January 16, 2023 at 7:59 a.m.
Northern Edge downs Medford 4-3 again
Northern Edge downs Medford 4-3 again
Taylor Heleniak scored three times, including the game-winner 4:47 into the third period as the Edge skated past Medford 4-3 at the Langlade County Multi-Purpose Building in Antigo.
The Edge had to rally from behind, just like it did Dec. 20 when it beat the Raiders by the same 4-3 score in Medford. This time the co-op of Rhinelander, Lakeland, Antigo, Wabeno and Three Lakes erased a 2-1 first-period deficit and scored the game-winner much sooner than the last-minute tally in Medford.
"We didn't play very well the first period. The second period we came out and outplayed them. The third period it tightened up again. We're lucky to get the win," Edge coach Tom Roeser said.
Heleniak, a junior from Lakeland, recorded her second hat trick of the week, and the game-winner was her team-leading 19th goal of the season. Wyndi Saari, who scored the game-winner at Medford with 24.2 seconds left, assisted this time around on the decisive goal. Saari fed Heleniak up the middle where she skated into the offensive zone and took a screened shot from the slot and put it past Medford goalie Ilsa Brunner.
"Taylor was Taylor. She was working the puck well, took some opportunities," coach Roeser said. "She's starting to finish a lot more. Her dad (Edge assistant coach Brian Heleniak)'s always griping at her about walking out in front of the net and not stuffing pucks into the goalies' bellies and its starting to pay off."
Saari, a senior from Rhinelander, got the Edge going just 1:09 into the first period as she took a puck out of her own zone along the far boards, crashed the net from the right side and beat Ilsa Brunner on a 2-on-1 chance.
"Wyndi, she went coast-to-coast early in the game, got us on the board," coach Roeser said.
Medford answered at the 7:56 mark on the power play as Sophia Brunner got in front of the net and tipped home a centering pass from behind the end line. Medford jumped ahead at the 13:06 mark as Zayleah Leonhardt took a wrist shot from the outside of the left circle that slipped past Edge goalie Kristiina Kunelius.
The Edge responded by dominating the second period. The team outshot Medford 20-3 in the frame and scored twice - both by Heleniak. She tied the game at the 2:39 mark as the reversed direction along the end line, walked in on net and beat Ilsa Bruner on a shot just inside the right post.
Heleniak gave the Edge the lead at the 11:09 mark of the second, scoring on a rebound off a shot from Rhinelander senior defender Maddi Roeser.
The Edge dodged a bullet to remain one goal ahead late in the second period after Lily Pequet was called for a trip inside the Edge zone and the officials awarded the Raiders a penalty shot.
Leonhardt took the shot for Medford, but Kunelius stood her ground and denied Leonhardt on a blocker save. It was one of 17 saves for the Lakeland senior in the victory.
"Kristiina came up huge for us, made the save and got us out of that," coach Roeser said. "She looked good in there, butterflied and made a blocker-shoulder save. It was a pretty intense moment. It helped us, changed a little of the flow of the game and got us moving a little faster."
Medford tied it on a Kelli Petrick goal 2:29 into the third before Heleniak scored the game winner.
The Edge outshot Medford 38-20 in the contest.
The Edge improved to 4-7-0 with the win, with all four victories coming against sectional rivals Medford and Northland Pines. That likely gives the Edge the inside track at no worse than the No. 5 seed once the WIAA tournament brackets come out next month. Despite losing to Wisconsin Valley Union 7-3 back on Dec. 12, coach Roeser said he is hopeful that good performances against WVU's Eastern Shores Conference rivals Arrowhead and Brookfield will bolster the Edge's argument for the fourth seed and a home playoff game.
The Edge plays those teams back-to-back late this week, facing Arrowhead in Minocqua Friday night before hosting Brookfield in Rhinelander Saturday afternoon.
"You never know. We've just got to take care of our business and the chips will fall where they may," he said. "The good thing is I don't think we're going to travel to Superior or Hayward for a playoff game, which is a big deal."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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