Medford foils Hodag hockey in rematch

After defeating Medford five days earlier in non-conference play, the Rhinelander High School boys’ hockey team had visions of earning its first Great Northern Conference win of the season Thursday night against the Raiders.

Medford had different ideas, however, and rode a four-goal second period to a 5-1 victory over the Hodags at the Rhinelander Ice Arena. 

Five different players scored for the Raiders (3-14-0, 1-4-0-0 Great Northern) and sophomore goalie Jaxston Malzahn, in his first start of the season, made 32 saves in victory for Medford. The loss dropped Rhinelander (2-12-0, 0-4-0-0 Great Northern) into the conference cellar at the midway point of the regular season.

The loss came less than a week after the Hodags defeated the Raiders 5-3 for third-place in the East-Merrill tournament.

“I think that’s the second time that I’ve been a part of a loss to Medford lifetime — and I’m not knocking Medford, they played hard, they had a couple of kids that went hard — (but) just the way we unraveled in a few of the things that we did is just not at all what we’re about, or what the program’s about, and it’s very difficult to say at least,” Hodag coach M.J. Laggis said afterward. 

After the teams played a scoreless first period, things quickly turned Medford’s way early in the second. Tucker Phillips notched his 13th goal of the season for the Raiders, pouncing on a rebound in front of the net at the 1:17 mark of the period after Grady Crass won an offensive zone faceoff. 

Logan Koski gave Medford a 2-0 lead at the 8:38 mark of the period on a shot from between the faceoff circles that beat Rhinelander goalie Asher Rivord top shelf, glove side and Shane Kiselicka was able to slide a shot between Rivord’s legs from the left point just 63 seconds later to give the Raiders a 3-0 lead. 

    Rhinelander’s Drake Nelson puts a shot on goal during the first period of a GNC boys’ hockey game against Medford at the Rhinelander Ice Arena Thursday, Jan. 16. Nelson scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season Thursday in the Hodags’ 5-1 loss. (Bob Mainhardt for the River News)
  

Rhinelander responded at the 10:51 mark of the second as sophomore Drake Nelson tallied his team-leading eighth goal of the season, firing a shot in off a tough angle from the bottom of the left faceoff circle.  

“You know that goaltender got his stick off the ice and left about two feet underneath and everything and Drake just came out of the corner and put one low and hard on that and it went in,” Laggis said. “Coincidentally enough, that’s been a theme of what we’re trying to get our guys to do is put shots low and hard on net.”

The Hodags couldn’t keep the lead at two goals. Cole Persteiner tipped in a Jacob Doyle shot from the point with 1:26 remaining in the second stanza to give the Raiders a 4-1 lead. 

Rhinelander was able to do little to mount a comeback in the third period. There were a few good looks early — including a breakaway chance by Dylan Shefveland that was denied — but penalties quashed Rhinelander’s hopes of a rally over the final seven minutes of the third period. Jack Turek was assessed a five-minute major for head contact with 6:20 remaining and the Hodags wound up spending the rest of the game short-handed after Kadin Rodziczak was given a double minor for roughing with 1:55 to play. 

In Turek’s case, video replay showed him delivering multiple hits above the shoulders to Phillips while the two battled for a puck along the boards. Rodziczak tackled Doyle in apparent retaliation to draw his penalty.  

“It’s unfortunate that we acted like that,” Laggis said. “That’s not what we’re about. You know, we had a big talk in the locker room with the kids right away with the athletic director. You know, that’s just not our brand of hockey.”

Mason Harris tacked on a power play goal with 4:47 remaining to round out the scoring for the Raiders. 

Rhinelander lost despite outshooting Medford 33-27. Rivord made 22 saves in defeat for the Hodags. 

The Hodags be back home Thursday to face Shawano/Bonduel in non-conference play. Rhinelander’s scheduled GNC at Mosinee for tonight has been postponed due to extreme cold. 

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].