Hodag hockey snaps skid, wins back-to-back over Shawano and Ashland

Following a long month of January, the Rhinelander High School boys’ hockey team showed signs last week that it is turning the corner as it enters the stretch run of the season. 

The Hodags snapped a seven-game losing streak Thursday with a 10-4 victory on the road at Shawano/Bonduel and followed that up by winning consecutive games for the first time all season, defeating Ashland 5-1 Saturday at the Rhinelander Ice Arena.

With two games remaining in the regular season, coach M.J. Laggis said his team is starting to show signs of improvement as it gets ready for the playoffs.

“You just keep pounding and working and never, ever relent. You don’t give up. I think as a group, we’re getting that,” he said. “We’re understanding that. I’ve seen some really good things at practice and, as coaches, we’ve continued to tweak and move a few kids … We’re going to keep pounding as a group. We’ve got to keep that first line really working and moving and the other line’s got to play great D and chip in as well.”

The Hodags took control early Thursday night in Shawano and then buried the Hawks with a six-goal barrage in the second period. 

    Rhinelander’s Gavin Denis fires a slapshot during the second period of a non-conference boys’ hockey game against Ashland at the Rhinelander Ice Arena. Denis scored on the play, one of six goals for the Hodag senior over the last two games as Rhinelander has recorded back-to-back wins. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Gavin Denis recorded a natural hat trick in the contest. He scored three straight goals that capped off a four-goal run for the Hodags over the final 6 1/2 minutes of the second as Rhinelander took a 9-3 lead after two periods. 

Joey Belanger added two goals and a pair of assists while the Hodags got solid defensive contributions from Dalton Fritz and Zach Edyvean, the latter of whom was a game-time decision to play after taking a cut to the leg last Tuesday at Lakeland.

“Gavin Denis was all over the ice. Joey Belanger had a couple of goals and a couple of beautiful plays moving the puck,” Laggis said. “When those two guys play really well, it goes good. Dalton Fritz had a goal and Zach Edyvean played really well. The four guys that you need to play well did that tonight. They did a really good job.”

Freshman Drake Nelson scored his first two varsity goals in the contest and Logan Leonard had his first career goal midway through the second period. 

“That was really cool to see. Before the game we were talking about getting guys to score that haven’t scored. That was really cool,” Laggis said. “Logan Leonard got his first career goal. That was nice to see and Dylan Shefveland chipped one in. That was nice to see as well.”

Goals by Fritz, Nelson and Belanger staked Rhinelander to a 3-0 lead in the first before Shawano’s Karson Stoss answered with 2:10 left in the period. 

The Hodags and Hawks traded goals early in the second. Nelson and Leonard’s tallies were canceled out by Michael Dillenburg and Bryce Lammers before the Hodags went on a late barrage that included a short-handed goal by Belanger, another short-handed tally by Denis and two more by Denis to make it a six-goal lead. 

“We were able to take control and put some pucks home. That was really nice to see, instead of falling apart, we took control and scored. That was great,” Laggis said.

Shawano’s Blake Knope scored early in the third and Shefveland recorded his fourth goal of the year on a short-handed tally with 2:10 to play.

Rhinelander outshot Shawano 39-21 in the contest. Freshman Asher Rivord, making his second start of the season in net for the Hodags, stopped 17 pucks in the win. 

“He had a bouncer that kind of dribbled through that he was upset about, but that’s hockey and he’s going to keep getting better,” Laggis said. “He also made some really nice saves. Those are experiences you learn from, you grow from and you keep getting better. Ultimately, he got a win and he made some good saves along the way.”

Rhinelander followed up Thursday’s performance with perhaps its most complete game of the year as it got out in front early on Saturday and never gave Ashland a chance to get back into the contest. 

“Minus four or five minutes, it was a pretty darn good game. We had a few snafus but I thought we play pretty well,” Laggis said. “I think we’re on the right track. I think we’re playing way better than we have played and I’m really proud of the seniors today and what they did, and the effort that they gave.”

Denis recorded his second hat trick in as many games for Rhinelander. He got the scoring started just 31 seconds into the contest and scored again on the power play with 17 seconds remaining in the opening period as Rhinelander took a 2-0 lead after one. Denis made it 3-0 on another power play score midway through the second period. The tallies gave him 19 goals on the season, second on the team behind Belanger (27).

“Gavin Denis is a guy right now, as a senior, he’s right here in the rink and he works extremely hard every day and after practice,” Laggis said. “We do a lot of dryland and I think it’s starting to show in our shooting, but he’s always doing extra. He’s always doing more. You can’t say enough about that work ethic. He’s got a great one.”

Karter Massey added a power play goal late in the second period as the Hodags took a 4-0 lead. Belanger made it 5-0 with 5:16 remaining in the contest as he recorded his 196th career point (107 goals, 89 assists). Senior Tyler Kimmerling stopped 25 pucks in the win, though a chance at his first shutout of the year went away with 3:30 remaining as defenseman Wyatt Melek snuck a shot from the point through traffic and past the screened Hodag netminder.

“He played really well back there,” Laggis said of Kimmerling. “I thought he did a particularly good job of covering up loose pucks and getting us whistles and allowed our guys to take a line change and catch their breath and get on there with a fresh set (of skaters). When a goalie can control things back there a little bit more, it really helps keep the bench focused and keep the bench calm.”

The Hodags (6-13-0, 1-7-0) face Northland Pines in Eagle River tonight in the consolation semifinals of the GNC tournament and will take on either Antigo or Medford in the final round of the tournament Saturday in Mosinee. 

“We’ve had a couple of nice wins. Now we need to go up there, play a fantastic game on Tuesday, scrap and claw and find a way,” Laggis said. “That’s the goal and then finish the year strong with whoever we play in the conference tournament, take that into playoffs and just keep cranking.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].