New Richmond boys hockey ousts Superior, wins sectional championship

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New Richmond’s boys hockey team is headed to the WIAA State Tournament for the first time since 2003 after the Tigers knocked off top-seed Superior in the sectional championship game Saturday afternoon.

New Richmond will face the winner of Saturday’s game between Wausau West and Mosinee in the state tournament opening round. That game is scheduled to be played at 8:15 p.m. on Thursday at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.

Superior has been a sectional champion each of the past nine years.

Saturday’s game was played with incredible energy and intensity by both teams.

The first period ended 2-2 and the fans got their money’s worth in the end to end action. The Tigers struck first, when Michael Bodsberg burying a shot from the slot. Superior notched the next two goals. The first came on the power play. The next was scored by Daniel Litchke, whose quickness was a problem for the Tigers all through the game.

The Tigers tied the game at 2-2 when junior Max Skatrud won a race to a rebound and batted into the wide open net with 53 seconds left in the period.

Superior took a 3-2 lead early in the second period. The Tigers answered back when senior Josh Leavens scored as he skated down the slot with 6:56 left in the period. Leavens proved to be an inspiration for his teammates, playing most of the two games this week with a painful shoulder injury.

The Tigers got the game winner with 1:16 left in the second period. This time it was junior Parker Olson who was in perfect position to drive home the rebound.

There wasn’t any scoring in a high-paced third period. This was the Tigers’ best defensive period, as they limited Superior’s chances for most of the period. The Spartans pulled their goal with 1:22 left in the game, but the Tigers’ smart positional defensive play kept dumping the puck back out of the Tigers’ zone.

Tags: boys hockey, sports, tigers, prep