*Photo Contributed by Mia Hubbard – @photosmjh on Instagram
By: Crystal Williams
On Friday, October 2, and Saturday, October 3, the Wisconsin Windigo took down the Minnesota Mallards in back-to-back games.
Friday’s Game Highlights
Final Score: Windigo 4, Mallards 1
The Windigo and Mallards remained scoreless in the first period. However, in the second period, with assists from forward Gabriel Braun and Defenseman Devin Berg, forward Aidan Hickok gave the team a 1-0 lead. The Mallards responded early in the third, tying the game 1-1.
With 12:06 remaining in the third period, Gabriel Braun scored, assisted by forwards Brady Bates and Brayden Severin, 2-1. At 9:20, Hickok struck again with an assist from Berg and defenseman Nikolas Ferry. Forward Artis Skrebels scored an empty-net goal assisted by Archer Hillig and Hickok, which secured the Windigo shutout 4-1.
The Windigo ended the night with Hickok picking up the first star with two goals and one assist, while Braun earned second star, contributing one goal and one assist. Finally, goaltender Harry Byers earned the third star with 31 saves on 33 shots.
Saturday’s Game Highlights
Final Score: Windigo 6, Mallards 3
In a much more intense matchup, the Windigo won their second game in a row to secure their first sweep of the season. In the first period, forward Aidan Hickok scored an unassisted goal, giving the team a 1-0 lead. The Windigo struck again in the second period, taking a 2-0 lead when forward Kaden Mote scored with assists from Aidan Hickok and Braeden Hart. With 18:28 remaining, Braun extended the lead, scoring another goal assisted by Kaden Mote and Devin Berg. The Mallards scored, putting themselves on the board with 10:33 left in the period, but the Windigo responded with a tally from Daniel Greenbaum, assisted by Berg and Renner Stavroplos, taking a 4-1 lead.
The team continued to apply more pressure in the third, with forward Olle Sjostedt scoring with assists from forwards Kaden Mote and Artis Skrebels. With 11:10, forward Torii Schmidt scored with assists from forwards Eric Palmer and Easton Hickok, as the Windigo took the lead 6-1. The Mallards tried to catch up as they scored later in the third period, but it wasn’t enough as the Windigo walked away with a 6-3 victory.
Kaden Mote earned first star with one goal and two assists; defenseman Devin Berg earned his second star with two assists, and forward Olle Sjostedt earned his third star after contributing one goal.
Coach Howard reflects on wins and improvements
After the game, Windigo head coach Andrew Howard reflected on the team’s performance Saturday night. “We played well; it was a good weekend, all around for us,” he said. Howard credited the team’s effort and goaltending throughout the game. “I think we had really good goaltending both nights, which is always a plus and can help the group.” He also discussed how the team improved offensively: “We got some guys scoring goals, which has kind of been a bit stale so far this year. But now, they are starting to come along.”
Even though it was an electrifying weekend for the Windigo, Howard pointed to one major area the team still needs to improve. “I think we got to tighten up our penalty kill a little bit,” Howard stated. He added that while the team’s power play has improved, he wants the team to be more disciplined and cut down on penalties, an area he is focused on because not every fight is a good fight.
Upcoming Schedule
The Wisconsin Windigo are currently eighth in the Midwest Division with a 3-5-0 record so far this season. On Saturday, October 10, and Sunday, October 11, the team is heading to Watford City, North Dakota, for another two game series against the Minnesota Mallards. Saturday’s game starts at 7 p.m and Sunday’s starts at 3 p.m.
Windigo fans can watch all the action from home by tuning in live on NATV, put on the team gear, cheer, and support our boys on the road!
