November 24, 2021 at 7:32 a.m.
Team Preview: Northern Edge girls' hockey
Team Preview: Northern Edge girls' hockey
For the Edge to be competitive this year, a young roster devoid of any seniors will need to gel quickly.
"I think there are girls ready to step up," coach Tom Roeser said. "We've got a lot of new girls together, developing friendships. From Day 1 you can see it happening. If they can develop those relationships it will show on the ice, the way they play together."
Last year's Edge squad went 4-13 overall and graduated much of its scoring pop - including the top line of Kate Vizanko, Izzy Boyer and Callie Johnson, which combined for 20 goals and 31 assists a season ago.
Evie LeVeque and Emily Kassler are gone from the defense. Both had three goals and three assists on the season and the team lost some additional depth on the blue line as Caitlyn Fesnick transferred out of the area. In all, the players returning for the Edge accounted for only 10 goals a season ago.
"We definitely lost a key group of girls," Roeser said. "They played a different style of hockey. They were pretty physical. I think we're actually moving the puck a little faster than we have in the past."
The team's roster of 14 players boasts six juniors, all of whom return with experience.
Maddi Roeser is the top returning scorer on the team, after garnering three goals and three assists last year, though she's penciled in as one of the team's defenders to start the season. She'll be on the blue line with two other key returning players form last year, junior Maria Gironella (2 goals, 1 assist) and sophomore Mackenzie Wissbroecker (2 goals, 2 assists).
They'll look to keep shots away from junior Ellie Stank, who went 2-8 with a 6.60 goals against average and a .765 save percentage a year ago. It was Stank's first year as a goalie and her development was slowed by a knee injury that caused her to miss a handful of games.
Coach Roeser said Stank's healthy and ready to go. Now the job rests on the defenders to lighten her workload between the pipes.
"It's a lot about taking care of people in front of the net," he said. "Last year, in the games we did play, our defensemen weren't taking care of people as well (as I'd like). That's your first line of defense in front of that goaltender and that's a big deal. If we're not being physical, playing the body or, at bare minimum, getting sticks off the ice, bad stuff's going to happen in front of the net."
As for picking up the scoring from last year, juniors Wyndi Saari (2 goals, 1 assist) and Kassidee Linssen (1 goal, 3 assists) are the only forwards back who recorded goals for the Edge last year. Coach Roeser said he expects Linssen and newcomer Taylor Heleniak, a sophomore from Lakeland, to anchor the lines this year.
"Taylor Heleniak brings a lot to the table with her speed and footwork. She's going to be a quarterback of a line as a sophomore," he said. "Kassidee is a very physical player. I like what we're doing at center. We've just got to get girls working together. That's going to come with time."
The Edge's two backup goalies from last year - Kristina Kulnelius and Hannah Mueller also return. Along with Heleniak, the team welcomes Alyssa Glenetzke, Emalee Detienne, Mia Tulowitzky, Emma Chiamulera and Kaylee Bessert as new skaters within the program.
The team also has two new assistant coaches with Brian Heleniak and Noah Kubacki joining Roeser on the bench.
"Coach Heleniak, he's got a ton of goalie experience, so I've lucked out two years in a row," he said. "He brings a different attitude to the ice. Sometimes the girls just need to come off the way I deal with them. He's more of a monotone. Noah's that way, too. They're a good a complement. Sometimes I coach with a little too much fire."
The Edge will be tested right out of the gates, facing perennial power Fox Cities in the season opener tonight as part of a Thanksgiving weekend tournament in Fond du Lac. The Edge will face the hosting Warbirds and the Stoughton co-op Icebergs tomorrow in the second day of the tournament.
With only 28 girls' hockey programs statewide, that will mean plenty of travel and plenty of tough competition for the Edge throughout the season.
"We're going to see (Central Wisconsin) twice, Fox Cities. If we can judge our progress off those teams, that's a good thing," coach Roeser said. "If we can tell we're getting better playing teams like that, I'll be happy."
The Edge's first home game is Nov. 30 against Wisconsin Valley Union in Minocqua. The team's first game in Rhinelander will be Dec. 18 against Hayward.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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