By Chris Bennett
Sports Correspondent
Waukesha Wings forward Jake Nemeth broke a 2-2 tie with a goal at 10:05 in the third period and sent the Greendale Ice Force to a 3-2, season-ending loss Feb. 19 in a WIAA regional final game at Naga-Waukee Park in Hartland.
The Greendale Ice Force is a boys high school hockey team comprised of players from Waterford, Union Grove and several other high schools in southeast Wisconsin.
“It was a tough loss for our seniors, and we had a few chances to tie the game, but in the end fell just a tad short,” Ice Force coach John Kennedy said. “I was really proud of everyone’s effort, and felt with a break or two we could have pulled off the upset.”
The Ice Force ended its season with a record of 8-17-1. Kennedy said most of Greendale’s losses were decided by less than two goals.
The Ice Force beat Milton 6-1 Feb. 17 at Wilson Park in Milwaukee in a regional semifinal. Wilson Park is Greendale’s home ice.
Against Waukesha, Greendale’s Jake Blankenburg tied the game at 1-1 with 16:38 elapsed in the first period when he scored off an assist from Waterford’s Jacob Schappel.
The Wings scored a short-handed goal in the second period, and Schappel tied the game with an even-strength goal with 5:59 elapsed in the third period.
Schappel scored a goal and an assist against Waukesha, as did Blankenburg.
Greendale’s Jared Hauke scored two goals in the first period against Milton. The Ice Force scored another two goals in the third period.
Schappel added a goal early in the third period before Milton finally scored. Blankenburg capped the scoring with a late goal for Greendale.
“The Ice Force put up the most shots in a game this season, with 53, but Milton goalie Justin Burke hung tough and kept the score respectable,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy said Ice Force goalies Konner Ondriezek and Waterford’s Owen Lemke combined to make 11 saves in the victory.
“We knew Milton was a new and young team to (the) WIAA, but they played hard and never gave up the entire game,” Kennedy said. “It was nice to get everyone in the Ice Force lineup involved in the first playoff game.”
Schappel, a junior, scored 13 goals and finished with 11 assists, and ranked second on the Ice Force in scoring with 24 points this season.
Lemke, also a junior, played in 25 games. He allowed 35 goals and finished with a goals against average of 3.81.
-
-
-
-
-