The soundtrack for warm-ups prior to Eden Prairie’s game at Edina on Thursday night contained several classic rock songs, including Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman.”
The tune and it’s driving bassline provided plenty of positive vibes for Eagles sophomore Rio Tysk, who found his rhythm against the Hornets.
The attackman scored three goals and had an assist as Eden Prairie pounded rival Edina 10-4 in a Lake Conference matchup at Kuhlman Field in Edina. The Eagles, who are ranked No. 6 in the coaches poll, improved to 8-3 overall and 5-2 in league play with the victory over the No. 10 Hornets (4-6, 4-3).
Tysk said the music creates a little extra flair during warmups and helps instill a better attitude heading into the game.
“It’s always awesome trying to show off,” Tysk said jokingly.
Teammate Nick Leiverman said Tysk definitely has a unique personality, one that is anything but boring.
“He’s a little weird,” said Leiverman, who also scored three goals in the victory. “But a good weird.”
Tysk’s performance Thursday night is the type of dynamic scoring the first-year varsity player had hoped to contribute to the Eagles’ offense from the season’s start, but he was unable to live up to his own expectations and lost some confidence, tallying just three goals in his first six games.
Tysk said the experience taught him that he needs to stay calm and his offense will come.
“I was psyching myself out in the beginning of the season, but I’m starting to get in the groove of things,” he said.
Tysk has regained his confidence and his scoring touch, and has recorded multi-goal games in each of Eden Prairie’s last two victories, including Thursday when his first career hat trick helped sink the Hornets.
Eden Prairie coach Ryan Ward said the Eagles’ coaching staff never lost faith in Tysk’s transition to the faster varsity game.
“I’m really happy to see Rio Tysk play confident, and be the player we knew he could be and will be down the stretch,” Ward said.
Tysk has more than doubled his goal total in the last three games and has eight heading in the final weeks of the regular season.
Tysk and Leiverman, another of the Eagles’ talented sophomore class, are expect to step into larger roles in significant games, Ward said.
“Those two guys in particular are huge players for us,” Ward said. “It’s a team effort and those guys are a big piece of the puzzle.”
Leiverman, whose hat trick on Thursday raised his season total to 10 goals and 20 points, said he is ready for the responsibility of being one of Eden Prairie’s go-to players.
“Knowing that we’re going to be the next guys for the next couple of years will be pretty awesome,” he said.
It’s a role that’s not too large for Leiverman, who was a member of the Eagles’ hockey team that took fourth place at the Class 2A state tournament this year and scored 24 goals and 41 points as a freshman for Eden Prairie’s state champion lacrosse team last year.
Eden Prairie split the regular-season series with Edina, but the teams could meet again in the Section 2 playoffs. A potential postseason matchup is not lost on Leiverman, who scored a goal and had an assist in a 14-9 win over the Hornets in last year’s section final.
“It’ll probably be that (matchup) again,” Leiverman said with an anticipatory grin.
