MONROE — The Cheesemakers fell hard to second-ranked Oregon Dec. 6, losing 8-0.
“We knew it was going to be a tough one,” said head coach Barry Einbeck. “We weren’t sure how the boys would respond.”
The Panthers scored four goals in the first period, then added three more in the second.
“I’m happy with our effort. I told the boys in the locker room between the second and third that the effort was there, we just have to put it in the right context,” Einbeck said. “We are working hard in certain areas, but in other areas we were not. We just have to try to put those back together and make the right plays from here.”
The Cheesemakers had multiple opportunities to score in both the second and third periods. The first penalty of the game came 5:18 into the second when Aidan Wilson tripped Monroe’s Wyatt Janecke on a breakaway. Janecke was given a one-on-one penalty shot, but Oregon goalie Josh Kean was a brick wall.
Later in the frame, Monroe scuddled a two-minute 5-on-3 opportunity after Jacob Cameron and Joe Roemer were whistled for hooking and holding in the same possession.
Later in the third, Monroe had another prime opportunity with back-to-back power plays. The Cheesemakers held a man advantage for 4:00 of 4:20 of play midway through the period. However, Oregon’s defense stifled Monroe in front of the home crowd each time.
“We were hoping to get something out of those,” Einbeck said. “We were kind of fighting ourselves a little bit and we weren’t supporting in the right areas. … We’ll be better.”
Monroe committed zero penalties in the game, while Oregon had five whistles. Kyle Theorin had 45 saves in net for Monroe. The Cheesemakers were outshot 53-16.
“I thought Kyle played well tonight. It could have been worse, and he had some nice saves back there,” Einbeck said.
So far this season, Einbeck has liked what he’s seen from his young team. The program graduated the bulk of its top scorers after last season.
A positive Einbeck sees from his young squad is how hard they work on the ice — which is all the time.
“Other teams will score goals on us, but they don’t seem to get down on it like in years past — they just keep working,” Einbeck said. “Now we just have to get them working as a five-man unit on the ice. Once that happens, good things will come.”
Monroe (1-6) was set to host Reedsburg/Wisconsin Dells on Dec. 9, then travel to Muskego Dec. 11.
Rock County Fury 9, Beaver Dam 0
BELOIT — The Fury received a bevy of goals from a wide variety of players in their shutout of the Golden Beavers Dec. 6.
Rock County took a 2-0 lead on goals from Amery Stuckey and Anna Malone in the first period. In the second, the Fury added five more. Lily Clark, Emma Kilgora, Hannah Chady, Liberty Speth and Monroe sophomore defenseman Marlies Brandli all added scores, with the final four all coming in a three-minute stretch late in the stanza.
Brandli’s goal was her first time lighting the lamp on varsity. She followed it up with an unassisted power play goal in the third, and added an assist four minutes later when Chady scored again. Brandli led the Fury with three points on the night.
Kilgora, Sara Loerke, Olivia Combs, Lily Campbell and Stuckey also added assists. Olivia Cronin was rarely challenged in net, saving all seven shots that came her way. The Fury outshot Beaver Dam 50-7.
Up next for the Fury (4-2-1, 2-0 Badger) was a Dec. 10 game in Waunakee against Cap City Cougars, with back-to-back road conference games at Stoughton Icebergs (2-2, 1-1) Dec. 14 and top-ranked Madison Metro Lynx (6-0, 1-0) Dec. 16.
