Just one regular season game remains for both local hockey squads as the playoffs loom in February.

For the Freeburg-Waterloo Raging Bulldogs, the Varsity 2A division of the Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association has been difficult of late.

The Raging Bulldogs (8-12-3) started the season 8-3-1 but haven’t won a game since Dec. 9. 

Last Tuesday, it was an 8-3 loss to O’Fallon. Freeburg-Waterloo trailed just 4-3 after two periods but faded away late. 

Layne Wilkens led Freeburg-Waterloo with two goals and an assist. 

On Monday night, the Raging Bulldogs fell 6-2 to Vianney to drop into last place in 2A. Scoring goals for Freeburg-Waterloo were Alex Schilling and Braden Neff. Logan Sherman made 27 saves in net.

The Raging Bulldogs conclude their regular season at 9 p.m. Thursday against O’Fallon at the McKendree Metro Rec Plex in O’Fallon. 

Wilkens, the senior captain, leads Freeburg-Waterloo in scoring this season with 17 goals and 15 assists.

For the Columbia Eagles, things are looking up of late. 

Columbia (15-5-3) has won five of its past six contests and remains atop the MVCHA Varsity 1A standings. 

Last Tuesday, the Eagles picked up a 4-1 victory over Belleville. Anderson Judy scored twice and added an assist. Dalton Fitzgerald stopped 12 of 13 shots in net for Columbia. 

On Thursday, it was a 12-2 blasting of East Alton-Wood River for the Eagles. Jack Reuss, the senior captain, scored seven goals and had two assists. Mikah Meinhardt added a goal and three assists. Fitzgerald made 26 saves. 

On Monday night, Columbia won 5-1 over Alton, getting goals from five different players. Reuss, Jacob Hall and Mason Niedbalski each recorded a goal and an assist. 

Columbia battles Triad at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in O’Fallon. 

With 47 goals and 16 assists, Reuss leads the entire MVCHA in scoring.