MONROE — After starting the season 12-1, the Cheesemakers have lost three of their last four games. Two of those losses were against two of the top teams in southern Wisconsin — to McFarland Jan. 9, and to Madison Edgewood Jan. 21.

Edgewood is not just one of the top teams in southern Wisconsin — the Crusaders are among the top-ranked teams in the state in all divisions (No. 14 in the USHSHO power rankings, and 15th in the STAK rankings). And for two periods, Monroe kept even.

“Playing with the big boys is a great experience. We played up (to their caliber). We played at the speed we should have been all year. I hope it transfers over to the rest of our games,” junior forward Cade Janecke said after the Cheesemakers’ 4-2 loss to Edgewood. It was the first time in program history Monroe didn’t lose by five goals or more to the Crusaders.

Despite several close calls on shots to the net, and plenty of big hits, the two teams went into the second intermission scoreless.

“Coach (Barry Einbeck) said we have to stay with them, we have to move our feet, move the puck, shoot quick — they just got a few lucky bounces that ended up hurting us,” Janecke said.

When Edgewood finally broke the deadlock, it wasn’t a power slap shot that blew past Monroe goalie Heath Bear, nor was it a fancy one-on-one deke — Andrew Budzinski sent a shot from the point through traffic that deflected off a Monroe player’s stick, hit the post and then ricocheted off Bear and into the goal just 91 seconds into the third period.

“It was just unlucky,” Bear said.

Less than six minutes later Edgewood struck again to make it 2-0, and within a blink of an eye it was 3-0, with Einbeck calling a timeout to settle his troops.

“The first two periods were good. We maybe got a little tired at the end of the second from all the running. When we started the third, I didn’t think we started as fast as we wanted. Once that shot came from the point, it was tipped a little bit and the next thing you know it was a little punch there,” Einbeck said. “I took the timeout to get us back and refocused after they got that second goal.”

Monroe got on the board with just 2:38 left in regulation. Cade Janecke had the puck behind the net on a power play and tried to wrap around the goalie’s left side. Rebounds and swinging sticks ensued with Hayden Roth credited as the one who put the puck into the net. Janecke and Payton Stauffacher were given assists on the play.

“After the third one it was starting to be rough, but the team came back and kept playing,” Bear said.

Edgewood answered back with haste, scoring a fourth goal just 44 seconds later. Monroe didn’t give up, and after the Crusaders won the ensuing faceoff, the Cheesemakers stole possession back and Cooper Dreyfus fed Roth, who broke across the blue line on a breakaway. Roth looked as if he was going to shoot for goal, only to pull up and send a perfect pass to a streaking Janecke, who put it away for the game’s final goal.

“I was just fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time and put it away,” Janecke said.

Janecke, a junior from Orangeville, played for the Madison Capitols last year but was glad to return to the Cheesemakers this season. He led Monroe in goals as a freshman.

“It’s been great and it was good seeing all the guys again — I missed them last year. With the Caps it was a lot and a lot of games, and it’s good to get a few days off on the weekends and stuff like that,” Janecke said.

Edgewood out-shot Monroe 44-31 in the game and had four penalties to the Cheesemakers’ three.

“There’s going to be mistakes in the game — that happens. It’s what you do with those mistakes. I thought we responded well,” Einbeck said. “We came back and finally got one. It was trying to punch through that armor. A couple of times early in that second we had a couple of chances, but somehow the puck just didn’t get in there. Once that puck went in, that weight got lifted off of them and they could really get in there and get after it. I think it did, they kept the pace going and went in again.”

The Crusaders (14-4, 8-0 Badger South) lead McFarland (13-3, 7-2) by a game. Oregon (7-7-1, 5-3) moves into third place in the conference, with Monroe (13-4, 4-3) a win behind. Oregon was Monroe’s third loss in the recent four-game skid.

Viroqua (2-12) was set to come to SLICE for a nonconference game Jan. 24. Monroe then has a big week to close out January. The Cheesemakers turn right around to face Edgewood at Labahn Arena in Madison Jan. 27, and then will host Sauk Prairie (11-2) the very next night — Sauk Prairie handed the Cheesemakers their first loss of the season back on Nov. 26. Monroe’s week continues with a road game at Stoughton (2-11) Jan. 30.

“This memory will be fresh. We’ll be able to see what we did and learn from it and hopefully give them a good game when we go up there on Monday,” Einbeck said.

Roth is tied for seventh in the state in goals (23) and 15th in total points (40). Stauffacher and Janecke are tied for the 17th most amount of points across the Badger State (38). 

“It was a beautiful second period by the whole team, we were just unlucky in the third. It was probably our best game so far, and hopefully we can keep it up come Monday,” Bear said. “I would say our confidence is still up there — we’re playing better than we were at the start of the season. If we keep it up, hopefully we can keep winning games.”