March 6, 2019 at 12:40 p.m.
Turunen named Northern Edge MVP
Turunen named Northern Edge MVP
Alicia Turunen received the team's top honor Monday night during the team's season-ending banquet at Hodag Lanes in Rhinelander.
Turunen's honor was one of five team awards handed out Monday. Madi Losch was recognized as the team's top scorer, Emily Kassler won the blue line award as the team's best defender, Evie LeVeque earned the Ms. Hustle award and Taylee Tucker was named the team's most improved player.
Turunen, a junior, went 4-11-0 during the regular season with a 3.88 goals against average and a .914 save percentage. She made 617 saves this season - including 51 in a playoff loss at Wisconsin Valley Union.
"I don't think anyone could argue this," Northern Edge coach Tom Roeser said. "I'm sure Alicia probably went to bed flinching some nights. She faced a lot of shots and kept us in some games against some very good teams. Even playing Wisconsin Valley Union with a seven-, eight-team co-op. You're losing 4-0 but she's facing 60 shots. It's a big deal."
Turunen was a unanimous first-team All-Great Northern Conference selection this season, as was Losch - who also received honorable mention all-state honors from the Wisconsin Girls' Hockey Coaches Association as a defender. Losch led the team with 19 points this year - recording 13 goals and six assists.
"She pretty much had free reign. If she had to go, she went. Just the way she works full speed, both ways, that's why she earned this award," Roeser said.
Kassler was third on the team in scoring with five goals and give assists while playing predominantly on defense this year. Roeser said Kassler's grasp of the nuances of defense helped her earn the blue line award.
"This is not a flashy award. It's not about how you take the puck up ice. It's more of some of the angles you take, the way you can read a play," he said. "This is, I think more of a mental award. It's about what's out in front of you and how you can play it."
LeVeque, along with Losch and Kassler, formed Rhinelander's defensive corp and had three assists on the season. Tucker scored three goals this season - all against Lakeland. Her game-winner in the third meeting against the T-Birds Feb. 11 helped solidify the most improved award.
"Taylee really started contributing later in the season," Roeser said. "You could watch her develop and ended up getting the game-winning goal against Lakeland, which was a big deal. She was proud of herself and we're proud of her."
The Northern Edge went 5-13-0 on the season and advanced to the sectional semifinal round of the WIAA tournament by virtue of a forfeit win over Lakeland in the regional final round after Lakeland was deemed ineligible for the tournament after picking up three game disqualification penalties during the course of the season. Virtually all of this year's roster is slated to return.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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