, 7:45 p.m.

Saturday

Mite Madness Tournament at Community REC Center, all day

Squit A at Green Bay, 7:30/10:30 a.m.

Bantam at Baraga, 9:30 a.m.

Bantam at L’Anse, 4 p.m.

Peewee B at Iron Mountain, 11 a.m./2 p.m.

Peewee A at DePere 3/6 p.m.

Sunday

Mite Madness Tournament at Community REC Center, TBD

Bantam at Marquette, 7/10 a.m.

Squirt B at Appleton, 8/11 a.m.

Peewee A at Appleton, 10:30 a.m./1:30 p.m.

Peewee B at DePere, 10 a.m./1 p.m.

Squirt A at Iron Mountain, 9/noon

Bantam at Frozen Cup, noon

Tag(s): 8U Cross Ice  10U Squirt A  10U Squirt B  12U PeeWee A  14U Bantam  18U High School  12U PeeWee B