By Murray Gleffe, Correspondent
ASHWAUBENON-The D.C. Everest Evergreens scored three goals in the opening six minutes of the hockey game (Dec. 14) and went onto capture the contest over the Jaguars by a final of 7-1.
Kaden Appleton connected on the lone goal for the Jaguars.
The Evergreens didn’t come out like they were 80 miles from their hometown.
They were ready from the opening face-off.
J.J. Berdal tallied the first goal just 31 seconds into the game, and the onslaught didn’t stop there.
Ty Tretter added another just two minutes later, and a third by Berdal was scored with 10:59 still remaining in the opening period.
“We knew this was going to be a good test for us,” said Matt Golden, Jaguar Hockey Coach. “We obviously got off to the poor start, but then I thought we played some decent hockey after that.”
The shell-shocked Jaguars steadied themselves throughout the next nine minutes, receiving good looks from Tyler Roethlisberger and Liam Golden.
However, Evergreen goalie Michael Janke gathered the puck each and every time.
Just before the first intermission horn, Jacob Jakusz sent a wrister in on Jaguar goaltender Matt Piontkowksi. Midway through the air, the puck deflected the opposite direction and went into the net.
The Jaguars were looking to play a more physical brand of hockey to start the second period, but the Evergreens speed and skill took that option away from the team.
“We wanted to bang bodies and take them (Evergreens) out of their game,” added Golden. “Unfortunately, we didn’t play that type of hockey, and we let their skill take over.”
The middle period produced only four shots apiece from both teams with the Evergreens striking once to put them up 5-0 heading into the last 17:00.
Despite the score, the Jaguars never gave up with their energy, but the Evergreens talent was self-evident.
They tallied two more goals to open up the flood gates.
With the score standing at 7-0, the Jaguars Kaden Appleton took a puck on the offensive end and connected on a slapper that went through the ‘five hole’ of Evergreen’s goaltender Janke.
It was the first point for Appleton in the 2017-18 season.
“I was really happy for Kaden,” said Golden. “It was his first goal of the season and sometimes that starts a stretch of getting points game-after-game.”
The Evergreens went onto capture the game by six goals despite only outshooting the Jaguars by a final margin of 21-19.
The Jaguars (5-2) will be back in action Dec. 16 when they travel to Stevens Point to take on the Pointers.
Ashwaubenon/D.C. Everest (Box Score)
Ashwaubenon 0,0,1,-1
D.C. Everest 4,1,2,-7
Ashwaubenon/D.C. Everest (Shots on Goal)
Ashwaubenon 5,4,10-19
D.C. Everest 11,4,6-21
