By Jed Buelow
Tomahawk Leader Co-Editor, Sports and Nature Editor
Two skaters down might not mean a lot for a team stacked with skaters like Medford. But as been the case all season long, when it happens to a shorthanded team like Tomahawk is this year, it can certainly mean the difference between a win or loss.
Despite a valiant comeback after falling behind four goals, Tomahawk fell just short at SARA Park last Tuesday as the Raiders snuck out of town with the 6-4 GNC win. Medford put two on the scoreboard in the first and two more early in the second before Caleb Lund would connect on a pass from Cody Scholz at the 11:39 mark to get the Hatchets on the board.
Tomahawk would pull to within two just moments later. This time Zach Friske lit the lamp on Scholz’s second assist of the game with just under three to skate in the second period to pull within 4-2. The rally would be short lived however, as Medford had a near immediate answer as they regained the three score advantage as they lit the lamp just 25 seconds later.
The Raiders would stretch the lead to four just 28 seconds into the third period. Then it was Tomahawk’s time as C. Scholz lit the lamp on passes from C. Lund and Ben Schertz to cut the lead back to three at the 11:16 mark. Z. Friske would make things interesting with just over four minutes remaining on the clock in regulation he buried his second goal of the game in the back of the net to cut Medford’s lead back down to two. Unfortunately that would be as close as the Hatchets could get at Medford skated out of town with the two-goal victory.
Tomahawk coach Chris Bembinster said despite the loss that his team needs to focus on all the positive things that came out of the game.
“We put together a full competitive game. We charged back to win the third period,” coach Bembinster stated. “Just a few things to clean up and we would have been a little closer. This is the way we need to play to finish this season. We knew they had it. Now we have to sustain it.”
The Hatchets were in sustain-mode last night as they traveled to Mosinee for a GNC battle against the Indians. They are back in action next Thursday as they travel to Antigo to take on the Red Robins in another conference tilt. Opening puck drop in Red-Bird Country is at 7 p.m.