SPOONER — The Monroe Bantam A team traveled through the ice and snow to Spooner Jan. 18-19 to compete in the Northern Shootout Tournament.
The weekend was a success, starting with a 6-0 win over the Ironwood Polar Bears. The Avalanche came out strong in the first period. Great passing and teamwork, along with some strong play in front of the net, earned goals in the first period by Marlies Brandli and Patrick Alt, both assisted by Wyatt Janecke.
The team maintained their lead in the second period, but in the third period, the team turned it up with two more goals from Alt, one unassisted (earning his tournament hat trick), Dylan Lewis and Gavin Roth. Earning assists on the goals were Brandli, Roth and Janecke (rounding out his tournament playmaker). Great defense and net minding by Xander Obert (earning his tournament shut out patch) with 24 saves.
The Jan. 18 night game against Ashland was another great team effort. One minute into the game, Roth went coast to coast to start the scoring, sneaking the puck past the goalie. The team would follow suit, tallying three more in the first period by Alt, Janecke and Carson Bulholzer assisted by Brandli, Janecke and Cole Bulholzer to head into the Zamboni break with the 4-0 lead.
The Avalanche were able to keep the puck in the Ashland zone much of the second period and with great assists by Alt, Brandli, Janecke, Cameron Newcomer and Ethan Rosenstiel, the puck found the back of the net for Janecke, Roth (2, earning his tournament hat trick) and Lewis.
In the last period to round out the day, the Avalanche utilized a power play opportunity and Roth scored his fourth goal of the game with a cross ice pass from Patrick Alt. Another great game in net by goalie Obert with 23 saves.
With snow still falling the morning of Jan. 19, the Avalanche took on the home team, the North Spooner Rails.
It was a tough game, and the Avalanche found themselves down 2-0 at the end of the first period. Mid second period, Dylan Lewis found the back of the net, assisted by Roth, but the Rails answered with a goal of their own. With tired legs, the team headed to the locker room to regroup and rest. The break proved to be just what the team needed. They outscored the Rails two goals to none (Roth from Lewis and Newcomer and Janecke, unassisted) tying the game late in the third.
With 1:18 on the clock, Alt sent the puck to Janecke who buried it deep in the net for the go-ahead goal. With new life in their tired legs, the defense and Obert in goal were able to hang on the remaining minute of the game, sending the Bantams to the championship game later in the day. Obert finished the game with 17 saves.
The championship game proved to be a battle of wills between the Avalanche and the Marshfield Tigers. Roth again opened the scoring with an unassisted goal, giving the Avalanche the lead 1-0 at the end of the first.
The Tigers responded, taking advantage of multiple penalties to tie the game. With five minutes left in the second period, Ethan Rosenstiel slammed one home with a net front pass from Janecke to regain the lead. Patrick Alt added to the lead with a goal of his own, assisted by Rosenstiel.
Back and forth play and more penalties left the team with a single goal lead at the end of the second. Both teams having played a game prior to this showed, but the Avalanche wearing home team white dug deep and didn’t give up after two goals from the Tigers. With 1:31 left on the clock, Cole Bulholzer sent a bullet pass to Roth who buried the puck in the net to tie the game at four.
Heading to overtime, both teams were feeling the tired leg burn. The Tigers controlled the puck for the beginning of OT until the Avalanche sent the puck into the Tigers zone and with a spot-on pass from Patrick Alt, Janecke sniped a shot pass the goalie for the win.
In the match, the shots on goal were even at 31. Teamwork proved to be the winning factor for the Avalanche, with every player contributing a point or a shut out to the championship trophy.
