Columbia’s Adam Pozniak corrals the puck during the Dec. 21 contest against Freeburg-Waterloo. (Corey Saathoff photo)

The Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association regular season is nearing its end point before the playoffs, with both Freeburg-Waterloo and Columbia firmly entrenched atop the league standings.

The two rivals will clash again this week, with the Ice Eagles seeking to avenge a narrow December defeat.

The Raging Bulldogs entered play this week still unbeaten, but a 4-1 loss to O’Fallon changed that. Freeburg-Waterloo is now 13-1-1 on the season. O’Fallon sits in third place behind Freeburg-Waterloo and Columbia with a 12-3-1 record. 

On Thursday, Freeburg-Waterloo blasted Wood River on senior night, 12-0. 

Nathan Metz scored four goals with three assists, with Frankie Libera and Nick Mumford adding two goals and two assists apiece.

Jacob Pitt also netted two goals.

Last Tuesday, the Raging Bulldogs downed Highland by the same 12-0 score.

Paul Malacarne netted the hat trick for Freeburg-Waterloo with an assist. Blake Reisner added two goals and an assist. Aiden Schlichting also scored two goals.

Freeburg-Waterloo will take on rival Columbia this Thursday night in Granite City.

Raging Bulldogs goalie Trevor Smith continues to reign supreme in net, posting a league-leading goals against average of 1.27 with a save percentage of .956.

Mumford leads Freeburg-Waterloo in scoring with 23 points (15 goals, eight assists).

Columbia (12-1-2) also continues to win, posting victories over Highland on Thursday and Edwardsville last Tuesday.

Kyle Budde netted two goals and Sean Hofstetter contributed a goal and three assists for the Ice Eagles in the 6-3 win over Highland.

Hudson Miller scored four goals, Hofstetter added two goals and two assists, and Jacob Matthews contributed a goal and three assists in the 11-0 win over Edwardsville.

Hofstetter and Miller are both tied for fifth in the MVCHA in goals this season with 23 entering play this week.

Freeburg-Waterloo edged Columbia, 2-1, in a hard-fought contest played before a capacity crowd at the Granite City Ice Arena on Dec. 21.