Bears Grab Back-to-Back Wins

The Fond du Lac Bears put together a commanding weekend performance, securing a 9-2 victory over the Fox Cities Ice Dogs on Friday night before shutting out the M&M Shamrocks 7-0 on Saturday. With strong offensive contributions and stellar goaltending, the Bears kept themselves in the hunt for a GLHL regular season title as the season nears its end.

Friday Night Recap

The Bears wasted no time asserting their dominance against the Fox Cities Ice Dogs at the Appleton Family Ice Center on Friday. Fond du Lac jumped out to an early lead with three first-period goals, setting the tone for the night. Ryan Sabel opened the scoring at 18:25, finishing off a feed from Nick Monfils. Connor Martin and Matt Letmanski added to the tally, giving the Bears a 3-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

Fox Cities responded in the second period, cutting the deficit to 3-1, but the Bears quickly regained control. Micah Buchholz and Nick Monfils each found the back of the net, extending the lead to 5-1. The Ice Dogs managed to sneak in a late power-play goal with just nine seconds left in the period, but it did little to slow Fond du Lac’s momentum.

The Bears continued to pour it on in the third period, with Monfils netting his second of the game, followed by two more goals from Letmanski to complete his hat trick. Malachi Buchholz capped off the scoring at 3:07, putting the finishing touches on a decisive 9-2 victory. Goaltender Justin Davidson was rock solid between the pipes, turning away 29 of 31 shots for an impressive .935 save percentage.

Shutout in Marinette

Coming off their high-scoring performance on Friday, the Bears carried that momentum into Marinette, where they faced off against the M&M Shamrocks. This time, the story of the night was not just the offense but also an exceptional defensive effort.

The Bears jumped ahead early once again, lighting the lamp four times in the first period. Danny Roe opened the scoring at 16:07, followed by back-to-back goals from Brady Beekman. With just two seconds remaining in the period, Nolan McDermott buried a late goal to give the Bears a 4-0 lead.

The second period saw more of the same from Fond du Lac. Tom Glomski added his name to the scoresheet at 17:19, followed by an unassisted goal from Malachi Buchholz. Dayne Deanovich wrapped up the scoring with a goal at 0:03, extending the lead to 7-0.

The third period saw the Bears continue their strong defensive play, keeping the Shamrocks off the scoreboard. The shutout effort was highlighted by a standout performance from Alex Kruger, who turned away all 24 shots he faced, securing a perfect night in net.

Looking Ahead

With two dominant wins in the books, the Bears kept themselves alive in the race for a GLHL regular season title. They will need some help as they trail Portage Lake by three points with only two games remaining, and the Pioneers have a game in hand. The Bears will take the weekend off from GLHL play, as they travel all the way to Texas for a two-game set with the Mansfield Barracudas of the MHL.