By Craig Marx, Editor

Antigo hockey had a 3-0 lead over the Notre Dame Academy Tritons at the Langlade County Multi-Purpose Building on Tuesday night when a power play goal by the visitors in the second period caused a Robins’ collapse. Antigo would eventually go on to lose 4-3 on its home ice.

The Robins entered Tuesday night’s contest having lost the final tilt of its annual holiday tournament to Middleton 4-2. Antigo defeated Bay Port the previous evening 3-2 in overtime, thanks to a CJ Levis game-winning goal, to make it to the tourney’s championship game.

Antigo began the season ranked inside the top ten of Wisconsin Prep Hockey’s weekly poll but as of this past Monday fell to an honorable mention.

A first period goal from forward Adam Schmidt and a man-advantage score from defenseman Jack Shinners helped give Antigo a 2-0 lead over Notre Dame heading into the first intermission. At the 9:34 mark of the second period, Tyler Husnick netted the Robins’ third goal of the evening with help from Eric Langseth.

Husnick was called for holding less than two minutes later, where the Tritons capitalized on a power play with a Mike Gregoire goal at the 12:02 mark of the second frame.

With slightly more than two minutes remaining before the intermission, Notre Dame’s Brady Bjork was able to get the Tritons within a goal of tying the Robins after scoring unassisted. As time ran down with a minute left before heading to the locker room, left wing Bryce Poshak evened the contest at three all with the game-tying goal coming at the 16:10 mark of the second period.

Shots were even at eight apiece in the third period until a last minute score from a senior Triton forward, Stephen Lovell, gave Notre Dame the 4-3 lead with only 38 seconds remaining in regulation.

In all, senior goaltender Ben Bartletti came away with 25 saves on the night, while Notre Dame’s netminder, Bo Buckley, recorded 22. Bartletti is still ranked No. 9 in the state this year in terms of goals allowed average at 1.63.

The Robins are now 9-4 on the season and began another three-game road stretch later this week. Antigo faces KM/Mukwonago this Friday at 7:45 PM from Naga-Waukee Park Ice Arena, and faces off against Waukesha on Saturday at 8 PM. The Robins finish up their road stint at Waupaca next Thursday at 7 PM.