By Murray Gleffe
Correspondent
ASHWAUBENON – The Notre Dame Academy boys’ hockey team is one step closer to making it three consecutive trips to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) state tournament.
The No. 1-seeded Tritons defeated No. 5 Fond du Lac 4-0 in a Division 1 sectional semifinal game Feb. 23 at Cornerstone Community Ice Center.
“We played well at times,” Notre Dame Head Coach Cory McCracken said. “At other times, we looked casual. We had a ton of puck possession time and generated quality scoring chances. It’s a good win, and we’re happy to be back in the sectional final.”
Notre Dame opened the scoring when Callan Budinger scored on a rebound.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals (19-8) dug themselves an early hole by taking two penalties midway through the opening period to give the Tritons a 5-on-3 opportunity.
With Notre Dame getting numerous shots on goal, Fond du Lac goalie Spencer Shober remained stout between the pipes, turning away multiple shots.
“With the power-play chances we had, we didn’t execute how we needed to,” McCracken said. “We controlled the offensive end, but we weren’t happy with how the scoreboard read.”
The Tritons (17-5-3) took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
A little more than four minutes into the second period – with Notre Dame holding a 20-0 shots-on-goal advantage – the Cardinals finally got a puck on net, which Notre Dame goaltender Lleyton Jaschke easily turned aside.
With about 10 minutes remaining in the middle stanza, Fond Du Lac leading scorer Brett Sabel ripped a slapshot from the blue line that caromed around the glass and out to center ice.
Notre Dame’s Isaac Rentmeester was the recipient of good fortune, as he corralled the puck, skated in and scored an even-strength goal for a 2-0 lead.
“We did a nice job eliminating time and space with (Sabel),” McCracken said. “He didn’t get lots of speed built up in the neutral zone. Outside of a couple of chances, we did a nice job of containment. You need seniors to make plays late in the season. You need your best players to show up in games, and I think Isaac (Rentmeester) and Callan (Budinger) did that tonight.”
The Tritons added to their tally with less than a minute remaining in the period.
Brenden Gruber danced around with the puck toward the blue line and sent a perfect cross to Budinger, who went top shelf to give Notre Dame a 3-0 lead heading into the final period.
Notre Dame buried Fond du Lac in the opening minutes of the third period after a Cardinals’ defender made a careless pass.
Ian Noble waltzed in and put the Tritons up 4-0.
Around the midpoint of the final period, Notre Dame’s Mason Peapenburg stopped a 2-on-1 attack by Fond du Lac, thwarting any momentum the visitors might get from scoring a goal.
Notre Dame advanced to take on Neenah/Hortonville/Menasha Friday, Feb. 25, in a sectional final game, with the winner advancing to the WIAA state tournament Thursday-Saturday, March 3-5, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.
“We’ve seen (Neenah/Hortonville/Menasha) multiple times in the last six years,” McCracken said. “It should be a good game Friday. We are a completely different team from the one in December. They are a different team as well. It should be a great atmosphere.”
The Tritons lost to Neenah Dec. 3, 5-4.