Fri. Jan. 9 SPS v. Lawrenceville W 3 - 2
Big Comeback for SPS as the top Lawrenceville 3 - 2
A great night for the Big Red of Millville as they hosted the Big Red from Lawrenceville, NJ in the Annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night. After the ceremonial puck drop by our own Avery Smith (faculty child) with Co Captain
Tess Mulkerron (both cancer survivors) and the Lawrenceville captain, the contest got underway. The action was fast and furious early on as SPS peppered the Lawrenceville net with 15 shots in the first period – many of them quality chances, but the NJ side held strong, and their goaltender was super controlling rebounds and limiting second chances. Fortunately,
Paige MacPhee was equally excellent in the Big Red net stopping all Lawrenceville shots and the period ended 0 – 0.
Lawrenceville came out strong in the second period and used their strength and grit to create more chances. SPS could not get the looks on goal that they would have liked and were kept on the perimeter for much of the stanza. Six minutes into the period, and on a powerplay, Lawrenceville would take advantage of some space at the top of the circle, and a nice shot opened the scoring. SPS rallied but could not equalize before the period ended.
SPS knew they had their work cut out for them but before they got going Lawrenceville used their speed to create some wide space and found the side netting to make it 2 – 0. It may have been the dreaded two goal lead that lit the fire under the Big Red. Three minutes later SPS took advantage of a 5 on 3 powerplay when the puck moved from
Madelyn Humber to
Chelsea Bell at the point whose shot was tipped by
Madeline Allen in front. Game on.
Six minutes later, after constant pressure, it would be
Cadence Crowley who deftly picked up the rebound of a
Malin Wilde shot to even the score at 2. Eight minutes to play and the SPS energy on the bench was high - each player elevating another. With but 1:25 to play,
Alexis Rodriguez made a super backcheck through the neutral zone and picked the pocket of the Lawrenceville attacker. She followed that with an indirect pass to a streaking
Maealie Glanzer who with three more strides was just off to the goaltender's right side.
Maealie Glanzer sniped the upper left corner and the celebration erupted on the ice, on the bench and in the Hockey Center. SPS had to bear down in the final minute as Lawrenceville pressed with their goaltender out, and the Big Red held strong. An impressive 3 – 2 team victory.
