ONALASKA — The Onalaska/La Crosse co-op boys hockey team was feeling pretty good after winning a big rivalry game and preparing for a big nonconference game against visiting Monona Grove just a month ago.
A 6-3 victory over the Avalanche on Dec. 16 gave the Hilltoppers a 4-0 start to the season, and the offense was cruising along with 25 goals.
But a disappointing 7-1 loss to the Silver Eagles at the OmniCenter made clear the fact that better defense was going to be needed if Onalaska/La Crosse was going to make the most of the season.
There are many aspects to making that happen, but goaltending anchors the process, and junior Parker Tripp was up for the challenge.
“He’s an athlete, not just a goaltender,” Onalaska/La Crosse coach Drew Kjos said. “He’s really shown that athleticism in net, and he gets some saves that your typical goalie won’t make, and he’s taken some big steps.”
Kjos hopes the next comes tonight when the first-place Hilltoppers (13-2 overall, 6-0 Western Wisconsin Hockey Conference) play the second-place Avalanche (9-9, 4-2) at the OmniCenter.
The Onalaska/La Crosse defense has allowed 13 goals in the 10 games that followed the loss to Monona Grove, and Tripp shut out three straight opponents during at one point during that stretch.
“I think we have a lot of newer people step[ping up and playing their roles better,” Tripp said after Onalaska/La Crosse beat West Salem/Bangor 6-0 last week.
Tripp, a junior at Central, has allowed 27 goals in 15 games this season with a goals-against average of 1.86. He stopped 21 shots in an 8-0 win over Viroqua on Jan. 12, 16 against Winona the next day and 17 against the Panthers two days later.
Tripp also stopped 28 shots in a 6-0 win over Black River Falls on Jan. 8.
He has allowed three in the past two games, but two were in a 2-0 loss to Waunakee (11-3-1), and he followed that up by stopping 23 shots in a 2-1 win over Tomah/Sparta.
Kjos and Tripp credit assistant coach Jackson Peterson with helping Tripp zero in on the things he has worked on to improve his game.
“It’s been nice for (Tripp) to be able to work with a former goaltender,” Kjos said. “I played offense and was a skater, so it’s been nice for him to get some one-on-one time with someone who knows a lot about goaltending.”
Tripp said working angles has been a top priority during his third season with the varsity. He also played in 24 games as a sophomore and 17 as a freshman.
“Last year, honestly, my angles weren’t the best,” Tripp said of a performance that included a goal-against average of 3.36. “It helps that coach JP was a good goalie, and he has helped a lot with that. “I feel like I’ve gotten better.”
Another big performance from Tripp and defensemen like Jackson Egan, Jesse Lycke and Noah Witcik in front of him against the Avalanche, who have won two of their past three games and have four players with at least 10 goals this season.
Sophomore James Siegert has 13 goals and senior Jack Barth 12 to lead the way.
Central senior Logan Sauter is tied with Siegert with 13 goals and leads the Hilltoppers in that category.
