By Avonlea Cummings
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
Ice skates glided across the ice at the Franklin Pirelli Arena on Saturday, December 30th, as the Walpole Girls' Hockey Timberwolves journeyed to face the Medfield Warriors in their second-season matchup. The competition is consistently intense for both teams, striving for the decisive goal that secures their position at the top of the leaderboard. Over the years, Walpole has emerged victorious in every match, except for the girls’ tie in the 2022-2023 season. Nevertheless, the Warriors disrupted this winning streak, staging a comeback in the second period and ultimately prevailing over the Timberwolves with a 3-2 victory.
In the first period, both Medfield and Walpole displayed vigor on the ice, controlling the puck and challenging each other's goalkeepers. The Warriors skated past and took shots, creating a back-and-forth battle until Walpole capitalized on a power play opportunity. With a five-on-four advantage, the Timberwolves seized the upper hand, with Elena Govoni scoring the first goal of the evening with 8:16 remaining in the period. Despite Medfield's continued pressure on Walpole’s defense, the first period concluded with a 1-0 lead for Walpole.
Entering the second period, Walpole maintained their competitive edge, and within the initial ten minutes, neither team added more points to the score. However, Walpole found themselves a man down in a penalty kill just over five minutes into the period. Fans anxiously watched as the Timberwolves capitalized on this opportunity, extending their lead to 2-0 with another goal from Elena Govoni. Medfield responded swiftly, scoring a goal with just over three minutes left in the period, narrowing the score to 2-1. Shortly after, with over a minute remaining, Medfield tied the game 2-2 with another goal.
As the third period unfolded, fans anticipated the continuation of Walpole's power play. Both teams were focused and determined, vying for the decisive goal. The puck rebounded off each team's net, with time ticking away rapidly. With less than six minutes remaining, Medfield secured the lead with a goal, giving the Warriors their first advantage of the afternoon. Despite Walpole pulling their goalie for an extra attacker, they fell short of tying the game before the final buzzer.
Following the competition, head coach Mike Roof shared his insights on the girls' performance and highlighted areas the team will be working on in preparation for their upcoming match.
“I think the team overall did very well today, we are going to work on our power play a bit more and getting the shots on net. I think the last three minutes of the third period we put a lot of pressure in their zone and didn’t allow them to score on our empty net. We are looking to possess the puck a little more, keep the shots on the net, and rebounds. This is our first time we have a third line which is huge because it gives the first two lines a little break and they really hold their own,” said Roof.
The Timberwolves will go on to play against Framingham High at the Loring Ice Arena on Saturday, January 6, the puck drop is set for 7 PM.
