Homestead cashes in on power plays, doubles up Fox Cities Stars boys hockey

By Dustin Riese
For AppletonSportsPage.com

MENASHA – After a promising start to the season, the Fox Cities Stars boys hockey team has found themselves in a bit of a midseason rut as the wins have been tough come by as of late.

Looking to get back on track in a nonconference game against the Mequon Homestead Highlanders on Saturday, it was more of the same for the Stars, although there was significant improvement.

After giving up nine goals in back-to-back games, the Stars were much better defensively, keeping them in the game. Special teams was ultimately the difference in this one as the Highlanders converted on three power play opportunities, including two in the first period, and used that to pick up a 4-2 win over the Stars at the Tri-County Ice Arena.

“I felt as if we came out flat in the first period,” Stars head coach Todd Murphy said. “We did not play as intense as we could have, but certainly turned it around in the second and third period.”

The Stars came into the game on a three-match losing streak and shot themselves in the foot throughout the first period.

Fox Cities got a little too aggressive on the ice at times leading to a pair of Homestead power plays. It’s hard enough to contain the Highlanders offense at full strength, but to play down a man multiple times in the opening period is asking for trouble as Andrew Bogaczyk opened the scoring 6:17 into the first on the power play to give the Highlanders a 1-0 lead.

It was a lead they would never relinquish as Homestead dominated the pace of play in the first period resulting in Fox Cities goalie Elliot Reichenbacher facing far more shots than he would’ve liked. For the most part, Reichenbacher held his own in goal, but facing a second power play opportunity in the first, it was the Highlanders doubling their lead as Alejandro Brooks made it 2-0 with just over four minutes to go in the opening period.

Fox Cities had a chance to climb back into the game late in the first as it was given its first power play opportunity and a chance to battle back. The Stars had some looks on goal during the try, including one from Cale Adamovich, only to be turned away by Homestead goalie Andrew Pound as the Stars were facing a 2-0 deficit after one.

“Well, certainly playing short-handed is never easy,” Murphy said. “Typically, we kill penalties really well. Tonight we were guilty of a little too much puck watching and chasing around the defensive zone as opposed to staying disciplined and forcing Homestead to pass around us or through us. We gave them lanes and they took advantage of the lanes.”

To make matters worse, the Highlanders didn’t waste any time putting the game’s third goal home as Vince Baker beat Reichenbacher 17 seconds into the second period to make it 3-0. It was at that moment when the Stars seemed to flip a switch as they began to play the way they know they can and were the ones dictating the pace of play on the ice.

The sudden shift in momentum paid off with the Stars’ Preston McGinnis getting to the front of the net and beating Pound to make this a 3-1 game with 11 minutes to go in the period. Murphy credits his kids for weathering the early storm and finding a way to battle back.

“Our defense continues to improve,” he said. “We have a young, talented group of defensemen who when they play simple, disciplined hockey, are capable of skating with really any team. We talked in the locker room specifically about making the easy play and playing soundly in our defensive zone.”

Throughout the remaining nine minutes of the second period, it was the Stars continuing to control things on the ice, but with only the McGinnis goal beating Pound, Fox Cities still faced a 3-1 deficit entering the third. As was the case to close out the second, Fox Cities not only came out with the momentum, but they completely dominated the first six minutes of the third, firing plenty of quality looks at Pound.

Unfortunately for them, none of those looks were able to find the back of the net as the Highlanders (4-3) goalie stood tall to keep his team in front. With time winding down and the Stars still trailing by two, Fox Cities began to press a little bit on the defensive end, leading to several costly penalties late. That included a five-minute major mixed with a pair of minors as the Stars were about to be two men down on the ice.

Already in a challenging position, Reichenbacher was put in an even tougher spot as the Highlanders had a two-man advantage not once, but twice in the final five minutes. Despite the Stars goalie coming away with several big stops in the closing minutes, the Highlanders were able to deliver the dagger at the 14:40 mark of the final period with Brooks putting home his second goal of the game and the Highlanders third on the power play to make this a 4-1 lead.

Fox Cities did manage to add a late goal in the final minute off the stick of Samuel Robb, but it wasn’t enough as the Stars fall to 4-6 this season.

“Our power play simply needs to move the puck quicker,” Murphy said. “We are hanging on to the puck too long. More movement and quicker passes will open up better shooting lanes allowing us to capitalize on the man advantage.”

The Stars will host Appleton United on Tuesday at Tri-County Ice Arena at 8 p.m.

Highlanders 4, Stars 2
Homestead   2   1   1   –   4
Fox Cities   0   1   1   –   2
First period: 1. H, Andrew Bogaczyk, 6:07; 2. H, Alejandro Brooks, 12:34.
Second period: 3. H, Vince Baker, 0:17; 4. FC, Preston McGinnis, 6:41.
Third period: 5. H, Alejandro Brooks, 14:20; 6. FC, Samuel Robb (Kale Berendsen), 16:11.
Records: Homestead 4-3; Fox Cities 4-6.