Randolph Girls Ice Hockey tied Madison 1-1 at Skylands rink on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Strong team efforts from both sides kept the game deadlocked, as neither team could break through to win.
At the start of the first period, the Rams came out determined to give their all. They had previously played Madison four times this season, and Randolph looked confident and ready to secure the win. The Rams fired off numerous shots, with sophomore Lia Carroll breaking through with a goal.
The Randolph forwards kept creating opportunities and speed, while making sure to backcheck all Madison players trying to go down the ice with the puck, and their efforts paid off.
“We played very hard and paid attention to the little things that make us a good team,” head coach Scott Aiello commented.
The second period was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams fighting hard for control. Randolph’s defense was rock solid, consistently getting the puck out of the zone and communicating well with the rest of the team. Both teams had their moments, but neither was able to capitalize on them, ending the period 1-0.
When the final period started, the Rams appeared determined to keep their lead, maintaining their intensity and making smart passes. The skaters’ speed and coordination were on display as Randolph controlled the game and began to irritate the opponents.
However, despite this strong performance from Randolph, Madison managed to break through and score, leading to a 1-1 tie. As the clock ran down, the Rams applied relentless pressure on their opponents, but failed to score to break the tie.
At the sound of the final buzzer, Madison’s coach made the decision not to go into overtime, calling the game over. With the Dodgers goalie under constant pressure and the Rams looking increasingly dominant, the Madison coach may not have wanted to risk a potential loss in overtime.
“Our energy that we brought to the game was contagious and motivated,” co-captain Jackie Mars commented.
The Rams put in the work, and despite the tie, they dominated the game and shut down Madison. They are ready for continued success as they head into the first round of the state playoffs on Monday, Feb. 24, against Kent Place.
