MONROE — The Rock County Fury won a pair of nonconference games right before the holiday break began. The Fury upended the Lakeshore Lightning 2-0 Dec. 21 at SLICE in Monroe, then knocked off Viroqua on the road 2-1 in overtime Dec. 22.

The Rock County co-op features players from 11 schools and calls three ice arenas home. Each location is hosting three games this year, with the Dec. 21 game the first of three at SLICE. The game was also the featured “Pink the Rink” night, where players and fans raised money breast cancer awareness.

“I love coming back to our home ice rink. It’s really nice seeing familiar faces and getting people from your own school to come and support you, and you see some of the other people you played with growing up coming up through youth (programs) — it just means a lot,” Monroe sophomore Anika Einbeck said. “We like throwing on the pink jerseys and doing raffles and having people from the Monroe Clinic come here to support us. Any opportunity to get excited.”

Monroe senior Cammi Ganshert said that it’s nice to be able to play back at home, but that she has gotten used to the ice rink in Beloit, where the team generally holds practices.

“I’ve gotten so used to Beloit ice — it’s really hard ice and it’s cold ice there,” Ganshert said. “Coming back here is nice because my family and friends can come and see me, but it’s just like getting used to different atmospheres again. I like that we have three games at each location so we can get around to every place. My family can come and see me play hockey for the last year.”

Against Lakeshore (5-5), the Fury (7-3-1) got on the board early when Sara Nerad moved the puck around a couple defenders and charged at the net, scoring just 3:26 into the game. Samantha Wells and Kylie Evans assisted on the goal.

“It wasn’t the prettiest win, but we just have to chalk that up to coming out flat to start all three periods. We just played slow from the beginning,” Rock County coach Luke Steurer said.

But the Fury went flat after that. Rock County put only four shots on goal the rest of the first period. A regrouping in the locker room at first intermission inspired some better play, but the results were mixed with 10 shots on goal, but none lighting the lamp.

“We all have to pick each other up. We come into the locker room and say ‘Alright girls, this was not our best period.’ Then we capitalize on our best things, we mention those; pick a few things that we weren’t good at and focus in on them,” Einbeck said. “As each period went, we got a little better. We are hoping to carry that into our next game.”

In the third, both teams saw their first penalties called, which aided to the highest shots on net for both sides. The Fury were called for two tripping penalties, one on Monroe senior Cammi Ganshert less than three minutes into the frame and the second on Wells with 1:01 to play.

Meanwhile, Lakeshore’s three penalties came with 6:12, 2:35 and 15 seconds remaining. The second Lakeshore penalty, a checking foul on Anna Gontarski with 2:35 left in the game, set up the Fury’s final goal.

With 1:47 left in regulation, Albany’s Haley Knauf found Monroe’s Anika Einbeck, who dished the puck to Albany’s Alyssa Knauf, who slipped it past Lakeshore netminder Maura Garrell for the power play goal.

“I do not believe we played to our best,” Einbeck said.

Rock County out-shot the Lightning 32-21 in the game, and 11-8 in the third period.

The next day against Viroqua (4-4), the Fury found themselves trailing 1-0 after the first, but the No. 1 line came through in the second as Einbeck tied the score off of assists from Haley and Alyssa Knauf. 

Neither team scored in the third, but with time winding down in overtime Haley Knauf scored the game winner, with Alyssa Knauf and Abby Humphrey getting goals.

Despite the low score, Rock County chased the win all game. The Fury outshot the Blackhawks 59-12, but Viroqua goalie Abigail Severson made a blistering 57 saves — 96.6 percent. 

While the expectations were high for the Fury this season — they were one win from reaching the state tournament last year — the team is keeping cool heads about some of the early season frustrations.

“We just have to work hard,” Ganshert said. “It’s knowing that you’re not always going to be your best when you start the season, but working towards peaking during playoffs.”

Ganshert is the lone Monroe senior on the team and is trying to revel in as many moments as she can that might be left on the ice. She also said that playing hockey has taught her many life things about life.

“I definitely think about it,” Ganshert said at the thought of lacing up for the last time in her career later this season. “This is definitely one of my last games, so I’m going to play as hard as I can. I probably won’t get the chance to play competitive hockey again.

“Hockey is one of the sports that teaches aggression, but not to retaliate. It teaches strength and speed and sportsmanship because you shake hands at the end of it. No matter how mad you might be at someone else during the game you shake their hand and it’s over after that.”

Ganshert has been with the team for four years and has gone from a freshman low on the totem pole to a senior leader.

“I was that freshman at one point and I had those seniors every year that I looked up to. It means a lot that I can have that same relationship with the younger girls,” Ganshert said.

Steurer is pleased with the balance his team has, especially in the defensive zone.

“It’s key to have five defensemen — we can just open up the door and let them go. Cammi brings a lot of experience and leadership to those girls,” Steurer said. “Olivia (Cronin) is our freshman who’s getting the starts (at goalie). She’s been doing amazing for us this year. She’s stood on top of her head in a couple of games to help us find a win. She comes up with great saves when we need them the most.

“It doesn’t take them long at the beginning of the season to come together. You wouldn’t think there was 11 schools if you came in the first week of practice and watched them. It looks like they have been playing together for a long time — and a lot of them have been.”