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Comets get defensive

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Max Heller of Marshfield gains control of the puck after Waupaca's Eli Bartel drops his stick in a WIAA Division 2 state tournament game Feb. 20 in Marshfield. Bartel later scored a power-play goal in the Comets' 5-1 win over the Tigers. Julie Schooley Photo

Hockey team to face Northland Pines again

By Greg Seubert


A 6-1 loss to Marshfield during the regular season probably kept the Waupaca boys’ hockey team from hosting a WIAA state tournament game.

The rematch had a similar score, but a different outcome.

Jack Erspamer and Braeden Ryan scored twice Feb. 20 as Waupaca defeated the Tigers 5-1 in a WIAA Division 2 regional at the Marshfield Area Ice Arena.

Eli Bartel also scored for Waupaca and the Comets outshot the Tigers 50-29.

“I was really pleased with the guys tonight,” coach John Erspamer said. “We’ve played like that the last five games. I wish I could tell you what the magic recipe was where they’re playing so hard and so disciplined through a 51-minute game. Man, they looked good tonight.

“They were really tenacious tonight,” he added. “They were hungry. They wanted it from the time they got off the bus. They finally saw a ‘W’ for hard work and that’s important for those guys.”

Waupaca took a 3-0 lead into the third period.

Erspamer scored the game’s only goal in the first period off of an assist from Davis Levine, while Ryan scored twice in the second period off of assists from Jed Vanden Bush.

Evan Weister put the Tigers on the board less than three minutes in the third period, but Bartel and Erspamer added to Waupaca’s lead. Garret Bohm assisted on Bartel’s goal and Levine and Bartel assisted on Erspamer’s second goal.

Goalie Hagen Rasmussen made 28 saves.

“Make the saves you’re supposed to and maybe one or two that you’re not and put us in a position to win,” Erspamer said. “He certainly did that.”

Although the Comets found the net five times in the game, Erspamer said his team’s defense played a role in the win.

“Our defense played solid all night,” he said. “We didn’t get beat and they’ve got some speed. It’s amazing what hard work and confidence will do. They’re more confident each time they play.”

The win means the Comets will return to Eagle River Tuesday, Feb. 25, for a 7 p.m. rematch with Northland Pines. The Eagles already have two wins over the Comets this season, including a 5-0 victory in the Great Northern Conference tournament.

“We’ll go up there for the third time in nine or 10 days and we’re OK with that,” Erspamer said. “I told the boys our goal was to win this game so we could go up there and have another shot at them because you just don’t get better unless you challenge yourself.

“We played them hard the last time and we’re going to see if we can play them harder this time,” he said. “Who knows? That’s why you go up there and play the game. I could just say throw in the towel and not take the bus trip, but we’re ready to go. We’re going to bring a really good team playing really well right now.”

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