MONROE - The Monroe Blues semi-pro hockey team had a big three-game weekend against the Fond du Lac Bears but came up short on two games.
The Bears knocked off host Monroe 6-2 on Friday. The game was tied 2-2 at the halfway point of second period. The Bears scored three goals in the final 10 minutes. Phil Hoss and Travis Rayala scored goals for Monroe with assists going to Carl Vanko, Scott Perkins and Travis Davenport. Jeff Bartholomew had 49 saves.
Saturday's game was an exhibition game played outdoors on Lake Winnebago as part of the Sturgeon Spectacular in Fond du Lac. Monroe won 10-7. Monroe goals were scored by Paul Morris, David Luciani, Andrew Zimmerman, Tom Rane, Tom Glomski, Hoss, Perkins and Rayala. Assists went to Gottlieb Brandli III, Morris, Vanko and Glomski. Christian Blick had 36 saves.
On Sunday at Fond du Lac, Monroe was up 4-2 going into the second period. But with 10 players, the Blues ran out of energy and lost 8-5. Glomski scored two goals. Brandli III, Luciani and Vanko each added one goal. Assists went to Vanko, Brandli III, Perkins, Rane, Hoss and Rayala. Blick had 58 saves.
Monroe is in a tight race for the last playoff spot with Marquette Iron Rangers with seven games left. Monroe will be back in Fond du Lac this weekend.
The next home game for the Blues is at 8 p.m. March 5 against Mosinee.
West Bend 6, Monroe 2
The Blues lost a hard-fought game 6-2 Feb. 6 to the West Bend Bombers. The Bombers scored three goals in the first period and another in the second period. Monroe got its first goal from Rayala on assists by Blick and Brandli III in the second period. Brandli III scored to cut the Bombers' lead to 4-2 early in the third period. Jeff Batholomew had 62 saves.
Blues 5,
Deacons 4 (SO)
The Blues edged the DePere Deacons 5-4 in a shootout Jan. 29. The game was tied 4-4 at the end of regulation and there were no goals scored in a 5-minute overtime. Monroe edged DePere 2-1 in the shootout.
Monroe got goals from James Brooks, Phil Hoss, Rayala and Brandli III with assists going to Vanko, Alex Landen, Perkins, Davenport, Rayala and Brandli III.
Brandli III, Monroe's first shooter, scored in the shootout. DePere's second shooter scored to tie it at 1. Tom Rane for the Blues missed, and DePere missed its next two. Rayala put his shot in the back of the net for the win. Blick had 21 saves.
Ice Dogs 7, Blues 6
On Jan. 30, the Blues lost to the Fox Cities Ice Dogs. Jordan Graber got his first goal of the season. Goals were also scored by Brandli III with Rane and Hoss each scoring two goals. Assists went to Jordan Steurer, Hoss, Paul Morris, Graber, Rane and Davenport. Rayala got a playmaker with three assists. Derek Bishop saved 41 shots.
The Bears knocked off host Monroe 6-2 on Friday. The game was tied 2-2 at the halfway point of second period. The Bears scored three goals in the final 10 minutes. Phil Hoss and Travis Rayala scored goals for Monroe with assists going to Carl Vanko, Scott Perkins and Travis Davenport. Jeff Bartholomew had 49 saves.
Saturday's game was an exhibition game played outdoors on Lake Winnebago as part of the Sturgeon Spectacular in Fond du Lac. Monroe won 10-7. Monroe goals were scored by Paul Morris, David Luciani, Andrew Zimmerman, Tom Rane, Tom Glomski, Hoss, Perkins and Rayala. Assists went to Gottlieb Brandli III, Morris, Vanko and Glomski. Christian Blick had 36 saves.
On Sunday at Fond du Lac, Monroe was up 4-2 going into the second period. But with 10 players, the Blues ran out of energy and lost 8-5. Glomski scored two goals. Brandli III, Luciani and Vanko each added one goal. Assists went to Vanko, Brandli III, Perkins, Rane, Hoss and Rayala. Blick had 58 saves.
Monroe is in a tight race for the last playoff spot with Marquette Iron Rangers with seven games left. Monroe will be back in Fond du Lac this weekend.
The next home game for the Blues is at 8 p.m. March 5 against Mosinee.
West Bend 6, Monroe 2
The Blues lost a hard-fought game 6-2 Feb. 6 to the West Bend Bombers. The Bombers scored three goals in the first period and another in the second period. Monroe got its first goal from Rayala on assists by Blick and Brandli III in the second period. Brandli III scored to cut the Bombers' lead to 4-2 early in the third period. Jeff Batholomew had 62 saves.
Blues 5,
Deacons 4 (SO)
The Blues edged the DePere Deacons 5-4 in a shootout Jan. 29. The game was tied 4-4 at the end of regulation and there were no goals scored in a 5-minute overtime. Monroe edged DePere 2-1 in the shootout.
Monroe got goals from James Brooks, Phil Hoss, Rayala and Brandli III with assists going to Vanko, Alex Landen, Perkins, Davenport, Rayala and Brandli III.
Brandli III, Monroe's first shooter, scored in the shootout. DePere's second shooter scored to tie it at 1. Tom Rane for the Blues missed, and DePere missed its next two. Rayala put his shot in the back of the net for the win. Blick had 21 saves.
Ice Dogs 7, Blues 6
On Jan. 30, the Blues lost to the Fox Cities Ice Dogs. Jordan Graber got his first goal of the season. Goals were also scored by Brandli III with Rane and Hoss each scoring two goals. Assists went to Jordan Steurer, Hoss, Paul Morris, Graber, Rane and Davenport. Rayala got a playmaker with three assists. Derek Bishop saved 41 shots.
