By Jed Buelow
Tomahawk Leader Co-Editor, Sports and Nature Editor
Several times this season Tomahawk hockey has shown signs of been close to putting it all together. Heading into the final stretch of the season and into the playoffs, the Hatchets were still looking to skate the complete game as they dropped a pair of GNC matchups on the week.
On Thursday the Hatchet pucksters traveled to Antigo to take on the Red Robins in a conference tilt and fell by a score 9-1. The Red Birds managed to jump out to a 4-0 lead before Cody Scholz lit the lamp on passes from Caleb Lund and Zach Friske to get Tomahawk on the scoreboard with just over a minute to skate in the first.
From there on out it all Antigo, as the Robins managed to add three more in period two and two goals in the final period to get the 9-1 win.
The saves-by-period line of the score sheet told a big part of the game, as Hatchet goalie Chris Callahan had 16 saves in period one, 14 in period two before adding six more in the final period to finish with 36 saves on the game. Meanwhile, Tomahawk managed just five shots on goal in the first and three in the second before getting no shots on goal in the third.
The next night Tomahawk traveled to Waupaca where similar results were seen after the Hatchets were shout out in the first while the Comets put up seven on the scoreboard.
Tomahawk would make a surge coming out of the locker room as C. Lund deposited a puck in the back of the net on a pass from Dominic Zattera to get the Hatchets on the scoreboard just 31 seconds into the period. They would pull to within 7-2 as this time D. Zattera was on the scoring end of a pass from C. Scholz to light the lamp on a power-play score with just over six minutes to skate in the period.
Unfortunately similar to GNC matchup against Antigo, Waupaca would make a surge putting three unanswered of their own on the scoreboard and held on to get 10-2 conference win.
Hatchet coach Chris Bembinster said he saw some great moments where all pieces came into place, but unfortunately right now his team appears to be stuck in a bit of route.
“We have to make them (great moments) more consistent with the season winding down. We have to find the combination fast to finish strong,” coach Bembinster added.
The Hatchets take part in the opening round of the GNC playoffs tonight (Tuesday) as they travel to Eagle River to take on the top seeded Northland Pines Eagles at the Eagle River Sports Arena starting at 7 p.m. Winner of the that game will advance to take on the winner of the Waupaca/Antigo game next Tuesday, Feb. 11.