Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op wins two in overtime

Playing at Lakeland Ice Arena for the first time ever as the home team, the Northland Pines girls’ hockey co-op needed two overtimes to win their fifth game of the season.

The co-op (6-12-0) defeated Viroqua 2-1 in double overtime on Friday night in Minocqua. Then, the Eagles beat Badger Lightning 6-5 in overtime on Saturday in Eagle River.

Friday night’s game was the only home contest for the Eagles played outside of Eagle River, and at a venue of one of the schools of the defunct Rhinelander/Antigo/Lakeland Northern Edge, which it absorbed into its co-op this season.

Taylor Heleniak, playing in her home arena for the final time, scored in the third period to tie the game at 1-1. That goal set the stage for overtime which turned into double overtime. After several line changes, a pass from Heleniak to Mallory Schmidt set up the game-winning goal.

“I think that’s going to mean a lot to her. She had her final home game, like you said, in a different jersey,” Pines coach Andrea Harman said. “She has played for multiple other teams. She’s played for Lakeland, she played for Northern Edge, she’s ending her high school career as a Pines girl. Just to have a home game as one of your last home games as a high schooler — it’s so important. I wish we could do that for every single senior that we have come through the program. It’s very special for her.”

Double overtime featured 3-on-3 hockey. The Northland Pines co-op ran out their top two players — Heleniak and Schmidt — as part of their top line for the 3-on-3. 

“This past week we’ve been playing 3-on-3 hockey full ice,” Harman said. “So it came into play. I didn’t know that we’d ever need to use it. We did it more for conditioning and getting open and stuff like that. It really helped us today. I think we played great 3-on-3 hockey.

“We had two strong players, very strong players, and then we had two strong players follow them up,” Harman said. “We had Mallory and Taylor who are strong, they’re smart, they’re aware of the ice, and then we had two strong players come up behind them Lilly Beitler and Ava (Carrillo). And they’ve played full ice 3-on-3 hockey so they know what they’re doing, and they knew how to play it. They played it very well.”

After the first two periods, Viroqua (2-20-1) led 1-0. Their goal came right at the net, sneaking the puck past Eagle goalie Jenna Uhrine. Kylie Unseth was credited with the goal. Viroqua outshot the Northland Pines co-op 11-9 in the first period.

“We came out a little bit slow, actually kind of the whole game was a little bit off,” Harman said. “I don’t think we played to our potential really in the first two periods for sure. That third period we came together a little bit more. And to have two overtimes is two other periods of hockey. I understand that they’re shorter and everything. You have to keep going, the girls were tired, play again tomorrow.”

The Eagles improved their play of hockey starting in the third period. Heleniak tied the game at 1-1 just 57 seconds into the third period. They outshot Viroqua 31-5 in the third and overtime periods.

Viroqua goalie Sami Bramstedt was tough to score on. She kept the game close for Viroqua, totaling 50 saves. Uhrine made 21 saves for Pines. 

Badger Lightning

The Northland Pines co-op returned to Eagle River for their final regular season game against Badger Lightning. 

The dramatics continued into Saturday’s game. Schmidt again had the game-winning goal with assists to Beitler and Heleniak.

Heleniak also had a first-period goal and assists in the second and third periods. 

Playoffs

The Northland Pines co-op drew the No. 5 seed for the upcoming WIAA playoffs. They’ll play Wisconsin Valley Union (9-15), the No. 4 seed, in a regional final game on Thursday, Feb. 15. The game takes place at Ice Hawks Arena in Stevens Point. The puck drops at 7 p.m.

“It’ll be a good game — depends how we show up,” Harman said. “We plan on being there a little bit earlier than we did our previous games, just give it a little more time, hopefully get the nerves out. It’s a playoff game — our seniors are going to be nervous. They’re wondering if it’s their last-ever high school game. All the other girls are wondering if it’s their last game of the season. Any playoff game it doesn’t matter who you play, it’s always a big game for the girls and they tend to get into their heads just a little bit until that first shift, and then it’s back to normal.”

Earlier this season, Wisconsin Valley Union beat the co-op 5-2 on Jan. 20.

Brett LaBore may be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].