Hockey season is underway, as the St. Croix Valley Fusion were the first to take the ice. The Fusion faced two of the state’s best teams, coming away with a 2-1 record through three.

The season opener against Red Wing did not break a sweat in an 8-0 win. Two goals from Lily Mittl and two more from Jenna Volgren set the win into motion. Volgren also tacked on a pair of assists to make it four points on the day. Goalie Katelyn Gustafson made eight saves to preserve the shutout.

Jenna is a freshman this year, and her older sister Jane, last season’s co-leader in points, is returning for a senior season. The team is returning the vast majority of its players from a year ago.

Next up was a home matchup against Black River Falls, a team that has had a back-and-forth rivalry of sorts with the Fusion. The two frequently meet in the regular and post-seasons. Black River Falls got on the board in just 22 seconds, but an answer from Jane Volgren in the first period got the Fusion the momentum.

“They were the team that bumped us out of the playoffs last year,” Head Coach Matt Cranston said. “They scored in the first shift. That’s tough for a high school team to come back from… We just said to heck with that, came back and scored.”

Volgren scored two more to make it a hat trick and Morgan Kivel found the back of the net to win 4-2.

Next up was Bay Area Co-op, a team that went an astonishing 23-1 a year ago, losing only to Blake, a Minnesota private school. Bay Area got the win this time around, scoring a pair early to win 5-1. The Fusion outshot Bay Area 32-30, which is a good sign for the road ahead.

“They’re crazy good,” Cranston said. “We lost 5-1 to them, but they scored on the first two shifts… It’s hard to fight back when that happens.”

Cranston said the team is already excelling in areas they want to, and they just need to turn up the heat as the year goes on.

“We’re trying to get in a little bit better shape. We are going to run three lines, unlike most Wisconsin teams,” Cranston said. “Try and wear people down.”

Boys Hockey

Tim Beres’ River Falls boys put on a scoring display over the opening weekend, beating Osseo 12-3 and Regis/Altoona/McDonnell 6-2.

“I just thought overall it was a great team effort. Two great wins for us,” Beres said. “Still a couple things to kind of clean up and work on.”

The Wildcats play fast and win battles in front of the net, making them tough to stop.

“We’re utilizing our speed. We want to play a fast transition game, and I think they’re starting to understand why we do some of the things that we do,” Beres said.

With first goals from Chase Weissinger, Bauer Ewing and Brayden Dodge, Beres was impressed with the showings from newcomers, underclassmen and players with increased roles this season.

“A lot of our underclassmen really stepped up, and they’re really starting to understand what their role is on the team,” Beres said.

To continue their winning ways, the team will have to remain disciplined and composed as Beres begins to layer systems together for more complex looks.

Senior captain Jaxon Flanagan is still proving why he is one of the best players in the area. Through two games, Flanagan has scored five goals and assisted on four more.

“There’s a lot to his game that makes him so great. He’s a smart player. He’s a guy that can really get in and out of traffic. He’s got really good hands. He sees the ice really well,” Beres said.

Beres said Flanagan has a rare art of deception and is as creative as it gets.