Plunkett’s hat trick sparks Spartans

By Superior Telegram on Jan 18, 2018 at 9:40 p.m.

Superior High School's Trevor Dalbec (21) scores for the Spartans to tie the game 1-1 early in the first period Tuesday night at Wessman Arena. Superior defeated Hibbing 9-4. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)1 / 9

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The Superior High School boys hockey team is all of a sudden enjoying some success against the Hibbing/Chisholm Blue Jackets.

Prior to last season, Hibbing led the all-time series with the Spartans 16-1. Superior’s only win was a 4-2 victory during the 1990-91 season, which just happened to be when SHS head coach Jason Kalin was a junior.

Superior picked up its second win over Hibbing last season when defenseman Braden LaPorte scored with 1:20 remaining in a 4-3 win on the Iron Range.

Superior improved to 3-16 all-time against Hibbing as senior captains Max Plunkett and Luke Drougas led the Spartans to a 9-4 win over the Blue Jackets Tuesday night at Wessman Arena.

Plunkett notched a hat trick with an assist, while Luke Drougas scored twice. The Spartans also got goals from Trevor Dalbec, Tucker Stamper, Kaleb Ullan, and Gunnar Hansen.

Hibbing’s four goals came on its first five shots in the first period. Tallying for the Blue Jackets were Austin Lasky, Jake Riihinen, Conner Willard and Parker Ruzich.

The Spartans scored the only goal of the second period and took the lead for good when Kaleb Ullan scored with an assist from Hansen. Ullan took the initial shot, but Hansen picked up rebound and centered it back to Ullan, who scored on a one-timer.

Superior exploded for four goals in the third period starting with Hansen from Alex Hanson and Cayden Laurvick at 2:13.

After Drougas scored back-to-back goals, Plunkett completed his hat trick on Taylor Burger’s third assist of the game.

Payton Podvin and Caden Welch combined to make 23 saves for Superior, now 12-4-1 on the season and ranked No. 5 in Wisconsin.

Tore Tuin had 30 saves for Hibbing, which falls to 5-8.

Up next for the Spartans are the Greenway Raiders, who lost to Hermantown 4-2 Tuesday night.

Greenway is 12-5 overall and in first place of the Iron Range Conference at 4-0. Superior and the Raiders have only played once, a Greenway 5-4 win last season.

Superior then hosts the Hudson Raiders at 4 p.m. Saturday.

The defending Wisconsin state champions are ranked No. 1 in Wisconsin with a 14-0 record.

The Raiders, who play Eau Claire North Thursday night, defeated Superior 2-1 on Dec. 2 in Hudson.

SPARTAN SPIN: Superior lost to Greenway 6-5 Thursday night.

SPARTAN SPIN: SHS will hold its annual “Skate with the Spartans” after Saturday’s game with Hudson. The skate is open to the public. Any youth hockey players wearing their hockey jersey will receive free admission.

Hibbing-Chisholm............ 4 0 0 — 4

Superior........................... 4 1 4 — 9

First Period — 1. HC, Austin Lasky (Mitchell Ziemba, Nick Belich), 1:40. 2. SHS, Trevor Dalbec (Grant Sorensen), 4:36. 3. HC, Jake Riihinen (Tristan Birdsall, Belich), 8:50 (pp). 4. SHS, Max Plunkett, 11:04 (pp). 5. SHS, Tucker Stamper (Plunkett, Taylor Burger), 12:36 (pp). 6. SHS, Plunkett (Burger, Stamper), 14:01. 7. HC, Conner Willard (Nic Cicchi, Riihinen), 14:56. 8. HC, Parker Ruzich (Willard, Carter Anderson), 15:44.

Second period — 9. SHS, Kaleb Ullan (Gunnar Hansen), 11:42.

Third period — 10. SHS, Hansen (Alex Hanson, Cayden Laurvick), 2:13. 11. SHS, Luke Drougas (Ullan), 5:59. 12. SHS, Drougas (Sorensen), 11:39 (pp). 13. SHS, Plunkett (Burger), n/a.

Saves — Tore Tuin, HC, 10-10-10—30. Dayton Podvin, SHS, 3-x-x—3. Caden Welch, SHS, x-13-7—20.

Wisconsinprephockey.net

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