Bluebirds fall short of state
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DELAFIELD — The Stoughton High School boys hockey team entered WIAA postseason play as the second-ranked team in the state.
Friday night, the Janesville Bluebirds found out why.
The Vikings, behind another stellar performance from goalie Andrew Martin, blanked the Bluebirds, 3-0, in the Division 1 sectional final game here at Nagawaukee Ice Arena.
Stoughton (21-1-1) led 2-0 after one period, and then relied on an air-tight defense and the stick and glove of Martin to earn a state tournament berth. Martin stopped all 37 shots he faced.
Stoughton will play the winner of today’s Superior-Hudson game in the first round of the state tournament.
Janesville’s high school co-op team (17-6) was shut out for the first time all season, and could not find a kink in Martin’s armor.
“For whatever reason, they outhustled us and were hungrier than we were,” Janesville coach John Mauermann said.
“And to be effective against Andrew, you have to make him move and we didn’t. Every save he made was right in front of him.”
Stoughton got on the board first with Janesville’s Logan Lemirande in the penalty box. The Vikings’ Cody Larson re-directed Jacob Howell’s initial shot past goalie David Jacobson for a 1-0 lead at 6:50 of the first. The Bluebirds tried to get out of the opening period without any further damage, but Riley Zehner took advantage of a Janesville miscue deep in its own end. Zehner picked up a loose puck and slapped a shot past Jacobson with a minute left in the first.
Martin said the 2-0 advantage paid big dividends.
“You could tell in the lockerroom before the game that we were pretty tense and nervous,” Martin said. “After getting two goals in the first, it lightened the mood in the lockerroom and made us realize that we could play with Janesville.
“We knew they wanted to rush the puck with their forwards and play pond hockey. But our defense got a body on them or a stick on the puck, and that made the view in front of me pretty clear all game.”
Jacobson stood on his head in the second period. The Janesville Parker senior kept his team in the game despite being down two men.
Stoughton was 5-on-3 for 1:50 after Ross Mauermann was assessed a questionable 10-minute misconduct penalty with Bentley Geldard already in the penalty box for the Bluebirds. Jacobson made six saves during the 5-on-3, including a sprawling glove save off the stick of Larson.
Larson got the last laugh in the third period as he put an end to any comeback hopes for the Bluebirds with his second goal of the night.
With Janesville trying to stay on the offensive, Larson stole an errant pass at center ice, skated in on Jacobson, and slipped a shot past him for a 3-0 lead with 6:42 gone in the third.
Ross Mauermann returned to the ice with 11:46 left to play, but the Mr Hockey finalist was frustrated all game like his teammates by Martin’s play in the net.
“They beat us to the puck all game,” coach Mauermann said. “Even when we ran the play like we wanted to, they beat us to the corner or up the ice.
“We took a couple of penalties early and they got a goal. When we got them in the box, we couldn’t score. It was one of those nights.”
STOUGHTON 3, JANESVILLE 0
Janesville 0 0 0—0
Stoughton 2 0 1—3
First Period
S—Cody Larson (Jacob Howell), 6:50 (pp). S—Riley Zehner (J. Howell, Eric Howell), 16:00.
Third Period
Larson (J. Howell), 6:42.
Saves—David Jacobson (J) 37; Andrew Martin (S) 37.
Mar 25, 2009 at 2:07 p.m.
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Enough with defense. Where was the scoring touch? Our superstar and reigning big eight player of the year couldn't score. There was no offensive threat from the bluebirds.
Mar 8, 2009 at 5:18 a.m.
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I'm sorry frog88, but when you're able to force the goalie to his knees at the corner of the net with a shot and then allow one of their players to pick up the rebound six feet away with no one near him the goals don't get much easier to score than that. I said easy, NOT soft.
Mar 5, 2009 at 8:42 a.m.
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Sorry - it was actually thekid who identified only one defenseman...my apologies frog88.
Mar 5, 2009 at 7:51 a.m.
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As a parent of a Bluebird defenseman - not sure if it's the ONE frog88 identifies - I would like to congratulate the boys on a nice season. I know it didn't end the way you wanted, but sometimes that happens. You won as a team and you lost as a team and I know none of you are making excuses. I don't like anonymous comments that are critical of young people working hard and trying to accomplish something. For those people who feel that it is appropriate to assign blame for a youth activity, I suggest you channel your energies to athletes who get paid to do a job, not kids taking part in an activity just for the love of the game.
Mar 4, 2009 at 8:20 p.m.
