TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR

East Merrill Newman United (EMU) Bluejacks Varsity Hockey Team kicked off their season with a non-conference game at the Merrill Area Recreation Complex (MARC) against the Chequamegon/Phillips/Butternut Varsity Hockey Team on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. The Bluejacks were on fire in the first period, scoring five points, the first of which was less than 90 seconds into the game, scored by #26 Sergei Wunsch with an assist from #6 Parker Klebenow.

#6 Klebenow then scored the next point for the Bluejacks with an assist from #18 Kaeden Grusnick and #26 Wunsch. #23 Nick Townsend scored with an assist from #4 Owen Reeves, and then #17 Zach Pagel scored a goal with an assist from #6 Klebenow and scored a second time just 24 seconds later, unassisted.

Chequamegon was still scoreless going into the second period.
The Blackjacks picked up another five points in the second period, with #12 Brody Trantow (assist by #18 Grusnick), #17 Pagel (assist by #3 Andrew Franken), #4 Reeves (assist by #27 Nick Bodner and #23 Townsend), #26 Wunsch (unassisted), and #5 Landon Bennett (assist by #18 Grusnick) all scoring for the EMU Team.
Late in the second period, Chequamegon got on the board with a point scored by their #5 (assist by their #13).
In the third period, the Bluejacks’ #18 Grusnick scored with an assist from #17 Pagel and #3 Franken at 5:13. Then the two teams battled it out until Chequamegon got another point on the board nearly 12 minutes into the third period, unassisted, by their #10.
The Bluejacks landed the final score of the game at 16:45, with #6 Klebenow making that goal with an assist from #26 Wunsch, bringing the final score to 12-2 for an EMU Bluejacks win.
During the game, the Bluejacks picked up two penalties for interference, one in each of the first two periods, while Chequamegon was also called on two penalties for tripping, one in the first period and the other in the third.
Jake Furrer, Goalie for the Bluejacks, made a total of 14 saves in the game, with 7 in the first period, 5 in the second, and 2 in the last.
Chequamegon’s Goalie racked up even more saves–35 in all–a testimony to the Bluejacks driving offense that, without the benefit of the skills of Chequamegon’s Goalie, would have resulted in even more Bluejacks goals.
Highlights of the game: “Bluejacks Zach Pagel, Kaden Grusnick, and Sergei Wunsch led the way with a four-point night,” Assistant Coach Greg Glovinski said. “Parker Klebenow also had a three-point night.”
And “Landon Bennett scored his first Varsity goal,” he added.

Box Score
Chequamegon 2 @ East Merrill Newman United 12