MONROE - A devastating injury and a bevy of penalties told part of the story in the Monroe Avalanche boys hockey team's 14-1 loss to Monona Grove Friday at SLICE.
Monona Grove (2-1, 1-1 Badger South) had five players score two goals each including junior Chase Hatton, senior Jordan Gerothanas, senior Colton Darwin, senior Steven Martine and senior Cameron Neuhauser. The Silver Eagles exploded for seven goals in the first period. They erupted for four goals in the first 6 minutes of the opening period.
The Avalanche (0-5, 0-2 Badger South) had eight penalties, and the Silver Eagles capitalized scoring four power-play goals. When Monroe was forced to play short-handed, the Silver Eagles took advantage. Six of Monroe's eight penalties came in the third period. Monroe sophomore Tyler Johnson was ejected late in the third period after drawing two 10-minute unsportsmanlike penalties for questioning a hooking call. The Avalanche also received a big blow when senior Mitchell Einbeck broke his toe and was forced out of the game in the second period. The Avalanche were down to just 10 players.
"We were just dead after the first period," Johnson said. "Those penalties didn't help. I asked the ref how was it hooking. He gave me a first unsportsmanlike, and I asked him again and he gave me a second unsportsmanlike."
The Silver Eagles dominated the game out-shooting the Avalanche 75-11.
"By the third period we just got so tired and wore down," Monroe coach Josh Smith said. "There was nothing we could do besides just icing the puck. Tonight was a night of bad breaks literally."
Johnson rebounded a shot by Jeff Guilliams and scored the Avalanche's lone goal with 4 minutes, 20 seconds to go in the second period to cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 10-1.
"I'm surprised it went in because I didn't get much on it," Johnson said. "We just need to get more shots on goal. As long as we get some shots on goal we should be fine."
Smith is focused on having the Avalanche improve stick handling and defensive intensity.
"Being first to the puck is our big thing," Smith said. "We are still kind of timid being first. I'm quite OK not being quite as savvy fundamentally if you are hustling."
Smith isn't too concerned about the slew of penalties that came in the third period.
"For this game on the list of things to improve, the power play and the penalty kill is at the bottom of the list," Smith said. "There are so many other things we have to improve. The big problem with the penalty kill is we were holding onto the puck too long. We need to get it over the red line and start dumping it in."
Avalanche sophomore goalie Dan Guilliams had 51 saves. Guilliams is in his first year playing competitive hockey.
"Danny is getting used to things," Smith said. "He is getting better every period. I was always told one out of every 10 shots goes in. We just couldn't get anything on the net. They had 75 shots and that means they should have at least seven goals."
Monroe will host Madison La Follette at 7 p.m. Monday at SLICE. The injury to Einbeck will be tough to overcome.
"I think he (Einbeck) took a shot or a hit a couple of games ago," Smith said. "He took a slap shot in the first period. I think that exacerbated the injury. It's like the old Steel Curtain now. We need to wear down other teams and get to the third period and hope a couple go in."
Monona Grove (2-1, 1-1 Badger South) had five players score two goals each including junior Chase Hatton, senior Jordan Gerothanas, senior Colton Darwin, senior Steven Martine and senior Cameron Neuhauser. The Silver Eagles exploded for seven goals in the first period. They erupted for four goals in the first 6 minutes of the opening period.
The Avalanche (0-5, 0-2 Badger South) had eight penalties, and the Silver Eagles capitalized scoring four power-play goals. When Monroe was forced to play short-handed, the Silver Eagles took advantage. Six of Monroe's eight penalties came in the third period. Monroe sophomore Tyler Johnson was ejected late in the third period after drawing two 10-minute unsportsmanlike penalties for questioning a hooking call. The Avalanche also received a big blow when senior Mitchell Einbeck broke his toe and was forced out of the game in the second period. The Avalanche were down to just 10 players.
"We were just dead after the first period," Johnson said. "Those penalties didn't help. I asked the ref how was it hooking. He gave me a first unsportsmanlike, and I asked him again and he gave me a second unsportsmanlike."
The Silver Eagles dominated the game out-shooting the Avalanche 75-11.
"By the third period we just got so tired and wore down," Monroe coach Josh Smith said. "There was nothing we could do besides just icing the puck. Tonight was a night of bad breaks literally."
Johnson rebounded a shot by Jeff Guilliams and scored the Avalanche's lone goal with 4 minutes, 20 seconds to go in the second period to cut the Silver Eagles' lead to 10-1.
"I'm surprised it went in because I didn't get much on it," Johnson said. "We just need to get more shots on goal. As long as we get some shots on goal we should be fine."
Smith is focused on having the Avalanche improve stick handling and defensive intensity.
"Being first to the puck is our big thing," Smith said. "We are still kind of timid being first. I'm quite OK not being quite as savvy fundamentally if you are hustling."
Smith isn't too concerned about the slew of penalties that came in the third period.
"For this game on the list of things to improve, the power play and the penalty kill is at the bottom of the list," Smith said. "There are so many other things we have to improve. The big problem with the penalty kill is we were holding onto the puck too long. We need to get it over the red line and start dumping it in."
Avalanche sophomore goalie Dan Guilliams had 51 saves. Guilliams is in his first year playing competitive hockey.
"Danny is getting used to things," Smith said. "He is getting better every period. I was always told one out of every 10 shots goes in. We just couldn't get anything on the net. They had 75 shots and that means they should have at least seven goals."
Monroe will host Madison La Follette at 7 p.m. Monday at SLICE. The injury to Einbeck will be tough to overcome.
"I think he (Einbeck) took a shot or a hit a couple of games ago," Smith said. "He took a slap shot in the first period. I think that exacerbated the injury. It's like the old Steel Curtain now. We need to wear down other teams and get to the third period and hope a couple go in."
