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Bluebirds celebrate Valentine's day

SUN PRAIRIE — Michael Valentine made sure the Janesville Bluebirds finished the regular season on a winning note.

The Janesville Craig High senior notched a hat trick to lead Janesville’s high school co-op hockey team to a 6-2 Big Eight Conference win over Sun Prairie on Saturday night.

The Bluebirds (15-5, 11-3) saw the Cardinals tie the game at 2-2 early in the second period, but scored four unanswered goals to pull away.

“We’re finally at full strength,” Janesville coach John Mauermann said. “And because of that, we’re starting to play pretty good hockey.

“Now it’s the tournament and anything can happen. It’s a one-game series now, and I really think we can compete with anyone in our sectional.”

Valentine scored twice in the first period as the Bluebirds took a 2-1 lead. He completed the hat trick with a power-play goal in the third period to push the lead to 5-2.

Janesville will play the winner of Tuesday’s Oconomowoc/Kenosha game on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the Janesville Ice Skating Center in a regional final game.

JANESVILLE 6, SUN PRAIRIE 2

Janesville 2 1 3—6

Sun Prairie 1 1 0—2

First period

SP—Kyle Nickerson (Mike Masso, Harlow Hermanson), 10:10. J—Michael Valentine (unassisted), 15:03. J—Valentine (Ross Mauermann, Aaron Jacobson), 16:25, pp.

Second period

SP—Masso (Nickerson), Kyle Dalton), :32. J—Zach Bayreuther (Mauermann, Logan Lemirande), 5:41, pp.

Third period

J—Mauermann (Lemirande, Derek Mussey), 5:41. J—Valentine (Lemirande), 8:05, pp. J—Bayreuther (Jacobson, Mussey), 13:25, pp.

Saves—David Jacobson (Janesville) 12, Tyler Ludy (Sun Prairie) 28.