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Comets blanked in sectional

Eagles flex their hockey muscles

By Greg Seubert


The third time did not turn out to be the charm for the Waupaca boys’ hockey team.

The Comets faced Northland Pines for the third time this season Feb. 25 and ended up on the short end of an 8-0 score in a WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinal game at the Eagle River Hockey & Sports Arena.

Three of Zach Maillette’s four goals came during the first five minutes of the second period. His goal 5:01 into the game turned out to be the only goal of the first period, but the Eagles quickly added to the lead after play resumed.

His second and third goals came in the first 3:18 of the second period. Hunter Bill added a goal to make it 4-0 and Maillette’s fourth goal made it 5-0 with 12:20 remaining in the period.

Brady Snedden and Harmon Marien added goals later in the period and the Eagles had a 7-0 lead at the second break.

Michael Paul wrapped up the scoring with a power-play goal in the third period.

“We did what we needed to do in the first period,” coach John Erspamer said. “That first three to four minutes of the second period was too much. They were too fast and put a lot of pucks in the net in a short period of time. In the three times that we played them, that second period was probably the best we’ve seen them play. When they smelled blood in the water after the second goal, it was like a shark feeding frenzy out there.”

The Eagles ended up with a 30-15 advantage in shots.

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Waupaca's Jack Erspamer controls the puck and skates by Northland Pines' Gunnar Schiffmann Feb. 25 in a WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinal boys' hockey game in Eagle River. Schiffmann and the Eagles improved to 22-4 on the season with an 8-0 win over the Comets. Greg Seubert Photo

Eagles a tough team

“They’re good and we know that,” Erspamer said. “It wasn’t like we weren’t trying. I thought (goalie) Hagen (Rasmussen) played well. He had a lot of shots coming at him at once. He did the best he could.”

The Eagles also defeated the Comets 10-2 and 5-0 during the regular season on their way to winning a Great Northern Conference championship.

“You’ve got three, possibly four college hockey players playing out there,” Erspamer said. “We’re extremely pleased that we had an opportunity to play them again. You can’t get better unless you play the best teams and they are one of the best. I told their coach, ‘Our season’s over, but it’ll be a lot easier if we lost to the state champion.’”

The game turned out to be the final high school hockey contest for Waupaca seniors Jack Erspamer, Davis Levine, Jaydn Schulke, Garret Bohm, Henry Batten, Marek Bonfigt and Liam DeZurik-Otto.

“I’ve had the pleasure of coaching them since they were 7 years old,” Erspamer said. “It’s good to be in a locker room with a good group of guys.”

Northland Pines will now play another Great Northern team, Mosinee, at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, in Mosinee for a trip to state. Mosinee stayed alive in the tournament Feb. 25 with a 3-2 overtime win over Rhinelander.

 

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