Merchant Scores Four, EHS Routs Kennedy

To succeed in the postseason, teams must play three solid periods every game.

The Eagan boys hockey team put forth that kind of effort Saturday afternoon, routing Bloomington Kennedy 12-1.

Will Merchant scored four times and Michael Zajac had a goal and five assists for the Wildcats, who improved to 6-0-1 in the past seven games.

That includes an uninspiring 4-2 win over Eastview Thursday, in which Eagan had to score three times in the third period to secure the win.

“We didn’t come out all that good in the first in that game,” Merchant said. “We came out strong in the first today. It was good.”

Eagan (16-5-2, 11-3-2 South Suburban Conference) led 6-0 after the opening period, outshooting the Eagles 28-1.

Brady Loew scored shorthanded at 6:48 and Merchant scored his first of the game 19 seconds later. Zajac and Eli May scored power-play goals before Tommy Nowariak and Sam Wolfe scored late in the period.

“I like the way we showed up and I like the way we moved the puck,” said Eagan coach Mike Taylor. “I didn’t think we showed up very well on Thursday night. I thought the guys were mentally ready for this game.”

Merchant scored on a slapshot early in the second and, after Derick Kuchera scored a power-play goal, Merchant completed his hat trick when a pass deflected off the skate of a Kennedy defenseman and into the net. Twenty-five seconds later he scored on a one-timer for a 10-0 Eagan lead.

The rout enabled some of Eagan’s third- and fourth-line players to see significant ice time in the final two periods. “I loved seeing those guys having success out there,” Wolfe said.

Players like Will Peterson, Zach Schultz, Zach Glienke and Matt Yetzer work just as hard in practice as guys like Merchant, Zajac, May and Wolfe, but get a fraction of the ice time.

“What’s nice is our top guys aren’t selfish,” Taylor said, noting some would have been fine not playing at all in the final period.

Peterson scored his second goal of the season early in the third, cutting in from the left circle and putting the puck just inside the far post. Cullen Willox got his first of the season when his shot from the left circle split the pads of goaltender Jonathon Kosiak and went across the line.

“It just shows how working hard pays off around here,” Wolfe said.

Kennedy (2-20, 0-15) scored during a 5-on-3 power-play midway through the third period.

With a Thursday game at Rosemount and Saturday home game with Bloomington Jefferson left on their schedule, a conference title is out of reach for the Wildcats, but a top seed for the upcoming section playoffs is very realistic.

“I want to see us play strong every period; first, second and third of both games,” Merchant said. “We want to hold onto that first seed for sections.”

Taylor said the theme for the regular season’s final week will be about competing hard from the first face-off to the final horn.

“That’s what gets you through in the regions. If everybody shows up and everybody competes for 51 minutes, then you’ve got a shot,” he said. “I think if we needed all 51 we would have had it today. When this team shows up like they did in the first period, they’re pretty good.”