Beloit Memorial hockey team rallies to edge Janesville 4-2

JANESVILLE — Beloit Memorial’s boys hockey team has scuffled through some rough patches over the course of its season, but for the past two nights the Purple Knights had nothing but smiles.

Wednesday they blanked Whitefish Bay at home 6-0 and Thursday they rode that momentum right through a 4-2 victory over the Janesville Bluebirds at the Janesville Ice Arena for their first Big Eight Conference victory of the season.

The Knights (8-15-0 overall) trailed heading to the third period 2-1, but scored three unanswered goals to pull out the victory.

Beloit had scored first in the game with Nathan Fiebig tallying at the 10:07 mark on assists by Cole Rowald and Logan Tysse.

Janesville got on the board at 3:45 of the second period when Bryce Sullivan tied the game. Sullivan put the Bluebirds on top 2-1 at 10:02 with a power-play goal.

Beloit’s Brayden Lane tied the game at 2-2 at 2:43 of the third period, scoring off assists from Preston Mayberry and Anthony Ferrera.

The Knights took the lead at 3-2 when Lane and Mayberry assisted on a goal by Jaxon Walenga with 13:54 remaining. Payton Whalen capped off the win with an empty-netter at 16:36 as Janesville pulled its goaltender trying desperately to tie the game.

Beloit outshot Janesville 46-27. Winning goaltender Gentry Grant had 25 saves while Janesville’s Kaleb Erickson had 42.

The Knights were whistled for seven penalties and Janesville drew six.

• BOXSCORE:

BELOIT 4, JANESVILLE 2

Beloit Memorial 1 0 3 — 4

Janesville 0 2 0 — 2

FIRST PERIOD: BM, Fiebig (C. Rowald, Tysse), 10:07.

SECOND PERIOD: J, Sullivan (Naveo), 3:45; J, Sullivan (unassisted), 10:02 (pp).

THIRD PERIOD: BM, Lane (Mayberry, Ferrera), 2:43; BM, Walenga (Lane, Mayberry), 13:54; BM, Whalen (unassisted), 16:36 (empty net).

Saves: BM (Grant) 8-8-9-25; J (Erickson) 7-17-18-42. Penalties: BM 7-14, J 6-12.