February 11, 2021 at 8:02 a.m.
STRIKE THREE
Hodags knock out Northland Pines, advance to sectional finals
STRIKE THREE
The Hodags turned the tables again on Tuesday night and are now one win away from the WIAA state tournament. Jake Losch, Joe Schneider and Harlan Wojtusik all had two-goal nights as the Hodags defeated Northland Pines for the third time this season, 6-4, at the Eagle River Sports Arena.
Rhinelander moves on to Saturday night's sectional final against rival Lakeland in Mosinee. To even get to that point the Hodags had to vanquish a Pines team that, prior to this season, it hadn't beaten since 1991 - three times, all on the road.
"I've had a lot of moments in this dome that have been thunderous defeats and bad endings. I'm so delighted for our kids tonight," Rhinelander coach M.J. Laggis said. "Beating them once here is incredible. Beating them twice is something, but beating them a third time almost seems out of realm."
As they have done numerous times during its five-game tournament winning streak, the Hodags (15-6-0) had to respond when things seemed to be turning Northland Pines' way.
Two goals 33 seconds apart by Schneider and Wojtusik gave Rhinelander a 2-0 lead 7:26 into the second period. Before the Hodags could blink, the game was tied again.
Michael Mailette scored in a scramble in front of the net and Luke Wessel added a goal from the high slot as the Eagles scored twice in 41 seconds.
The score remained 2-2 until late in the second. With Northland Pines' top player and conference player of the year Riley McGee in the box for a checking from behind penalty, Joe Schneider fed Wojtusik at the point for a one-timer that beat goalie Mitch McCanles to give Rhinelander a 3-2 lead with 28.5 seconds left in the period.
"I really felt the turning point for us was when it was 2-2 and we were gassed a little bit and all of a sudden we popped it and made it 3-2 and took that into the (intermission). Their big boy, Riley McGee, took that penalty and it helped us out," coach Laggis said.
Jake Losch made it 4-2 on a breakaway 5:40 into the third and the Hodags seemed poised to add to their lead on the power play with 7:23 remaining. That changed, however, when Mailette and McGee got loose off a turnover and went on a 2-on-1 breakaway. Mailette finished the odd-man rush with a short-handed goal that got the Eagles within 4-3 with 6:05 to play.
Rhinelander, again, had the answer. With time winding down on the power play, Cal Laggis appeared to be tripped as he took the offensive zone for the Hodags. No penalty was called, but Laggis stayed with the play. He got the puck in front of the net to Jake Losch, who slid the puck between McCanles' legs to make it 5-3. Joe Schneider made it 6-3 29 seconds later off a centering pass by Joey Belanger.
"In the past, that would have been the old Rhinelander collapse, where we fall apart in the dome," coach Laggis said. "Instead we came back. It was Cal to Jake and it was a beautiful goal, 5-3 and then 6-3."
McGee scored with 1:09 left after Pines pulled McCanles for an extra attacker, but the comeback bid was too little too late.
Rhinelander overcame a slow start, offensively, to outshoot Northland Pines 27-20. Both teams were held to four shot in a scoreless first period. Garrett Kulhanek made 16 saves in victory for the Hodags.
"They had a couple of point-blankers and a couple that maybe went off a stick or whatever and Garry just held in there and made some big saves," coach Laggis said. "There were a couple of loose pucks and scramble situations and I was amazed that he just held in there. He kept his poise."
With a win on Saturday, Rhinelander would reach its first WIAA state hockey tournament. The Hodags won a high school state title back in 1959, before hockey was a WIAA-sanctioned sport.
But, for a little while Tuesday night, the Hodags relished what it took to get to the brink of history.
"The kids are just overjoyed," coach Laggis said. "They know what it took to do what we did tonight. It's hard to beat a team three times in a row. We proved we can do that tonight and we did it with Waupaca too. Now we've got to reload. We have a good plan for the rest of the week and we'll have to play a real high-flying Lakeland team on Saturday."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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