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jvilleone,I am not sure what game you were watching friday night but obviously not the one everyone else was. Sick or not you have to come to play kids have played sick before that's how it is..my son has played sports with temps over 101 degrees that is how it is....and as far as the goalie I can tell you those were not easy goals let in when you have no defense in front of you that is what happens. Also you have to put the puck in the net to win and that just did not happen. The kids did not come hungry enough to win the game plain and simple. When you have a game that is poorly reffed that does not help matters either the first goal should have never counted but that is beside the point the boys had to come out and play their A game and they did not do that.
Mar 1, 2009 at 3:57 p.m.
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Defense was a challenge from the beginning of the year for this team with only TWO true defensemen. While it would have been great to have had four, that's just not the way it was at the beginning of the year. The two young men who were moved from offense did there best, and one of them even exceeded expectations. Still it's tough to beat the best with this scenerio.
Going against a team as good as Stoughton with at least one player hurt and at least two others sick is a lot to ask. When you're at this point in the year it's pretty hard to win when you're not at your best, and the team was clearly not at its best Friday night, from forward to goal.
Yes the defense gave up some easy goals, but the goalie would be the first to tell you on his best night he would have stopped some of those. But you know what, it wouldn't have mattered, because when the final horn blows and you have a zero on the board you aren't going to win.
All year long this group won as a team, and lost as a team, and Friday night was no different. I thank all the players, especially the seniors, for years of enjoyable hockey. Best wishes to you all.
Feb 28, 2009 at 9:30 p.m.
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Great season boys! Saw about 5 games this year. Sectional final is always an accomplishment. Many years Janesville hasn't made it that far. Stoughton team out hustled Janesville. Stoughton goalie, defense not making mistakes, and backchecking were keys to the game. Jacobson played well, but like all year, he only had one true defenseman in front of him. Jacobson can't stop everything, and with one defenseman, thats not a good mixture. Especially when the forwards don't play their positions well, and are not very physical. But, I've enjoyed watching the team play, and will continue to come to the games when I can. Again, congrats on making the Sectional final!
Feb 28, 2009 at 5:47 p.m.
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Great season Birds and Coach Mauermann! It has been fun following you in the GazetteXtra.
Feb 28, 2009 at 4:33 p.m.
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I'm not knocking Jacobson, frog, I also believe he is one of the top goalies in the state. That is why he and Martin both play on team Wisconsin. And I agree that we didn't test Martin, but that was mostly do to the tough defense played in front of him. A strong defense will make a goalies stats better, and that was the case last night, the shots we did get we didn't make him move, and that is always nice for a goalie. The shots they scored on were uncontested in front of the net. Again congrats on a great season.
Feb 28, 2009 at 4:18 p.m.
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I don't think luck had much to do with this season or last. This was a very good team that played together and worked hard. I have really enjoyed watching this group over the years. I was really hoping to watch Ross at State again. He is an excellent player.
Feb 28, 2009 at 12:48 p.m.
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I don't think I can agree on ktsjacko stating Martin is one of the best goalie's in the state Jacobson has more to offer than Martin.
Everything the bluebirdsd shot was right as his stomach I would have liked to see him try to make some of the saves Jacobson has.
I am not taking anything away from the kid but you have to be challanged. You are right stating Jacobson was hung out to dry to many times a player has to go through 5 skaters to get to the goalie and if your defense is not there to help out you can not always rely on the goalie to pull you out of every game.
Feb 28, 2009 at 11:40 a.m.
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Stoughton is a great team with probably one of the best goalies in the state. It is also very helpful to him that his defense completely packs it in in front of the net. They shut the birds down, and Martin was hardly even tested, even though he faced 37 shots. Jacobson was hung out to dry to many times, not just last night, but all season against the tough teams. Great season Bluebirds, you played tough all year and came up just a little short. Congratulations.
Feb 28, 2009 at 11:14 a.m.
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Great job to the Bluebird team. We give our hats off to you. These past few years watching you kids on the ice has been a pleasure. Each and everyone of you senior boys will be missed.
Do not let the comment from dudefromjsvl get you down you all are very talented kids it's not luck we came as far as we did.
Be proud of yourselves for what you have accomplished.
Feb 28, 2009 at 9:15 a.m.
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You guys had a great season. Good luck to all of the seniors. You will be greatly missed next year on the ice.
Feb 28, 2009 at 9:15 a.m.
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Jon Barry hit this right on. Give the Vikes their due in this game. Great season for our fellas, just fall short of the what they were looking for.
Thank you 13 seniors for all you gave to the program.
Feb 28, 2009 at 2:10 a.m.
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And the dream dies.
Feb 28, 2009 at 12:52 a.m.
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can't get lucky all the time.
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