Closing out their last game competitively and fiercely, the Gretna club hockey team dominated the ice, securing a victory against the Papio 8-0 on Jan. 10. The Griffins will face off against the Millard West Wildcats at Baxter Arena tonight at 5 p.m.
After the first face-off at center ice, the game started quickly. The Griffins were in no mood to give up an early lead on their game as they collected five goals to close out the second period of the game. With back-to-back goals from one of the top scorers, forward Gross Catholic High freshman Trey Sigmund leads the team, scoring 13 goals this season.
The team played a strong game both offensively and defensively, not afraid to push their opponents’ backs against the boards, and not afraid to gain any penalties. They finished the third period with another three goals, two from forwards senior Nathan Milhan and Sigmund.
“We haven’t won in a while, so it feels good to have a good win like 8-0,” defenseman sophomore Bryce Behrens said. “We hope to keep it rolling and keep up the energy tonight.”
But, despite the shutout win, the team has looked for things to work on and clean up before taking on the No. 5 ranked team in the Omaha High School Hockey League, as they currently hold a record of 10-4-1.
“I think the first period of our game was pretty messy, but I think we got our act together, cleaned it up and we used each other really well,” forward senior Kennedy Olson said. “Going forward we need to work on connecting more and trusting each other.”
In comparison to last season, the Griffins have continued to put up a tough fight, but still struggle to rack up wins, often falling short. This season, the Griffins are ranked No. 10 in the Omaha High School Hockey League.
“We played fast, physical, and unselfish hockey, which set the tone early,” Head Coach Troy Peterson said. “Heading into the game against Millard West, we’ll build on that momentum by focusing on defensive structure and special teams, as those will be crucial.”
