MONROE — With a 7-3 win over Sauk Prairie on Tuesday, Feb. 6, Monroe tied for second place in the Badger Small Conference. The Eagles (15-9-0, 8-4) had previously defeated the Cheesemakers (13-7-1, 8-4) 5-4 on Dec. 22, 2023.
“We started off slow but played very hard the rest of the game,” head coach Barry Einbeck said.
The first period was a wash, as both teams scored two goals. Jace Daughenbaugh put Monroe on the board just under four minutes into the game. Sauk Prairie scored twice in two and a half minutes to take its only lead of the night. Gavin Roth had a response just a minute later, scoring on the power play.
The rest of the game was all Monroe.
Hans Brandt and Wyatt Janecke scored in the second period. The Cheesemakers then scored three goals over a three-minute span in the third.
Eight different players found their way into the scoresheet, led by Brandt (1G, 2A), Patrick Alt (1G, 2A) and Brody Koehn (1G, 2A). The Cheesemakers outshot the Eagles 46-34 and were 2-for-3 on the power play. Kyle Theorin picked up the win, recording 43 saves.
With the victory, Monroe tied Sauk Prairie for second place in the Badger Small Conference behind No. 5-ranked Edgewood. It is the highest Monroe has ever finished in the Badger Conference and highest overall performance outside of the COVID-19 season, when the team was classified as club under WAHA.
The Cheesemakers have won seven of their last eight games and have two more regular-season contests before regionals on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
GIRLS HOCKEY:
METRO LYNX 3, ROCK COUNTY FURY 2, OT
BELOIT — The Madison Metro Lynx spoiled Rock County Fury’s perfect conference season with an overtime win on Tuesday, Feb. 6.
The Fury (16-7-0, 11-1 Badger) had a two-goal lead after two periods, thanks to scores from Emma Kligora and Lily Clark. The Lynx (13-11-0, 10-2) forced overtime with two goals in the third — the final score coming with three minutes left in regulation.
Six minutes into extra time, Annalice Dalebroux put the game winner past Jillian Traver with assists from Scout Elmer and Willa Lenaker.
Kligora and Clark tallied two points each. The Fury outshot the Lynx 58-22 and committed just one penalty. Traver suffered the loss, recording 55 saves for a .948 save percentage.
Rock County has one more regular-season game on Saturday, Feb. 10. The team then has a bye before hosting sectionals on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
