Local SportsJournal.com
After failing to score a goal in nine straight periods, or three games, the Lakeshore Badgers co-op ice hockey team ended its frustrating streak Saturday afternoon with a 5-3 victory over LaPeer at Northview.
The Badgers frustration had reached a disheartening low in a 4-0 loss to Northview on Friday, when they couldn’t put the puck in the net despite being on the power play for six to eight straight minutes.
“Northview was taking a lot of penalties, and that gave us the man advantage for long stretches,” Badgers head coach Bill Shriver said. “But, shots hit the post and went off to the side, or were just high.
“One shot appeared to go in, but bounced out real quick and the referee wasn’t certain it got across, so he ended up waving it off. That was very disappointing.”
But, the Badgers didn’t just fold and go through the motions on Saturday. Playing against LaPeer, a team the Badgers had never played before, the Badgers got a quck goal from Mason County Central junior Austin Quillan unassisted.
That proved to be a huge lift for the Badgers.
“You’ve heard of the term ‘Getting the monkey off my back?”,” Shriver said. “Well, that’s what that goal did for the kids. It got the monkey off their back.
“We scored a goal right after that, and then another. When we score, we can compete. Those three early goals put the confidence back in the kids that they could win.”
Mason County Central senior Russell Schade, the team captain, scored three goals for a hat trick to lead the Badgers. Quillan scored a second goal, with Bear Lake senior Bryce Harless and Schade providing the helpers. Ludington senior Luke Larr added an assist.
The Badgers host Tawas in a weekend series at the West Shore Community Ice Arena in Scottville with a 7 p.m. game Friday and a 3 p.m. contest Saturday.
