HS Ice Dawgs Fall in Billings

The Glasgow High School Ice Dawgs traveled to Billings Jan. 24 and 25, to face off against a tough Bulls team. Billings took control of both games early, holding on to defeat Glasgow in both contests.

The Friday night contest saw the Ice Dawgs failing to find the back of the net during three periods of play. Billings outshot Glasgow, 37-17, in the game, with goalie Aidin Wilkowski turning away 31 shots in 51 minutes. The Bulls put up a goal each in the first and second periods, coming alive in the third when they put the puck in the net four times.

Billings served eight penalties in the game while Glasgow served only three, one per period. Ike Braaten took a seat in the first period for interference, which allowed Billings to score a power play goal. Trevor Johnson served two minutes for cross checking in the second and Brit Fairclough sat for two in the third on a tripping call.

Back on the ice on Saturday, Billings again established puck control early in the game, going on to win 10-1. The Bulls established their lead in the first period, going up 2-0 before the buzzer sounded. While the Dawgs did get on the big board in the second period, their lone goal did not stand up to the scoring onslaught from the Bulls, who put five pucks behind Glasgow goalie Brayden Hansen. Ice Dawgs’ captain Braaten scored for Glasgow with an assist from Colter Barnett on a power play.

The Bulls would add another three goals in the third period, while shutting out the Dawgs. Glasgow was outshot in the game, with Brayden Hansen facing double digit shots every period (16 in the first, 17 in the second and third periods) for a total of 50. At the other end of the ice, the Dawgs managed only to hit double digits in the second period (11) for a total of 23.

Game two saw more action for the officials as Billings racked up nine infractions while Glasgow was called for 12 infractions, giving up three power-play goals to the hosts. Nicholas Burke was called for high sticking in the first, Fairclough had two roughing calls in the period and Michael Uphues sat for hooking.

In the second period, Bailey Hansen served time for slashing and Gage Siefert sat for interference. Frustration spilled over as the Dawgs served six penalties in the third period. Ian Peterson was called for delay of game, Dylan Hlad for unsportsmanlike conduct, Uphues for interference, Fairclough for both slashing and misconduct, and Uphues for roughing.

The team traveled to Butte the following weekend where the Copper Kings took the brunt of the Dawgs frustration over their losses. The Ice Dawgs skated to two overwhelmingly strong wins, 13-3 and 11-2.

Butte may have thought they had a fighting chance when the first period ended in a 2-2 tie, but the second period demolished all hopes for the Copper Kings. Barnett scored both of Glasgow’s goals in the first period, taking advantage of a power play on goal one and assisted by Braaten and Koby Regalado on the second. Controlling the puck, the Dawgs threw 22 shots at Butte’s netminder while holding the hosts to five attempts against Wilkowski.

The second period saw Glasgow take firm control of the puck and the game. The Dawgs converted on eight of their 21 shots, holding the Kings to zero goals on nine attempts. Braaten started the scoring streak for Glasgow, with an assist from Johnson. The two reversed roles on the next goal, with Peterson also assisting. Braaten, with help from Bailey Hansen, put goal number five on the board. Then it was Bailey Hansen’s turn to find the back of the net, with help from Burke.

Barnett continued the scoring route with an assist from Johnson. Siefert’s shot, assist Burke, took the Dawgs to an 8-2 lead. Barnett added two more on his own before the buzzer signaled intermission.

Not content with their lead, the Dawgs continued to light up the lamp in the third period. Braaten, with the twin powers of Peterson and Barnett, made it 11-2 on a short-handed attempt. Johnson added another shortie mid-way through the third. Butte added their third goal of the game before Braaten, assist Barnett, answered back. The Dawgs lead of 13-3 would hold through the last three minutes of the game.

Wilkowski saw 18 shots in three periods of play as his teammates kept the puck at the other end of the ice, racking up 54 shots on goal. Penalties in the game stood at six per team. Sam Knierim served Glasgow’s only penalty of the second period, sitting for interference. In the third period Siefert (interference), Burke (high stick), and Fairclough (high stick and unsportsmanlike conduct) all served time. The team was also called for a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct.

A rough-and-tumble game on Sunday saw the Dawgs racking up both goals and penalties, going on to defeat the Copper Kings, 11-2. Siefert put his team up on a power play goal, assisted by Peterson, in the first period. The team racked up five infractions in the first 17 minutes of the game. Johnson was called for tripping, Fairclough for roughing, and Peterson for tripping. Fairclough also took a seat two more times on interference calls.

The second period was all goals and no penalties for the Dawgs. Barnett again, this time with help from Peterson, got the Dawgs going with a short-handed goal. Braaten lit the lamp next with an assist from Bailey Hansen, then it was Barnett again, with assists from Braaten and Regalado adding to the score. Burke got the puck behind the net minder with help from Siefert, followed by Siefert scoring his own goal with help from Braaten. Barnett followed by teaming up with Peterson for goal number seven, taking advantage of a Copper Kings penalty. Barnett took the Dawgs to an 8-0 lead on an assist from Burke and then followed up with lighting the lamp again, assisted by Knierim and Peterson, for Glasgow. Uphues ended the second-period scoring streak for the Dawgs with 1:26 left before intermission.

Butte uttered a last gasp in the third period, putting up a goal before Burke, assisted by Braaten, adding a power-play goal to Glasgow’s side of the scoreboard. Butte put up one more goal before the final buzzer, giving them two goals to Glasgow’s 11 while also adding another win for goalie Brayden Hansen.

The Dawgs played a clean third period until Barnett took a seat for tripping with 2:38 left. Then a dust-up with 18 seconds left on the clock gave the Dawgs five more infractions. Siefert was called for head contact and misconduct, as well as a game misconduct. Regalado was called for charging and a game misconduct. Siefert and Regalado were also penalized a full game, meaning they will miss their home game against Havre this Saturday evening.

The Ice Dawgs will host the Havre Ice Hawks this weekend at the Valley Event Center. The teams will face off at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, and at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 9.