News Photo by Jonny Zawacki Alpena’s Matt Thompson (4) sends a wrist shot at the Cadillac net during the first period of a Big North Conference hockey game on Wednesday at Northern Lights Arena. Thompson scored four goals in the Wildcat victory.

ALPENA — The 2021-2022 season has been a rollercoaster ride for the Alpena High hockey team.

After a scorching start to the season, the Wildcats hit a lull and have been up and down as of late, but the Wildcats are trying to hit their stride and build momentum heading into the postseason.

Wednesday night was much like the Wildcats’ season, a mix of ups and downs. Despite a slow start, Alpena (12-12, 7-2 Big North Conference) skated away with an 8-2 victory over Big North Conference foe, Cadillac (8-16, 0-10 BNC) at Northern Lights Arena.

“The slow start was strange. Our D-zone was atrocious tonight and after the first period we made some adjustments,” Alpena coach Ben Henry said. “After the first we were better. We started scoring more goals, our power play looked good. We mixed some things up so it was fun to work on different lines today and we played extremely well after that first period.”

The Wildcats surrendered a pair of goals in the first six and a half minutes of the game. Cadillac got a goal off a faceoff in the Wildcat zone as Kaleb McKinley found the back of the net two minutes into the contest.

Four minutes later Fisher Moore put the Vikings on top 2-0 after getting a puck past Aidan Schultz.

The Wildcats got on the board as Harrison Kasubowski lit the lamp on a shot from just inside the blue line and beat Cadillac goaltender Dylan Quartz.

Alpena took advantage of a power-play opportunity and tied the game with a 1:52 left in the first when Matt Thompson collected a rebound off of Anden Marceau and snuck the puck into the back of the net.

Just 22 seconds later, the Wildcats scored their third unanswered goal. Marceau floated a puck at the net that made its way past Quartz as Alpena took a 3-2 lead into the second period.

The Wildcats kept the momentum going and scored a flurry of second period goals.

Midway through the period, Marceau notched his second goal of the game, redirecting a shot from Kaszubowski. Thompson added the final two goals of the period to record a hat trick.

Alpena held a commanding 6-2 lead after two periods.

“I don’t care how the puck goes in just as long as it gets in the net. We were going to the net a lot better today and it’s a good way to score goals and that’s how we’re going to have to score goals over these next few weeks,” Henry said. “Overall we did a lot better as the game went on. It’s hard for your forwards to do anything if the defense isn’t playing well. The play starts with the defensemen and I thought our defensemen stepped up in the second and third periods.”

The Wildcats put an exclamation point on a big night, ultimately scoring eight unanswered goals.

They added a pair in the third period as Reid Meinhardt found the back of the net and Thompson matched his jersey number with his fourth goal of the game and Alpena’s final goal.

“We just can’t have the slow starts anymore. We’re too late in the season and with playoffs coming up, falling behind 2-0 to anybody would not be ideal,” Henry said. “When we’re on our game and playing our best we are a scary good team. I believe in our guys and believe in this team.”

The Wildcats will look to keep their momentum going and end the regular season with a win on Saturday as they host rival Traverse City Central in the regular season and home finale at 3 p.m. for their annual Purple Game.

Alpena has secured the top seed in the region and will face off against Cheboygan next Thursday at 7 p.m. in Gaylord when postseason play begins for the Wildcats.