It was a case of good news, bad news for the Waupaca boys’ hockey team.
The Comets opened the 2014-15 season Nov. 28 with a 4-3 win over Whitefish Bay at the Waupaca Ice & Expo Center, but followed that up the following day with a 3-1 loss to Waukesha.
Waukesha 3, Waupaca 1
Three Waukesha goals in less than four minutes in the first period turned out to be the difference in the game.
Wyatt Wilderman, Ian Malcomson and Jake Freise scored for Waukesha.
Frankie Ellingson put Waupaca on the board 10 minutes into the second period off of an assist from Austin Erickson, but it turned out to be the Comets’ only goal of the game.
Waupaca goalie Walker Smith stopped 25 of Waukesha’s 28 shots. The Comets had 14 shots in the game.
Waupaca 4, Whitefish Bay 3
Erickson’s goal in the third period snapped a 3-3 tie.
Coach Dave Crisman said it’s nice to get the season started with a win, especially at home.
“We talked about that a lot this week and even in the locker room,” he said. “Our home record last year wasn’t that good. We had a good team, but we gave up a lot of games. We did the little things right at the end of this game to squeak it out.”
Brendan Nagle put the Storm on the board with an unassisted goal in the first period, but the Comets came up with three goals in the second to take a 3-2 lead into the final period.
Erickson tied the game at 1-1 off of an assist from Ben Stone before Whitefish Bay’s Sam Charri gave the Storm a 2-1 lead.
Zane Johnson tied the game at 2-2 later in the second period with an unassisted goal, while Stone gave the Comets their first lead, with Ellingson getting credit for the assist.
Whitefish Bay’s Zach Asmann tied the game at 3-3 in the third period before Erickson came up with the game-winning shot.
“We had to talk in the locker room a little bit about playing hockey,” Crisman said. “Things maybe didn’t go our way (in the first period), We had some opportunities and we were a little sloppy, but then the guys came back and stayed with each other and it worked out in the second period. We ended up getting enough pucks in the net to win.”
The Comets have a history of producing players that can score, including Brad Navin, now with the University of Wisconsin men’s team, and Jared Erickson, a senior on last year’s Comet team.
“Our go-to guy has to be all our guys, quite frankly,” Crisman said. “Austin, Ben, Frankie, Drew (Simonson). Those guys really have to lead us. The two lines that we play regularly have to produce, but the guys on three have to be good as well.”
Crisman was hoping to get some questions answered from his team’s first two games.
“What we saw tonight is we’re big, we’re strong, we’re fast,” he said. “We can be physical. Now we can plan and practice accordingly to get guys ready for this.”
The Comets are back in the Great Northern Conference with Antigo, Northland Pines, Mosinee, Lakeland, Rhinelander, Tomahawk and Medford.
“Every team in the top four lost a good group of seniors,” Crisman said. “It’s going to come down to what happens with stopping the puck and putting the puck in the net.”
The Comets traveled to Wisconsin Rapids Dec. 2 to face the Raiders and will open Great Northern play at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, in Eagle River against Northland Pines. The team’s next home game is slated for 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, against Tomahawk.
Waupaca Boys’ Hockey 2014-15 Schedule
Varsity
Wednesday, Nov. 19 – Scrimmage at Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs, 5 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 28 – vs. Whitefish Bay, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 29 – vs. Waukesha, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 2 – at Wisconsin Rapids, 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 5 – at Northland Pines, Eagle River, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 11 – vs. Tomahawk, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 16 – at Antigo, 7 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 19 – at D.C. Everest, Schofield, 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 2 – vs. Rhinelander, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 6 – at Stevens Point Pacelli, 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 9 – vs. Mosinee at Stevens Point, 5 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 10 – at Stevens Point Invitational, TBA.
Thursday, Jan. 15 – vs. Green Bay United at Ashwaubenon, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 17 – vs. Lakeland, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 20 – at Tomahawk, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 22 – at Medford, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 24 – at Waupun, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 – vs. Antigo, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 29 – vs. Northland Pines, 7 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 – at De Pere, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 – vs. Mosinee, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 7 – at Lakeland, Minocqua, 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 – at Ashwaubenon, 8 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 12 – vs. Medford (Parents’ Night), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 14 – at Rhinelander, 7 p.m.
Junior Varsity
Wednesday, Nov. 19 – Scrimmage at Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs, 5 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 28 – vs. Whitefish Bay, 4 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 29 – vs. Waukesha, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 2 – at Wisconsin Rapids, 4:45 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 5 – at Northland Pines, Eagle River, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 11 – vs. Tomahawk, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 16 – at Antigo, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 18 – at Mosinee, 4:45 p.m..
Friday, Dec. 19 – at D.C. Everest, Schofield, 4:45 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 2 – vs. Rhinelander, 5 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 15 – vs. Green Bay United at Ashwaubenon, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 17 – vs. Lakeland, 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 20 – at Tomahawk, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 22 – at Medford, 4:45 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 24 – at Waupun, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 27 – vs. Antigo, 5 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 29 – vs. Northland Pines, 5 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 30 – at De Pere, 5 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 3 – vs. Mosinee, 5 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 7 – at Lakeland, Minocqua, 4:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 10 – at Ashwaubenon, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 12 – vs. Medford, 5 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 14 – at Rhinelander, 4:45 p.m.