Girls’ hockey took a hard 0-5 loss to Milton Saturday, Jan. 10. Despite the defeat, the Tigers demonstrated resilience, with a standout performance from sophomore Ellery Hanson, a goalie.
Head coach Chris Donovan said, “I was proud that my players never quit, and always have their heads up.”
Milton, with a current record of 8-1, appeared to be a tough opponent to beat, according to Ellery Hanson.. However, she said that the Tigers viewed the game as a learning opportunity. “Despite how talented of a team they are, we were able to stay with Milton for most of the game,” she said.
Throughout the first period, the Tigers kept their back line strong, maintaining a 0-0 score. Led by Ellery Hanson, North’s defense had impressive moments of keeping Milton’s offense at bay.
The Tigers strung passes together as they skated down the ice, keeping their focus on the net and attempting a few quick shots. However, Milton pushed back and kept possession of the puck on the Tigers’ side.
The Tigers had trouble getting shots off, as Milton’s strong offense continued to fire at the goal. “We want to continue being in the right position the whole game,” said sophomore Willa Hanson. “If we do that, we will score more goals.”
As the second period started, Milton came out strong, but North displayed great determination. Each player visibly devoted themself toward preventing Milton from scoring.
Sophomore Jillian Fialkosky said, “Our team’s defensive plays showed the effort we were each putting in and kept us in the game for a longer period of time.”
With 3 minutes remaining in the second period, Milton raced down the ice and shot the puck right into the back of the Tigers’ net. Two minutes later, with only a few seconds left on the clock, Milton slid in another shot, this time right above Ellery Hanson’s head, resulting in a 2-0 score.
As the third period began, North was still down 2-0, but the Tigers kept their heads up. For the first 5 minutes of the period, the Tigers kept Milton scoreless. The Tigers took two close shots on net to no avail.
As the time expired, Milton had a power play and secured a goal.
During the last 8 minutes of the game, North substituted goalies , and the fans applauded Ellery Hanson’s spectacular performance. Willa Hanson echoed the crowd’s sentiment, saying, “Ellery was outstanding, saving so many shots and keeping us in the game.”
Shortly after the substitution, Milton connected passes together and found the back of North’s net again.
Milton then scored its final goal by stealing the puck and racing toward the net, slipping past the Tigers’ defense in the last few seconds. The Tigers, however, kept a brave face and continued fighting with fortitude until the buzzer.
According to Donovan, the team will focus on its offense in preparation for the next matchup. The Tigers will also prioritize maintaining good positioning, Donovan added.
North, 2-5-1, will take on Braintree at home Wednesday, Jan. 14.
