The Oxford Wildcats hockey team finally broke out of its severe slump with a 10-0 mercy defeat of the Lake Fenton Blue Devils, after dropping games to Bloomfield and Lapeer West earlier in the week. The win snaps the Cats nine-game losing streak, the longest in team history.
Earlier in the week, Oxford played a make-up game against the Lapeer West Panthers, and came out on the losing end with a 4-2 decision. Oxford stayed with the defending league champs for most of the game, but a couple of early goals by the Panthers proved to be the difference. Oxford’s Josh DeBruyne and JT Anderson scored goals for the home team, and Kyle Geiger made 27 saves in a losing effort.
The Wildcats were severely overmatched against Bloomfield and lost the game by a 7-1 score, being outshot 42-15. Sean Degler scored the only Oxford goal.
Feb. 7, however, everything changed for the Cats. Degler scored a season high four goals in the game, including the game winner. Anderson and Zac Clark added two goals each, and Mike Szabo and Kyle Ignagni each scored as well, as the Wildcats mercied the Blue Devils early in the third period.
“It feels good to get our first win in ’04,” said senior forward DeBruyne, “It definitely gives the team confidence after being in a nine game winless streak.”
Goaltender Brian Beaupied (a.k.a., Mr. Zero) recorded his first win of the season stopping all six of the Blue Devils’ shots. Beaupied marked his first shutout of the season and the second of his high school career, both coming against Lake Fenton.
Oxford now hopes to build off of their first win of 2004 when they travel to Heartland Ice Arena on Feb. 11 for a rematch with the Fenton Tigers. Oxford lost the last meeting between the two by a score of 6-2.
Mike Stechschulte is a junior at Oxford High School who plans to major in the field of journalism.