MEDFORD GIRLS HOCKEY - Konieczny can’t be stopped in 6-3 win over Michigan squad

MEDFORD GIRLS HOCKEY

Tori Konieczny pumped in four goals, while Zayleah Leonhardt had a goal and three assists as the Raiders’ offensive pressure finally paid off Thursday in a four-goal third period in a 6-3 home win over the Copper Country 19U squad from Houghton-Hancock, Mich.

The late-game outburst included the last three goals of the game, breaking a 3-3 tie that the visitors created 2:20 into the third period when Chloe Mikus lofted a shot from the blue line that Pipkorn didn’t appear to see in time. That came just 45 seconds after Leonhardt had put Medford in front by deflecting a pass Kara Kennedy had sent in front of the net past Copper Country goalie Mazie McPherson. Carly Koski was also credited with an assist.

The Raiders, who had outshot the visitors 26-12 through the first two periods, continued to hold the zone well and get shots. At 4:40, defensemen Emily Kiselicka crashed the net on one of Medford’s offensive attacks and was rewarded with the go-ahead goal, assisted by Konieczny and Leonhardt.

Just 27 seconds later, Konieczny was able to skate right through the slot and beat McPherson for a goal that put the Raiders up 5-3. Kennedy had the assist. Medford went on a power play at the 7:34 mark and didn’t convert, but the Raiders got the clincher shortly after the penalty expired with Konieczny taking control of the puck in neutral ice and beating Copper Country’s tired defense to the crease, where she scored again at 10:55.

Medford had 11 of the game’s first 15 shots on goal, but had just a 1-0 lead to show for it late in the first period. Konieczny got that just 36 seconds in, punching the puck in from right at the post on McPherson’s right side. Leonhardt had the assist. The Raiders had another goal at 8:50 waved off due to a hand pass.

Copper Country finally got some sustained time in the offensive zone in the final minute and it paid off with a deflected puck that went right to Cadence Anderson, who put her open shot into the net with 13 seconds left.

Chloe Serafin put Copper Country on top 2-1 sending the puck through traffic for a power-play goal 11:35 into the second period. That lead held for just over minutes. Leonhardt and Konieczny had some good scoring chances in the period that McPherson denied. But at 14:42, Leonhardt put a hard shot on McPherson’s shoulder. The puck bounced right to Koniecnzy, who buried it into the back of the net. Koski was also credited with an assist.

Medford finished with a 40-16 advantage in shots on goal. Pipkorn had 13 saves, while McPherson had 34. Medford did not score on two power plays. Copper Country was one for one.

The Raiders were at Chippewa Falls-Menomonie on Tuesday and took a ?-? loss. The team will be back in the friendly confines of the Simek Recreation Center Saturday for a 1 p.m. matinee with the Stoughton Co-op Icebergs on Saturday. Medford won a 2-1 thriller with the Icebergs last season. Medford hosts the Northland Pines Co-op at 6 p.m. on Tuesday in the teams’ third matchup of the season. The Eagles have won the first two.

Win and a tie

Medford went 1-0-1 Saturday in a JV triangular held at the Sparta Ice Arena.

The Raiders first skated to a 3-3 tie with the Black River Falls Co-op, rallying from a pair of two-goal deficits.

Goals by Brooklyn Chapman and Ireland Hanson gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead midway through the second period, but Medford began its comeback at the 10:50 mark of the second period with a shorthanded goal from Kiselicka, assisted by Konieczny.

The Tigers went up 3-1 5:12 into the third period with a Lydia Kehren goal, but Leonhardt swiped the momentum back for Medford, scoring just 52 seconds later with an assist from Kiselicka. Leonhardt tied it 10:48 into the 15-minute period and that’s where the score stayed.

Pipkorn had 28 saves in the 45-minute game, while Jessi Berg had 14 saves for the Tigers, six of which came in the third period. Each team committed just one penalty.

Medford then rolled to a 7-2 win over the Brookfield Glacier’s JV squad. Leonhardt had four goals in the win, while Megan Schaefer, Konieczny and Madison Mattke also scored. Pipkorn needed to make just eight saves as the Raiders outshot the Glacier 56-10.

Schaefer got the only goal of the first period, scoring off a Leonhardt assist. Konieczny got her goal 5:18 into the second period with an assist from Koski. After a power-play goal by Brookfield’s Maggie Chandler, Leonhardt got her first goal at 12:18 to make it 3-1. She was assisted by Konieczny and Grace Schmidtfranz.

The offense put it away with a four-goal third period. Leonhardt got the first two with assists from Talyn Peterson at the 18second and 5:50 marks. Mattke scored with a Kiselicka assist at 11:09. After a Grace Eckert goal for Brookfield, Leonhardt got her fourth goal at 14:16. Peterson had her third assist of the period.

The Raiders put 21 shots on goal in the first period and 19 in the second period before ending with 16 more in the third.

Medford’s Tori Konieczny pushes through Copper Country skater Jordan Holombo to gain control of the puck and create a scoring chance for the Raiders during the first period of the team’s 6-3 win Thursday afternoon at the Simek Recreation Center. Konieczny, a senior, scored four of Medford’s goals in the win. MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS