RHINELANDER - Freshman Katie Detert lit up the scoreboard with three goals and three assists, and Northern Edge steamrolled Tomahawk 6-0 Monday night at Rhinelander Ice Arena in a record-setting win for the program.
The Edge moves to 9-4-0 on the season, already the most wins in the history of the team. This comes after a dismal 2-18-1 campaign last year.
Detert stretched her team-leading points total to 25.
“Katie played a very good game today,” said teammate Lauren Smith. “She just has very good vision on the ice and knows when to shoot.”
The Edge reeled off their fifth straight victory. Sophie Schmidt saved all eight shots on her in goal, and feels things coming together for the team.
“It’s kind of like a Rubik’s Cube. You just keep twisting and twisting until it all matches up. I think our lines move very crisp and smooth,” she said.
But it was Detert who was involved in every scoring play for the Edge.
“She’s on a roll right now. When she’s on a roll, our team starts to roll. She provides such a strong offensive presence for us,” said coach Nick English. “Her and Sierra (Vinger) were really working the puck well tonight in the offensive zone. When they can cycle the puck like that, it really creates opportunities for other players, as well.”
Rachel Fuller weaved a finesse pass to Detert 10:56 into the game. The freshman put it home inside the left post to put the Edge on the board first.
Detert then deflected a puck into the net just one minute into the second period. Gabbe Millot and Taylor Trachte picked up assists. Millot got a goal of her own with 34 seconds remaining before the second intermission, with Detert on the assist.
Detert found Vinger for two goals three and a half minutes apart near the start of the third, and then finished her hat trick off an assist by Smith at 13:29.
Northern Edge got more good news Monday night as Northland Pines beat Marshfield in Eagle River.
“We just beat them on Friday night, and they just helped us out tonight. Bottom line is, if we win out, we win the conference,” English said.
Meanwhile, the Edge saw Kaitlin Rhode taken to the hospital with concussion symptoms. She was hit with a stick by a Tomahawk player early in the third period.
“I just saw it on video. It was a pretty vicious slash, a two-hander right in the head,” English said.
Rhode’s status remains uncertain for the Edge’s next game vs. Superior.
That home game will take place at the Langlade County Multi-Purpose Building in Antigo. Listen to play-by-play coverage with Ben Meyer on HodagSports.com. The puck drops at 4pm on Saturday.
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