Marinette Youth Hockey Association

 

HIGH SCHOOL

The Thunder started the weekend with a 4-2 win at Manistique on Friday. Saturday, they took on Hancock High School at Michigan Tech University’s John MacInnes Student Ice Arena and scored two goals in the final two minutes to win 4-3. The team closed out the weekend with a late comeback bid against Houghton that fell just short at 5-4.

“We played three strong teams this weekend,” Thunder coach Alex McDonald said, “and to come out 2-1 is about as good as we could hope for. At our best we’ve been patient. That’s kind of been our M.O. when we’ve been good, and we showed that this weekend.”

Blue Haley kicked off the weekend with a hattrick against Manistique.

Haley staked the Thunder to an early lead with assists from Joey Danielak and Ava McDonald. Mason Denny broke a 1-1 tied in the second period with a slapshot from the right wing. Haley then netted a pair of goals in the third period with assists coming from Damien Winterbottom, Danielak and McDonald.

Glenn Woodworth stopped 15 of the 17 shots he faced form the Emeralds.

On Saturday, the Thunder squared off with Hancock at the MAC. Round two between the two teams proved just as thrilling as round one. The Thunder and Bulldogs had met earlier this season at the Battle at the REC tournament and the Thunder came away with an overtime victory.

The Bulldogs got the scoring started in the game’s first minute. Theron Thayer tied the contest midway through the first period, and a second-period goal from Haley put the Thunder on top 2-1.

That lead did not hold up, as the Bulldogs netted goals from Brogan Turner and Louis Callson in the third period.

The Thunder continued to trail 3-2 until Thayer once again found the net with 1:16 on the clock.

Thayer’s goal looked as though it might have set up another overtime finish, but Broden Krause found a seam and scored the game-winner with just 39 seconds to play.

Woodworth came up with 21 saves against 25 shots in the win.

Sunday’s game was a shot at redemption against a Houghton High School team that delivered the Thunder’s worst loss of the season, a 10-1 shellacking at the REC Center a month ago. It was also the Thunder’s last shot at a Houghton team this season.

The Thunder have posted an overall record of 11-5-3. All five losses have come against Houghton teams, with the Thunder posting an 0-2 mark against HHS and 0-3-1 against Houghton’s 18U squad.

On Sunday, the Thunder found themselves down 5-1 near the end of the second period, having been outshot 27-11 to that point.

The Thunder had only a first-period goal from Thayer to show for their effort before Randy Von Haden scored near the end of the second to keep the game within reach.

In the third period, the Thunder mounted a comeback with an early goal from Krause quickly followed by another from Thayer.

At that point a physical contest turned into a frenzy. Nine of the game’s 14 penalties came in the third period, but neither team could hit paydirt again, and the Thunder fell 5-4.

“The kids played really well and kept their heads,” McDonald said of the Houghton game. “We stayed with our game. We stayed patient, and our patience paid off. Playing a team that beat us 10-1 earlier in the season, to have a chance to win at the end was quite the difference.”

Woodworth, notched 29 saves against 34 shots against the Gremlins, giving him 65 saves and a save percentage of 86% for the weekend.

The Thunder will continue a 13-game road swing this weekend with a pair of games at Manitowoc Friday and Saturday, and a game against SHAW in Milwaukee on Sunday.

BANTAM

The Thunder Bantams dropped a pair of games against Manitowoc at the Community REC Center on Saturday.

PEEWEE A

The Thunder Peewee A team punched its ticket to the WAHA State Tournament with a 4-0 win over Manitowoc at the REC Center on Saturday. The team also split a doubleheader against Oshkosh on Sunday.

Against the Breakers, a pair of goals from Jesse McClarren as well as goals from Parker Perket and Owen Shaffer propelled the Thunder into the Sate Tournament.

Meanwhile, Gracelyn Loomis stopped all 14 shots she faced to post the team’s first shutout of the season.

On Sunday, the Thunder took on Oshkosh’s A squad. A four-goal third period proved the Thunder’s undoing in an 8-1 loss, but the team responded with a 5-1 win in the nightcap.

Easton Baty scored the lone Thunder goal in game one and was good for two more in game two. Perket Shaffer and Alex Bird found the net as well.

The Thunder will take on Fox Valley in Neenah, Wis. on Saturday.

PEEWEE B

The Thunder Peewee B team suffered a 6-1 loss in its WAHA State Paydown game at Oshkosh on Sunday.

Lucien Thayer scored the game’s first goal, but the Warbirds rattled off six unanswered strikes including four in the second period.

Sam McKenney made 18 saves in the loss.

The Thunder will play Fox Valley on Sunday.

SQUIRT A

The Thunder Squirt A team dropped a pair of games to Shawano at the REC Center on Sunday.

Shawano won with scores of 10-6 and 4-1.

Holden Ruiz scored twice in game one, while Liam Koch, Jaxen Teteak, Landon Dura and Sullivan Reek contributed goals as well. Teteak had the lone Thunder goal in game two.

The Thunder Squirts will host the Battle at the REC Tournament this Friday – Sunday.

SQUIRT B

The Thunder Squirt B team will advance to the WAHA State Tournament after convincing wins over Oshkosh and Waupaca in playdowns this weekend.

The Thunder defeated Oshkosh 10-0.

Carter Campbell and Liam Hofer each had a hattrick while Henry Schutt scored twice and Ashton Behrens and Cade Ruleau scored as well.

The Thunder then defeated Waupaca 7-0 with goals from Campbell (5), Hofer and Ryan Haile.

The Squirts will host the Battle at the REC Tournament this weekend.