The Tomahawk boys hockey team dropped a 7-1 game to Northland Pines and a 9-0 contest to Waupaca last week, but the Hatchets are using the experience in the best possible way.
“My boys came out strong against Pines who like everyone else we play has a lot of kids,” THS coach Rick Myre said. “Pines scored five times in the first and Danny (Hanke) stopped another 16. We needed to shut down what they were running. We did that with the adjustments made. Hanke made some big improvements in his position and play and my whole team learned and saw how defensive coverage can control a team. All in all my kids never stopped skating until the horn sounded in the third and I’m proud of that.”
The Hatchets cut it to 7-1 on a short-handed goal by Jakob Panzer (A-Cole Hoeppner) 2:43 into the third.
Myre noted the cohesive program Pines uses to succeed.
“Their kids are taught the systems they run at high school in youth hockey, which makes it routine for them to run them,” Myre said. “Until I can do that with our youth coaches, we will continue to struggle against teams like that.”
Saves–THS–Hanke 16-12-6–35. Pines–Jacob Stephan 5-7-0–12.
Streaking Comets
Waupaca scored four in the first, two in the second and three in the third. Jared Erickson scored five of the first six goals of the game, and assisted on three others.
“My boys are young and inexperienced, however they never one time gave up through the whole game,” Myre said. “We controlled the puck quite often through all three periods and put a lot of pressure on Waupaca in all three periods, but just couldn’t get one to go in. The power play was pretty good and is getting better. Our entrance, when executed, worked every time and the kids see that.”
Myre hopes the community backs his squad.
“It’s easy to quit and walk away from a team that doesn’t win, but these kids don’t quit and in my eyes will succeed in life through hard work,” Myre said. “I have more underclassmen than upperclassmen. We are in a rough year and once these kids get the experience needed they will win. I continue to see improvements in all my players and these kids know I’m not giving up on them. I ask the community to do the same. Please help support my boys if you see them in public. Pat them on the back and tell them to ‘keep working hard.’ I’m sure they will.
Saves–THS–Hanke 13-8-8–29. Waupaca–Walker Smith 8-5-4–17.