Verona senior goaltender Ethan Przybylo makes a save after a shot by Sun Prairie’s Caden Knutson, left. Sun Prairie beat Verona 4-3 in overtime on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the Sun Prairie Ice Arena.
Verona junior Eli Mattila, right, looks to make a pass.
Verona sophomore Watson Gehrke looks to make a pass with pressure form Sun Prairie’s Brogan Davis. Sun Prairie beat Verona 4-3 in overtime on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the Sun Prairie Ice Arena.
Verona sophomore forward Eschton Bethke handles the puck.
Verona senior goaltender Ethan Przybylo makes a save after a shot by Sun Prairie’s Caden Knutson, left. Sun Prairie beat Verona 4-3 in overtime on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the Sun Prairie Ice Arena.
Verona boys hockey coach Michael Dunse’s message to his team after a 4-3 overtime loss to Sun Prairie in a Big Eight Conference showdown last week is it’s time to dig in.
Sun Prairie senior forward Baxter Ledford scored the game-winning goal at 2 minutes, 28 seconds in overtime to propel United over the Wildcats on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the Sun Prairie Ice Arena.
With the loss, Verona drops to 10-5 overall and 6-2 in the Big Eight, one loss behind Sun Prairie (11-3, 6-1).
“We have to dig in and hope for a little puck luck,” said Dunse, an assistant coach taking on head coaching duties because head coach Josh Biser isn’t coaching after an inappropriate behavior investigation began on Jan. 7. “We can’t slip up. It’s kind of been the team motto the last week here. We can fold with all of the adversity we have faced or we can dig in.”
Verona junior Eli Mattila scored one goal and had an assist.
Verona junior Eli Mattila, right, looks to make a pass.
Sun Prairie jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period. Sun Prairie senior forward Brady Pruitt scored on an assist by senior forward Joey Tamboli at 3:47. Tamboli then scored on passes from senior forward Evan Voss and Pruitt at 8:10 to give United a 2-0 lead.
“We will just need a lot more grit all around,” Mattila said. “We have to get above pucks and play 100% all the time. Every time I go out there I’m just trying to work hard.”
United outshot the Wildcats 8-6 in the first period.
“The first period was a little soft and lackadaisical and I just reminded them that we have worked hard to kind of fold right now after the past two weeks we have been through,” Dunse said. “No one is going to care what is going on in the locker room when you have been on top of the Big Eight for so long.”
The Wildcats stormed back with three goals in the second period. Verona sophomore Andrew Martin scored on assists from freshman Keaton Kripps and Mattila at 4:57. About three minutes later, sophomore forward Watson Gehrke scored a power-play goal on a pass by junior defenseman Mason Strutt to tie the game at 2.
Verona sophomore Watson Gehrke looks to make a pass with pressure form Sun Prairie’s Brogan Davis. Sun Prairie beat Verona 4-3 in overtime on Thursday, Jan. 15, at the Sun Prairie Ice Arena.
Mattila scored the go-ahead goal at 7:45 to give the Wildcats a 3-2 lead. After one of Sun Prairie’s defenseman fumbled the puck, Mattila picked it up and stuffed it in the net.
“I went behind him (the defenseman) and I saw the glove side was open so I just tucked it (the shot) below his glove,” Mattila said. “I think as a team we all knew we needed to step up. It was just a team effort.”
Sun Prairie goaltender Cam Clemens had 19 saves, but the Wildcats attacked United by getting deep in the zone in the second period.
“Clemens is a good goalie,” Dunse said. “Our forecheck started to work. We knew if we could get it back behind their goal line and make their D work we could find success.”
Sun Prairie senior defenseman Brogan Davis scored a short-handed goal on a crossing pass by Ledford to tie the game at 3 at 13:18.
“We had a good hold on the blue line and they got a well timed shot block and went the other way,” Dunse said. “Ledford is a good enough player and he will make you pay when he has opportunities like that.”
Verona sophomore forward Eschton Bethke handles the puck.
United outshot the Wildcats 23-22. Verona went 1-for-5 on the power play. Verona senior goaltender Ethan Przybylo had 19 saves.
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