SUPERIOR — As a top-10 statewide goal scorer in each of the past four seasons, Grand Rapids/Greenway forward Mercury Bischoff has become synonymous with all things offense over her illustrious career with the Lightning.
Less heralded is the Minnesota State commit’s responsible play in her own zone as a 200-foot player — an area of the game that’s grown the most during her senior season, according to head coach Brad Hyduke.
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“She’s become a much more sound defensive player, and not coincidentally, that’s led to more points, in my opinion,” said Hyduke.
“I think when you’re both really sound in your defensive end, you get to go play more offense, and she’s been a leader for us defensively this year just as much as offensively. So we really appreciate that growth in her game,” he added.
The backchecking ability was exemplified during the second period of a game against Superior when Bischoff used her elite speed to catch up to Spartans leading scorer Makaela Reinke on a breakaway after an errant pass on the power play.
Before Reinke could release a shot on goaltender Claire Tobeck, Bischoff stripped it away and was back skating towards the offensive zone in a flash.
Her selfless play even extends to shot blocking as well, according to Hyduke.
“She’s actually one of our top shot blockers among wings, and so she’s not afraid to give herself up,” said Hyduke. “She’s learned to become, as a mature player, a lot better positionally.”
The 5-foot-5 scoring dynamo hasn’t sacrificed any of her goalscoring and playmaking ability as she currently ranks first in the state with 41 goals —including two scored against the Spartans on Tuesday at Superior Ice Arena.
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Bischoff, playing wing on the second line with Kate Carlson and Abby Skelly, was one of six different skaters to record a goal for the Lightning in a convincing 10-1 win.
“It was really awesome to see that all of the lines were contributing…,” said Bischoff. “It’s nice that our first line doesn’t have as much pressure because like sometimes they focus a lot on me so it leaves other lines open, so it’s really nice to see them all scoring.”
Bischoff broke the seal at the 6:30 mark of the opening period with her 40th goal of the season after carrying the puck along the boards and through the neutral zone before driving the net on her forehand, switching to her backhand and tucking it in the net.
Makenna Sobtzak and Ryleigh Sherlock followed up Bischoff’s opening tally with two more goals in a span of six minutes to increase GRG’s lead to 3-0. Opal Anderson, who finished the game with a hat trick, put an exclamation mark on the dominant opening 17 minutes with a top-shelf snipe blocker-side.
The Spartans were outshot 21-0 in the first period in what Superior head coach Doug Trentor admitted was a sluggish start for his club.
“I think we started slow, we got ourselves in too deep, obviously,” he said. But the resolve of these kids, they battled all the way through and that’s what we like to see. We challenge them to not give up. Forget about the scoreboard, fight for each other and they really did.”
The visitors kept their foot on the gas in the middle frame with five more goals from Anderson, Sherlock, Sophie Carlson, Skelly and Bischoff before the Spartans got on the board with a goal by Reinke in the final minute of the period to make it 9-1.
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Reinke currently leads all Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association girls hockey players with 29 goals this season.
After the scoring barrage in the first two periods, Anderson completed the hat trick with the lone goal of the final frame with assists from Kylie Debay and Nina Hofstad.
GRG goaltender Tobeck finished 10 saves, while Superior's Kaylie Nault stopped 37.
The Lightning (14-4-1) will travel to Andover on Friday, Jan. 17, to take on the Huskies at 7 p.m. The Spartans (13-2) will be on the road for their next matchup against Hudson on Saturday, Jan. 18.
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