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By Michael Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
After finishing the regular season undefeated with a Bay State Conference championship on their resume, the Needham High School girls varsity hockey team earned the No. 1-overall seed in the 2016-2017 MIAA Division I Girls Ice Hockey Tournament. On Saturday night, Needham took to the ice for their first-round matchup with familiar foe, Weymouth, whom the Rockets had defeated twice in the regular season (6-1 on January 4, and 3-1 on February 1).
Despite their recent success against the Wildcats (11-9-1, 6-8-1), Saturday night’s contest was anything but easy for the Rockets (22-0-2, 15-0-0) as even while outplaying Weymouth thoroughly, the game required overtime after remaining knotted at one at the end of regulation. With 3:37 remaining in the extra period, sophomore forward Gracie Bruno played the role of hero by netting the game-winner while shorthanded to send Needham onto the quarterfinals.
Thanks to an incredible effort in net by sophomore goaltender Melissa Strauss (22 saves) in the early going, the Rockets were able to jump out to a 1-0 lead at the first intermission thanks to a goal on a breakaway by senior forward Elizabeth Hernberg near the end of the period. However, Weymouth battled back to tie the contest at one with a power play goal midway through the second period, as the game entered the final frame of regulation tied at one.
The Rockets swarmed the Weymouth end of the ice throughout the third period, putting shot after shot on net. However, the Wildcat net-minder stood tall and thwarted Needham from netting the tying goal. With two minutes left to play in the period, Elizabeth Hernberg was robbed on a two-on-one bid after an incredible glove stop by the Weymouth goaltender. Following the Hernberg chance, the Wildcats and Rockets finished regulation still tied at one, and the game headed to sudden-death overtime.
In the extra period, Melissa Strauss saved Needham’s season by coming up big on two Weymouth breakaway bids. After Needham went on the penalty kill with 4:30 remaining in overtime, it appeared that Weymouth was going to seize back all of the momentum. However, with 3:45 left, Needham was able to clear the puck out of their zone to Elizabeth Phalen who broke into the Weymouth zone on a two-on-two. Phalen fed a pass to a streaking Gracie Bruno who tucked the puck into the back of the net with 3:34 remaining to send Needham on to round two and cause Babson Skating Center to go into a state of insanity.
At the time of print, the lady-Rockets will take on St. Mary’s of Lynn in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday night in Woburn.
