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By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Trailing 2-0 late in the third period to Oakmont Regional on Wednesday night, all hope seemed lost for the Dover-Sherborn/Hopkinton High School varsity girls hockey team. But then, the DS girls staged an improbable comeback, scoring two goals in less than a minute span to retain a 2-2 tie.
After tying the game at two against Oakmont late on Wednesday evening, the lady-Raiders gather to listen to head coach Nick Grout during a timeout with 50 seconds to play.
Despite a set of incredible scoring opportunities early in the third period during two power plays, the lady-Raiders were unable to cut into the deficit heading into the late stages of regulation.
With 4:35 remaining, senior defenseman Madison Pawela finally broke through for DS/Hopkinton with a shot from the point that found its way through a crowd of bodies and into the back of the net to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. Seizing all of the momentum, DS/Hopkinton then took control off of the ensuing faceoff and worked a cycle game in the Oakmont end in search of the tying goal. Less than a minute after the Pawela goal at 4:35, DS/Hopkinton freshman forward Maddie Mezitt slammed home the rebound on a scramble in front of the net to tie the game at two with 3:49 remaining to send the Raider bench into a frenzy.
With 50 seconds to play, Oakmont called a timeout before a faceoff in the DS/Hopkinton end. The Raiders were able to win the ensuing draw and clear the puck to preserve their second tie of the season.
DS/Hopkinton will look to build off of the momentum from this comeback when they close out the regular season with a pair of non-conference games against Shawsheen on February 18 before traveling to Bishop Stang on February 22.
