Trzebiatowski has hat trick

By Greg Seubert

The Waupaca boys’ hockey team is on a roll.
Hitting the ice for the first time since winning the Home of Hockey Holiday Tournament in Minnesota, the Comets picked up a 7-6 Great Northern Conference win over Tomahawk Jan. 2 at the Waupaca Ice & Expo Center.

Mitchell Trzebiatowski and Cody Rasmussen had a hat trick for Waupaca.

Tomahawk took a 2-1 lead into the second period.

Rasmussen scored off of an assist from Jack Menzies 2:57 into the game to give Waupaca an early lead, but the Hatchets answered with goals from Max Bembinster and Jordan Tomaszewski.

Trzebiatowski tied the game 6:43 into the second period off of an assist from Jack Erspamer and Rasmussen found the net for the second time, with Menzies getting the assist. Tomaszewski scored later in the period for Tomahawk and the teams went into the locker room tied at 3-3.

Trzebiatowski’s unassisted short-handed goal 4:59 into the third period broke the tie and Rasmussen’s third goal off of an assist from Menzies gave the Comets a two-goal lead.

The Hatchets tied the game at 5-5 on goals from Bembinster and Cody Scholz.

Trzebiatowski’s third goal off of an assist from Menzies and Erspamer gave Waupaca a 6-5 lead with 8:05 remaining, but Tomaszewski’s third goal tied the game less than a minute later.

Menzies scored the game-winning goal with 4:33 to go in the game and the Comets held the Hatchets scoreless the rest of the way.

Waupaca goalie Brett Berens stopped 27 of Tomahawk’s 33 shots, while Shawn Dirkx finished with 33 saves.

Waupaca improved to 7-4-1 over all and 4-2 in conference play with the win.

The Comets posted a 2-0-1 record over three Minnesota teams at the Home of Hockey Holiday Tournament, held Dec. 27-29 in Eveleth, Minnesota. Waupaca opened the tournament with a 6-3 win over Eveleth-Gilbert, tied Proctor 2-2 and wrapped up the invitational with a 4-3 win over Kittson Central.