HCCM rises to win over Kochevar’s

Ice crew working miracles to save the sheet

by Than Acuff

The roof has worked wonders for keeping the snow off the ice, but it doesn’t stop the heat and we’ve had some serious heat recently, at least relative to what we typically have in February. Then again, what is typical anymore?

Icetro Pete Curvin spent the better part of last week waking up every two hours throughout the night to care for the ice at Big Mine Ice Arena. Meanwhile, Matt Sexton has been working on the ice (as his company Axys Roofing has been working on the roof) along with Jack Green, Chris Wiig and Terry Camp to keep it alive through the days and evenings. And, thanks to them, HCCM was able to skate to a 4-3 win over Kochevar’s Tuesday night in town league hockey action.

The win was impressive for sure. Granted, Kochevar’s was missing key players Bob Piccaro and Will Dujardin from the roster but HCCM was missing almost everyone from theirs, leaving them just six skaters total, including the goalie, for the entire game.

Despite their non-existent bench, HCCM came out in the first period pressing hard opening the scoring in the second minute as Alex Albers followed on a shot by Molly Keating to score. Emerson Wohlers and Kochevar’s responded a minute later as he skated end-to-end to pick the near post and tie the game but Eric Dishmon gave the lead back to HCCM taking a pass from Keating and blasting a slapshot just inside the post.

HCCM added to their lead midway through the second period on a goal from Green but one had to think they would eventually crumble under their lack of subs.

The cracks started to form and Wohlers netted his second goal off an assist from Torrey Carroll but HCCM had the last say in the period as Albers scored again for a 4-2 HCCM lead.

Still, things had to change in the third period and they did when Paul O’Connor circled through the high slot and shot. Mike Preston made the save but the puck was loose and Hank Deroche of King of the Mountain Earthworks took time from his frantic plowing schedule to push the puck past Preston and pull Kochevar’s back to within one.

As time waned HCCM only got stronger and with Green anchoring the team, they held on to their one-goal lead for the final five minutes to ice the 4-3 win.

Ice? What ice? Oh we got ice!