MONROE — The Monroe boys varsity club hockey team picked up a 2-1 victory over DeForest in grind-it-out fashion Dec. 15 at SLICE. There was only one goal scored in each period, with Monroe bookending the horns.
Blaze Janecke scored the opening goal on a rebound putback in front of the net. Josh Haight and Cade Janecke were given assists on the goal, which was scored at the 6:17 mark in the first period. Not ready to be done, Blaze Janecke nearly put in a second goal just 20 seconds later on a one-timer attempt off a pass from Hayden Roth.
Monroe also came close to a second goal with about 4:40 left in the opening frame when Ryan Molitor crossed center ice on a breakaway, then used a nifty double-deke to clear the defenders before getting his shot saved by DeForest goalie Trevan Lloyd.
DeForest scored 150 seconds into the second period when a slow bleeder slid through Jayden Johnson’s five hole and into the net. DeForest’s Avery O’Dea was credited with the goal and Sam Bachman got the assist. It was the only blemish in 32 shots on goal for Johnson.
With 3:10 left in the second, Monroe again nearly had another goal from Blaze Janecke. Cade Janecke had swung the puck around the defense and fed a one-timer pass to Roth, who launched a shot on net. Blaze Janecke tried for a redirect, but the puck floated inches away from a top shelf score.
Blaze Janecke had two more near goals in the opening minutes of the third period, which kept Lloyd on his toes. With 11:10 to play in regulation, Blaze Janecke sent yet another shot onto net off a pass from Nolan Bodenstein. Lloyd made the initial save, but Roth was there to clean up loose puck, lighting the lamp for the game-winning goal.
DeForest pulled Lloyd in hopes for a 6-on-5 equalizer, but Monroe fended it off — and almost scored a third goal on the empty net as the flip of the puck from full ice missed the post by mere inches with just 2 seconds left on the clock. Monroe outshot DeForest 50-32 in the contest.
Monroe (6-4) is riding a 3-game winning streak after defeating Monona Grove Dec. 12 and Kenosha Dec. 13. The 8-1 win at Kenosha was one of just a handful of away games the team will have this year.
Monroe led Kenosha 4-1 after the first period, then tacked on three goals in the second period and another in the third. Roth had a hat trick and three assists, while Cade Janecke had two goals and four assists. Nathan Ratke, Aidan Grey and Logan Roth all scored for Monroe, with Carson Kurschner, Cash Anderson and Bodenstein all recording an assist. Roman Bauer had two assists, and Johnson stopped 17 shots on net.
