Freshman Joe Roemer's first high school varsity goal will be one to remember, as he scored the game-winner in overtime to send Oregon to a 4-3 win over Monroe in Badger South play on Tuesday night at Oregon Ice Arena.
Roemer, who had no points coming into the game, was immediately mobbed by his teammates following the winning goal.
"I'm more happy for him than I am that we won the game," said coach Larry Clemmens after the game.
Oregon got off to a fast start, scoring just 78 seconds into the game as Colton Eyers poked home a pass from Hogan Schulz to make it 1-0 Oregon in the first period.
Monroe would have the answer with only a couple of minutes in the first frame. The Cheesemakers got their first goal of the season when Payton Stauffacher backhanded a shot from behind goal, over the net, and off the back of Oregon's goalie, Colton Dailey, into goal to make it 1-1.
In the second period, just 17 seconds elapsed before Cooper Dreyfus hit a slow roller that eked across the goal line for the go-ahead score. It was just the fourth time in school history that Monroe had scored multiple goals against Oregon, and held a 2-1 lead until 6:03 gone by in the period. That's when Zak Roskos got just enough stick on an Adam Franken pass to slide the puck slowly past Heath Bear to even up the game at two goals apiece heading into the final frame.
A mostly clean battle between the teams took a turn midway through the third period, when Franken would go to the penalty box for a five-minute major penalty, giving Monroe a long power play to try and take the lead. Despite several chances, Colton Dailey turned away every shot, keeping Monroe off the board. Then, with only 2:05 left in the game and shortly after the Panthers killed off the long penalty, Colton Eyers got his second goal of the game on assists from Matt Strassman and Roskos to put Oregon ahead 3-2 late in the third period.
Monroe didn't go away quietly. A late bust-out saw a feed from Payton Stauffacher get sent in toward sgoal by Luke Kuberski, and Dreyfus was waiting in front to redirect the shot in to the left of the goalie to tie the game up at three with just 32 seconds left in regulation.
In overtime, the teams played even, but Joe Roemer got free on a pass from Ben Wiedholz, and the freshman tallied his first point of the year, an overtime game-winner to give Oregon the win.
The three goals scored by Monroe are tied for the most in team history against Oregon. Both one-goal losses are as close as Monroe has come to beating Oregon in history. Monroe's first-ever game as a hockey co-op was in the same venue against Oregon on November 20, 2012.
Oregon (8-6, 5-2): 1|1|1|1=4
Monroe (5-10, 1-6): 1|1|1|0=3
SCORING
1P 1:18 - Oregon: 20-Eyers from 3-Schulz - 1-0 OHS
1P 14:51 - Monroe: 14-Stauffacher unassisted - 1-1
2P 0:17 - Monroe: 19-Dreyfus unassisted - 2-1 MHS
2P 6:03 - Oregon: 10-Roskos from 8-Franken - 2-2
3P 15:55 - Oregon: 20-Eyers from 10-Roskos and 18-Strassman - 3-2 OHS
3P 16:28 - Monroe: 19-Dreyfus from 9-Kuberski and 14-Stauffacher - 3-3
OT 5:06 - Oregon: 7-Roemer from 24-Wiedholz - 4-3 OHS
PENALTIES
Oregon: 1-5:00 - 8-Franken - 5M 3P 7:46
Monroe: 1-2:00 - 21-Nafzger - 2M 2P 13:36
POWER PLAY: Oregon 0-1, Monroe 0-1
SHOTS: Stoughton 4-48, Monroe 3-23
GOALTENDERS: 35-Dailey (OHS) 20 Saves, 3 Goals Allowed (56:06)... 31-Bear (MHS) 44 Saves, 4 Goals Allowed (56:06)
Oregon Coach Larry Clemens Interview Below