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Verona defeats Janesville Bluebirds

Some goals are more difficult to take than others.

Verona scored with just 15 seconds left in the second period en route to a 4-1 victory over Janesville in a Big Eight Conference hockey match Thursday night at the Janesville Ice Arena.

The Wildcats, considered the conference favorite, went to 3-0-0 overall and 1-0 in the league.

Coach John Mauermann's Bluebirds lost their first game of the season in falling 4-1, including 1-1 in the conference.

Janesville trailed just 2-1 on J.T. Smithback's goal from Mike Money and Dane Tyler late in the second period. Verona answered with a goal by Tarek Barker just 15 seconds before the period ended, putting the Wildcats back in command.

"Verona is a good team," Mauermann said. "The disappointing thing is at the end of both the first and second periods, they outplayed us. That goal with 15 seconds left in the period was a real backbreaker.

"But we were still there," Mauermann said. "We had opportunities. The kids played hard. That (Verona) is a good team, bottom line."

The Bluebirds are idle until next Thursday when they host Middleton.

VERONA 4, JANESVILLE 1

Verona 1 2 1—4

Janesville 0 1 0—1

First Period

V—Eddie Matsushima (Michael Stevens, Zach Jones), 8:03.

Second Period

V—Brogan Baker (Charlie Parker, Tarek Barker), 6:53. J—J.T. Smithback (Mike Money, Dane Tyler), 13:12. V—Barker (Zac Keryluk), 16:45.

Third Period

V—Louie Ellis (Jones), 8:38.

Saves—Travis Dahlk (V) 11, Michael MacDougall (J) 23.