MONROE - The Monroe boys hockey co-op team couldn't hang on to an early lead, and Sauk Prairie stormed back to topple the Avalanche 8-1 Thursday at SLICE Arena.
Sophomore Colton O'Connor of Orangeville scored a power-play goal on an assists by Darlington's Riley Jones and Monroe's Payton Stauffacher to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead at the 11-minute, 22-second mark in the first period.
The Eagles responded by scoring eight unanswered goals. Sauk Prairie put the game away by scoring four goals in the third period.
"Tonight we played one of the best first periods of the season," Monroe coach Josh Smith said. "We moved the puck well and pressured Sauk well. We took the lead and held it until the end of the first period. Then everything fell apart. We stopped being the first to the puck and stopped skating hard. That alone is the reason we lost this game. Sauk played well, but it would have been a hard-fought and close game, but we beat ourselves."
Three of the Eagles' goals came on the power play, and the Avalanche (0-7) had seven penalties. The Eagles outshot the Avalanche 44-30.
Sauk Prairie's Willy Hanson scored three goals.
Monroe freshman goalie Heath Bear had 28 saves, and senior Daniel Guilliams of Freeport Aquin had eight saves.
Sophomore Colton O'Connor of Orangeville scored a power-play goal on an assists by Darlington's Riley Jones and Monroe's Payton Stauffacher to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead at the 11-minute, 22-second mark in the first period.
The Eagles responded by scoring eight unanswered goals. Sauk Prairie put the game away by scoring four goals in the third period.
"Tonight we played one of the best first periods of the season," Monroe coach Josh Smith said. "We moved the puck well and pressured Sauk well. We took the lead and held it until the end of the first period. Then everything fell apart. We stopped being the first to the puck and stopped skating hard. That alone is the reason we lost this game. Sauk played well, but it would have been a hard-fought and close game, but we beat ourselves."
Three of the Eagles' goals came on the power play, and the Avalanche (0-7) had seven penalties. The Eagles outshot the Avalanche 44-30.
Sauk Prairie's Willy Hanson scored three goals.
Monroe freshman goalie Heath Bear had 28 saves, and senior Daniel Guilliams of Freeport Aquin had eight saves.
