MONROE - Junior forward Tyler Johnson may have earned the nickname "the hat trick king" with the tear he has been on this year for the Monroe Avalanche boys hockey co-op.
Johnson has hat tricks (three goals scored in one game) in four games this year. He is the leading scorer for the Avalanche with 13 goals and three assists. He has posted 15 points this year, and he's on pace to break his scoring pace from last year when he led the team with 14 goals.
"He (Johnson) pretty much lives at the ice rink," Monroe coach Josh Smith said. "He has a real good feel for the game. He has a good feel for the puck. No matter what, he naturally seems to be able to get a hold of the puck and grab on to it."
Johnson comes from a family with a skating pedigree. His older brother, Jason Johnson, played club hockey at Monroe and later went on to play for the Madison Capitols. Tyler started skating at 2 years old, and he played on a competitive team at 3.
"I like playing for my brother," Tyler said. "He's always been my role model. He critiques everything I'm doing. Sometimes we may fight about what happened. I know he knows hockey and wants me to do well. He pushes me to another level."
The Monroe hockey co-op is in its fourth season and coming off a 2-20 season last year when the Avalanche won their first conference game. The Avalanche, who are 1-15 overall and 0-7 in the Badger South this season, have five games left before the regional tournament begins Feb. 16.
Johnson attended a Madison Capitols hockey camp last year that met twice a week from March to May. He attributes his improved quickness as a skater to that camp.
"It really improved my speed and vision on the ice," Johnson said.
He credits teammates Colby Smith, Jeff Guilliams and defenseman Cade Martin for setting up many of his scoring chances.
"It really helps when Colby is in the corner digging out the puck," he said. "It really helps when Jeff and Cade give me a pass on the break, and I can get a stick on it. It's a whole team effort."
When the Monroe boys hockey co-op started a WIAA program, an adjustment period was expected. Johnson said the biggest difference between club hockey and WIAA hockey is in club hockey there may be one good all-around player who can dominate the game.
"Most high school teams have two really good lines and some of the bigger teams have three," he said. "They are not going to let one really good player take over."
Johnson said he may try out for a spot on the Janesville Jets junior hockey team. He has talked with opposing coaches about skating with the Capitols. He already has visited the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and attended some club hockey games.
"Hopefully, I can go on and play college hockey or juniors," he said. "The hockey at Oshkosh is really fun competitive hockey. They do play some good competition."
Before a potential tryout with the Jets, he still has unfinished business on his home ice at SLICE. The Avalanche host Oregon on Friday and then play at Greendale on Saturday. The Avalanche still have a makeup game against Madison La Follette, the lone team they beat this season, and play a Milton team they lost to 7-3 earlier this year.
Johnson is focused on closing the year strong.
"We need to improve on our defensive zone," he said. "In our neutral zone we have started running traps and it's been working. We have to clear the puck. We need to improve on our offensive zone. We need to put the puck on the net and take quality shots."
Smith isn't surprised by Johnson's success and scoring prowess.
"He has really improved," Smith said. "Any team with one of its better players relies on them. It's like a good quarterback on a football team. I have asked him to help out the younger players with awareness on the ice. It (four hat tricks) is really impressive. You don't see that often on many teams at all."
Johnson has hat tricks (three goals scored in one game) in four games this year. He is the leading scorer for the Avalanche with 13 goals and three assists. He has posted 15 points this year, and he's on pace to break his scoring pace from last year when he led the team with 14 goals.
"He (Johnson) pretty much lives at the ice rink," Monroe coach Josh Smith said. "He has a real good feel for the game. He has a good feel for the puck. No matter what, he naturally seems to be able to get a hold of the puck and grab on to it."
Johnson comes from a family with a skating pedigree. His older brother, Jason Johnson, played club hockey at Monroe and later went on to play for the Madison Capitols. Tyler started skating at 2 years old, and he played on a competitive team at 3.
"I like playing for my brother," Tyler said. "He's always been my role model. He critiques everything I'm doing. Sometimes we may fight about what happened. I know he knows hockey and wants me to do well. He pushes me to another level."
The Monroe hockey co-op is in its fourth season and coming off a 2-20 season last year when the Avalanche won their first conference game. The Avalanche, who are 1-15 overall and 0-7 in the Badger South this season, have five games left before the regional tournament begins Feb. 16.
Johnson attended a Madison Capitols hockey camp last year that met twice a week from March to May. He attributes his improved quickness as a skater to that camp.
"It really improved my speed and vision on the ice," Johnson said.
He credits teammates Colby Smith, Jeff Guilliams and defenseman Cade Martin for setting up many of his scoring chances.
"It really helps when Colby is in the corner digging out the puck," he said. "It really helps when Jeff and Cade give me a pass on the break, and I can get a stick on it. It's a whole team effort."
When the Monroe boys hockey co-op started a WIAA program, an adjustment period was expected. Johnson said the biggest difference between club hockey and WIAA hockey is in club hockey there may be one good all-around player who can dominate the game.
"Most high school teams have two really good lines and some of the bigger teams have three," he said. "They are not going to let one really good player take over."
Johnson said he may try out for a spot on the Janesville Jets junior hockey team. He has talked with opposing coaches about skating with the Capitols. He already has visited the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and attended some club hockey games.
"Hopefully, I can go on and play college hockey or juniors," he said. "The hockey at Oshkosh is really fun competitive hockey. They do play some good competition."
Before a potential tryout with the Jets, he still has unfinished business on his home ice at SLICE. The Avalanche host Oregon on Friday and then play at Greendale on Saturday. The Avalanche still have a makeup game against Madison La Follette, the lone team they beat this season, and play a Milton team they lost to 7-3 earlier this year.
Johnson is focused on closing the year strong.
"We need to improve on our defensive zone," he said. "In our neutral zone we have started running traps and it's been working. We have to clear the puck. We need to improve on our offensive zone. We need to put the puck on the net and take quality shots."
Smith isn't surprised by Johnson's success and scoring prowess.
"He has really improved," Smith said. "Any team with one of its better players relies on them. It's like a good quarterback on a football team. I have asked him to help out the younger players with awareness on the ice. It (four hat tricks) is really impressive. You don't see that often on many teams at all."
