December 6, 2022 at 6:58 a.m.
Chippewa Falls/Menomonie powers past Edge
Chippewa Falls/Menomonie powers past Edge
By By Brett LaBore-
The Edge had only 10 skaters and two goalies suited for Saturday's contest.
"We are struggling with injuries. However, they're pretty talented. We got a pretty short bench. I thought we really worked hard. About halfway through the third period we ran out of gas," Edge coach Tom Roeser said. "So getting some girls back is definitely going to help us compete for a full three periods."
Ashley Slupe scored twice to put the Sabers up 2-0 in the first period.
The Edge had a couple of power play opportunities to try and get on the board late in the opening period. Instead, the Sabers scored a short-handed goal with 1:21 left in the period courtesy of Tessa Leisses as Chippewa Falls/Menomonie took a 3-0 lead to the first intermission.
"They always hurt. You don't like giving up those short-handed goals when we get the opportunity to have a power play," coach Roeser said. "We really need to start to get more aggressive and attacking the puck and out-manning them on the puck. We had a couple instances we didn't do that. You really pay for it when that happens."
The Edge's best period came in the second. Off a faceoff, Taylor Heleniak put the puck in the back of the net at the 11:43 mark. Wyndi Saari got the assist as the Edge cut the deficit to two goals. It was Heleniak's fourth goal in four games so far this season.
"We try to get (Taylor) to go to the net or any of them to go to the net any time they can," coach Roeser said. "So they all have the green light to go to the net, and luckily she found the short side corner on that."
Just 40 seconds later, the Sabers' Joey Schemenauer scored to take back the momentum.
Hannah Mueller came up big in the net in the second period. She made a couple of key saves to keep the deficit at three. The Edge then killed a power play after Maddi Roeser went to the box for a two-minute minor for tripping.
Shortly after, the Sabers added to their total with their fifth goal. Rhyenne Fuerstenberg put the Sabers up 5-1.
The Edge killed one more penalty late in the period after Heleniak went to the box for roughing, a two-minute minor. Mueller made a couple more saves to keep the Edge down four after two periods.
Altogether, Mueller saved 37 of the 48 shots she faced.
"She's doing good. There's a couple times where... when the puck gets behind the net she gets a little lost in there," coach Roeser said. "We're working on her with that. She faced a lot of shots, she stopped a lot of shots that she shouldn't have. She's very athletic in there, and we just got to get her to know where the puck is a little more."
The Sabers dominated the third period, scoring six goals. Slupe got her third goal for the hat trick at 10:04, coming on a power play.
With 1:30 left in the game, Heleniak and Mia Tulowitzky put together one more run while on the power play. The Sabers wound up scored a pair of short-handed goals instead.
Chippewa Falls/Menomonie outshot the Edge 48-17 in the game.
The Northern Edge girls' hockey co-op played Northland Pines on Monday. Coverage of that game will be in the Friday edition.
"We had a slow week this week so the girls had a lot of rest this week," coach Roeser said. "We're going to be ready. I'm excited to play Pines, and it should be a fun game."
Up next, the Edge (0-4) host their third game in a row Monday, Dec. 12 when they take on Wisconsin Valley Union. This game will take place in Antigo at the Langlade County Multi-Purpose Building. The puck drops at 7 p.m.
Brett LaBore may be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].
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