December 20, 2024 at 6:04 a.m.

Hodag hockey drops another close one to Pacelli

Rhinelander’s Karter Massey (27) tries to tip home a loose puck during the first period of a non-conference boys’ hockey game against Pacelli at the Rhinelander Ice Arena Tuesday, Dec. 17. Pacelli goalie Isaac Andrich made the save on the play and the Cardinals went on to defeat the Hodags, 3-2. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
Rhinelander’s Karter Massey (27) tries to tip home a loose puck during the first period of a non-conference boys’ hockey game against Pacelli at the Rhinelander Ice Arena Tuesday, Dec. 17. Pacelli goalie Isaac Andrich made the save on the play and the Cardinals went on to defeat the Hodags, 3-2. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)

The Rhinelander High School boys’ hockey team has put itself in position in a number of close games through the first quarter of the season. Finishing off those contests with victories has been another story.

Rhinelander once again was on the short end of a close decision Tuesday night, falling 3-2 to the Pacelli Cardinals at the Rhinelander Ice Arena in non-conference play.

Payton Ledocq scored twice, including the game-winner early in the third period, for the Cardinals (3-4-0 Independent) and the Hodags couldn’t find the equalizer down the stretch. 

    Rhinelander’s Zach Edyvean skates around Pacelli’s Cole Wojtalewicz during the first period of a non-conference boys’ hockey game at the Rhinelander Ice Arena Tuesday, Dec. 17. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
 
 


It was another close defeat for the Hodags (1-5-0, 0-2-0-0 Great Northern) who, in four of their five losses this year, have either been tied or trailing by one goal in the third period. Tuesday’s game marked the third time this year the Hodags pulled goalie Asher Rivord late in the third in the effort to make a comeback. They have yet to score a goal with an extra attacker on the ice. 

“You look at the end of the game tonight we can’t find a puck to fall, but we got to play the kind of hockey where we’re not relying on that,” Hodag coach M.J. Laggis said. “Out of what five games it’s been what? Three times? Yeah, three times we’re trying to do that. We just we didn’t get enough quality chances.”

Tied at two going into the third period, the Hodags allowed the game-winner 4:33 into the final period as Ledocq let loose a wrist shot from the top of the right face-off circle that went in passed a screened Rivord. Laggis said, that lapse aside, the Hodags played better hockey late in the contest. 

“It was a decent effort,” he said. “I just wish we would have played with the intensity the whole game that we played with the last part of the second in major parts of the third.”

The Hodags failed to capitalize on chances early in the game. They were unable to score on a major power play following a checking from behind penalty on Pacelli’s Tyler Kluck less than two minutes into the contest. 

That power play ended prematurely due to a Gabe Kennedy trip. Just as that penalty was expiring, the Hodags were whistled for too many men on the ice. Ledocq scored just 17 seconds into the new power play, receiving a pass on the back door from Cade Wojtalewicz. 

Rhinelander answered at the 13:23 mark of the first on Dylan Shefveland’s second goal of the season. The sophomore deflected in a shot from the blue line by Kennedy.

“Dylan Shefveland made a really nice play moving that puck out to the point and driving the net,” Laggis said. “(He) is a guy that was a defenseman and we finally moved him to forward, and I think he’s doing some really good things. He’s got to be a little bit more sure-handed, but boy, he’s doing some good things and working hard.”

The tie was short-lived as Wojtalewicz followed his own shot and scored on a rebound just 35 seconds later as the Cardinals took a 2-1 lead after a period. 

Rhinelander tied it 6:54 into the second on senior Timber Cronauer’s second goal of the year. He crashed the net and was in position for a feed from Karter Massey from behind the end line.

“I was really happy that Timber went to the net and got that goal,” Laggis said.

Pacelli’s Isaac Andrich stopped 20 pucks in the win, including three golden chances the Hodags would have loved back. Massey was open at the top of the crease with Andrich scrambling midway through the first period, but was unable to cleanly redirect a centering pass. As the puck trundled weakly toward the goal, Andrich was able to sprawl to his back and swat it away with his stick just before it crossed the goal line. 

Cronauer was denied on a 2-on-1 chance with Massey in the second period and freshman Carson Plehn got free on a 2-on-0 breakaway with less than four minutes to play that Andrich stonewalled. 

“We got to find a way to get pucks in the net more frequently, and we need to really shore up several areas of the game that we’re just letting fall apart,” Laggis said. “One of the big things in my opinion is our transition game. When there’s a loose puck and neutral ice and our D goes back and gets it, picks it up and their feet are moving, we’re flat-footed a lot as forwards and we’re not making a lane and making space and finding time for that D to deliver a pass. We really got to work on that aspect of trying to get into offensive position, taking the zone. In the defensive zone, we do some good things, but we have some big breakdowns and we leave Asher hanging there too.”

Rivord made 28 saves in the loss for Rhinelander. 

Rhinelander's scheduled GNC game at Waupaca on Thursday was postponed due to snow. A make-up date was not immediately announced. The Hodags are back in action next Friday and Saturday as the play West Bend and Homestead in Ozaukee.  

Honoring Ostrom

The Hodags played with heavy hearts Thursday following the passing of RHS hockey alum Jeb Ostrom. He died Sunday at the age of 37 following a battle with cancer. Prior to the game, the team held a moment of silence and announced that it would retire his No. 7 jersey in his honor. 

Ostrom, a 2005 grad, played for Laggis in his RHS career. Laggis recalled Ostrom as a hard-nosed, gritty defenseman and recently had become a regular figure working with youth hockey players at the RIA. 

“I just came to love his demeanor in the rink, a fantastic dad,” Laggis said. “He’s out there working with mites, and he’s going to be sorely, sorely messed and we’re incredibly sad. We’re trying to get helmet stickers for all the kids in the rink to wear from mites on up through high school, and retiring that jersey. We want in a banner made to hang in here for Jeb. Does that fix it? No way, but we loved them and we’re so sorry to have him gone.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].


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