For Wausau Pilot & Review
WESTON – The Central Wisconsin Storm girls hockey team stayed red hot on Monday with an impressive 5-2 win over the Hudson Raiders at Greenheck Fieldhouse.
Senior captain Hannah Baumann and sophomore Gabi Heuser each scored twice to lead the way. During their current nine-game winning streak, the Storm has outscored their opponents 45-6.
Baumann opened the scoring with her 20th goal of the year at the 11:49 mark of a back-and-forth first period. Defenseman Michaela Gerum sprung Baumann on a 2-on-1 with a long stretch pass. The Storm’s leading scorer made a nice move at the top of the circles and then beat Catterina Donna over the blocker for an early Storm lead. Donna made 14 first period saves to keep the game at 1-0.
The Storm dominated the second period with Heuser netting a goal to make it 2-0. Senior Mackenzie Bautch forced a Raiders’ turnover at the blue line sparking a 2-on-1 and Heuser banged home Bautch’s initial shot.
A minute and fifty-five seconds later the Storm would tally a shorthanded goal to increase their lead. Freshman Madeline Kelter pounced on a loose puck in the high slot and fired a wrist shot that Donna stopped, but Sophie Bolin gathered the rebound and stuffed it home for a 3-0 Storm lead. Bella Buth scored a powerplay goal for Hudson to make it 3-1.CWS out-shot the Raiders 15-2 in the period.
Just 22 seconds into the third period Heuser would score a powerplay goal making it 4-1. Baumann would add her second goal of the game on a pass from Hailey Piskula and CWS had a 5-1 advantage. Averie Martin scored a shorthanded goal late for Hudson.
Storm sophomore Claire Calmes remained unbeaten on the season, at 8-0, with a 21-save performance. Final shots on goal favored CWS 46-23.
Co-head coach Dan Bauer was pleased with his team’s offensive effort. “We did a better job tonight of generating scoring opportunities,” he noted. “A couple of rebound goals is good sign, it means we are getting to the net with a purpose.”
The Storm (16-3) will travel to Chippewa Falls on Thursday for a contest with the 11-7-1 Sabers. Then on Saturday the team will seek revenge against the No. 1-ranked Superior Spartans at Marathon Park in Wausau. Superior defeated CWS at the Culver’s Cup in December, 7-3.
