By Max Clifford
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Needham High School girls’ varsity hockey got into a physical battle with Milton at Babson College Hockey rink last Wednesday night. The Rockets jumped out to an early lead, but the Wildcats overwhelmed in the second and third periods to hand Needham a 2-1 defeat.
The opening minutes of Wednesday’s game saw Needham take to the offensive attack. Their best attempts on the goal ended up being stopped short until Lily Schmalz made good on an assist from Emmie Verville with just under four minutes remaining in the period. Allie Curtis held strong in the net, keeping the Wildcats out of the net to preserve the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
A Needham penalty in the closing seconds of the first set up Milton with a power play to begin the second. With just 10 seconds run off the penalty, a second infraction put the Rockets down three skaters to five for the better part of two minutes. Controlling the puck on the offensive attack, Needham was able to kill off both penalties without a test for Curtis.
While they could not cash in on their power play opportunities, the Wildcats cracked the code with the teams back at even strength. With assists from Grace Analetto and Mairin Hart, sophomore Mary Lovett tied the contest at one apiece with just over three minutes remaining in the second period.
Bella D’Amelio gave Needham a chance to retake the lead before the second intermission when she intercepted a Milton pass and made a dash for the goal. Between the fast break opportunity and a power play to close out the frame, the Rockets got the looks they wanted but could not slip one past Milton’s Lila Chamoun. The game remained tied at the second intermission.
In the third period, Milton’s Maggie Mullen provided the difference-maker, launching a shot from distance to make good on a power play opportunity.
The Rockets tried everything they could to tie the game up late, but Chamoun was unflappable in net for the Wildcats. The 2-1 victory finished off an unbeaten month of January for Milton and handed the Rockets their third loss of the season.
Needham returns to their home ice at Babson to host Braintree at 7:30 on Saturday night.
