January 17, 2022 at 8:06 a.m.
Edge erupts in second period, scores first win
Edge erupts in second period, scores first win
The Edge scored five goals late in the second period and defeated the Medford Raiders 6-0 at the Simek Center in Medford. Taylor Heleniak scored twice and had two assists for the Edge, while goalie Ellie Stank made 11 saves in her first career shutout.
"We played better team hockey," Edge coach Tom Roeser said. "Obviously, we had a little more time and space but, when we couldn't (beat) that goalie in the first period, we saw that moving the puck around her worked and getting shots off quick worked. I'm hoping that was a good lesson for us and that will carry on for the rest of the season."
Maria Gironella scored moments after a power play early in the second period to give the Edge a 1-0 lead. Finally, at the 13:23 mark of the period, the floodgates - and the game - blew open and the Edge scored five times in the next 2 minutes, 11 seconds.
Mackenzie Wissbroecker got the barrage started off assists from Heleniak and Maddi Roeser. Heleniak and Roeser hooked up for another goal just 25 seconds later. From there, Kristina Kunelius and Heleniak scored goals 14 seconds apart and Emma Chiamulera added the capper at the 15:34 mark as the Edge took a 6-0 lead.
Twenty seven of the Edge's 48 shots in the contest came during the second period.
Coach Roeser said the key was some adjustments following the first period in how the Edge attacked.
"We had to calm down a bit because it was a lot of throwing pucks at the net, some bad angle shots," he said. "We just needed to realize that we've got to start working across, working the back door. They have a newer goalie, but she's really quick, did a really good job and was making a lot of kick saves, so we had to start lifting some pucks to score.
"They started using each other. A lot of goals had assists tonight, hitting girls on the back door and making that goalie move. That was the recipe in that period. Once one fell, they started coming in bunches."
The Edge cruised in the final period to preserve the shutout, the team's first since blanking Medford 10-0 Dec. 17, 2020.
Stank was out due to injury the last time the Edge recorded a shutout. Thursday night the defense kept the pressure off of her and she did the rest to keep Medford off the scoreboard.
"She got the shutout puck for tonight," coach Roeser said. "Sometimes those are the harder games to be stuck in that net for. You've got to be ready at any point and time and you're getting cold, because that's typically a pretty cold rink. She did her job. She looked good in there and we're happy for her."
In total seven of the Edge's 11 rostered skaters got on the scoresheet. Chiamulera scored her first career goal while Gironella, Wissbroecker and Kunelius all recored their first goals of the season.
Maddi Roeser added a pair of assists for the Edge and freshman Mia Tulowitzky earned her first career assist.
Tom Roeser said the decision to move Wissbroecker from defense to forward on Thursday seemed to provide a spark to the front lines.
"Coach (Brian) Heleniak does a really good job keeping stats throughout a game and we were just looking at our plus-minuses and thought we had to make a move there," he said. "We did and it worked out for us. It gave our wings some rest. Taylor and Kassidee (Linssen), they were going every other shift at center, but I think it worked out, getting out wings a little extra rest tonight."
Alyssa Brandner made 42 saves in the loss for Medford, which dropped to 0-8-0 on the season.
The Edge was in Rhinelander Monday night to face Northland Pines in a game that concluded after press time for today's edition. The Edge was looking to avenge a 5-1 loss to the Eagles in the season opener back on Dec. 7.
The Edge (1-6-0) will not hit the ice again until Jan. 27 when it travels to Hayward to take on the Hurricanes. The Edge fell to Hayward 7-2 back on Dec. 18 in Rhinelander.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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