Spartans blow by Blizzard

With a 7-3 win over the Siren Blizzard Tuesday night at Wessman Arena, the Superior High School boys hockey team is one win away from returning to the WIAA State Tournament in Madison.

Standing in the Spartans’ way are the New Richmond Tigers, who advanced with a 6-3 win over Hudson.

When the Spartans (14-9-1) and Tigers meet a 2 p.m. Saturday in Amery, Superior may have revenge on its minds as it was New Richmond that snapped the Spartans’ string of nine straight state tournament berths with a 4-3 win in last year’s sectional title game in New Richmond.

The Spartans got two goals and an assist from Daniel Litchke, two goals from Aaron Wakefield-Zubiate and a goal apiece from Caleb Dushkin, Aaron Miller and Steven Mikel.

Nolan Holcombe dished out two assists and Miller, Brady Uotinen, Dane Sislo, Aaron Johnson and Steven, Gerald and Daniel Mikel had one assist each.

The Spartans took care of business early Tuesday taking a 3-0 lead in the first period on goals from Daniel Litchke, Aaron Wakefield-Zubiate and Aaron Miller.

Wakefield-Zubiate’s second goal of the game made it 4-0 early in the second period.

The Blizzard got on the scoreboard 4:50 into the second period when Anthony Dietmeier tipped a shot by Dakota Linke past SHS goaltender Scott Crawford for his 30th goal of the year.

Superior got that goal back two minutes later and took a 5-1 lead when Steven Mikel beat Siren goaltender Thomass Labatt with a backhander with assists from brothers, Gerald and Daniel Mikel.

Joe Engelhart’s 34th goal on a high wrist shot got Siren within 5-2, but Superior got that goal back 1:24 later when Caleb Dushkin scored on the Spartans’ fourth attempt at a loose puck during a power play.

Fifteen seconds after Siren had a goal called off, Superior took a 7-2 lead when Litchke scored unassisted on a wrap-around goal.

Kyle Roberts completed the scoring for Siren with an unassisted goal with 1:45 remaining.

Crawford picked up with win for Superior with 29 saves. Labatt had 28 saves for Siren, which ends the season with a 22-3 record.

SPARTANS SPIN: Siren’s official name is WSFLG (Webster, Siren, Frederic, Luck and Grantsburg). … Blizzard junior Matt Smith is the son of Butch Smith, a 1981 graduate of Superior Senior High School. … Saturday’s game will be carried live on WNXR 107.3 FM.

Siren 0 1 2 — 3

Superior 3 2 3 — 7

First Period: 1. SHS, Daniel Litchke 24 (Nolan Holcombe 28), 5:03. 2. SHS, Aaron Wakefield-Zubiate 10 (Steven Mikel 13), 9:32. 3. SHS, Aaron Miller 10 (Dane Sislo 7, Aaron Johnson 10), 10:49.

Second Period: 4. SHS, Wakefield 11 (Brady Uotinen 11, Miller 15), 4:01. 5. Siren, Anthony Dietmeier 30 (Joe Engelhart, Dakota Linke), 4:41. 6. SHS, Steven Mikel 10 (Gerald Mikel 13, Daniel Mikel 8), 7:05.

Third Period: 7. Siren, Engelhart 34, 3:18. 8. SHS, Caleb Dushkin 13 (Holcombe 29, Litchke 22), 4:42 (pp). 9, SHS, Litchke 25, 8:15. 10. Siren, Kyle Roberts, 15:15.

Saves: Thomass Labatt, Siren 7-10-11—28. Scott Crawford, SHS 8-10-11—29.

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