It was a frustrating weekend as the Wisconsin Selects defeated and then tied the North Shore Warhawks at the Family Ice Center in Beaver Dam. After a 3-2 win on Saturday, the teams played to a 1-1 tie later in the day when the game officials oddly made the decision that no overtime would be played. Wisconsin ran their record to 5-0-1 on the young season.

Gabi Heuser paced the Selects offense in game one, assisting on the first two goals and then scoring the game-winning goal. Wisconsin would strike first on the powerplay when Payton Dykstra wired a shot through a screen by Reese Sheehan for a 1-0 lead. North Shore tied it late in the period on a goal by Kenedi Mrozik. Dykstra would score her second goal on a similar play with Heuser assisting again to put the Selects up 2-1 after two periods. Mrozik tied the game early in the third period. With just under five minutes to play, Heuser took a beautiful drop pass from Kayla Dogs just inside the blue line, cut to the middle where she shot, retrieved her own rebound and scored to secure a 3-2 Selects victory. Wisconsin outshot the Warhawks 24-11 with Greta Woelber getting the win in net.

After an uneventful and scoreless first period, Wisconsin began to dominate the second period in game two. A seventeen shot period finally netted a goal with just under three minutes to play. On the powerplay, Kayla Dogs set up Emmerson Berger at the top where she wristed a quick shot that was redirected by Heuser in the high slot for a 1-0 lead. The Warhawks scrambled to get the tying goal with just thirty seconds remaining in the period. Despite an 11-1 shots advantage in the final period, Wisconsin could not net the game winner. Makenna Hutchison continued her journey back from a season ending injury a year ago with thirteen saves in the tie.

After much debate between Selects coaches and the game officials it was determined that no overtime would be played in game two. Head Coach Emily Bauer was disappointed, “The ice was open, we have always played overtime, so it was baffling why we didn’t. We wanted to keep playing.”

Despite the controversial ending of the final game, Bauer was pleased overall, “It was a good weekend, the girls are still figuring out how to play together as we move them around to different positions and pair them with new players. We are looking forward to watching them continue to learn and find their role on the team.”

Wisconsin will head to Sioux Falls, South Dakota this weekend where they will play four games.

Dan Bauer is a free-lance writer, retired teacher & hockey coach in Wausau, WI. You can contact him at drbauer13@gmail.com.