Madison Hockey Earns Wild Tie With Summit

UNION – The Madison High School hockey team has recently gotten into the habit of starting games slowly, but this was ridiculous.

The Dodgers found themselves trailing Summit by four goals in six minutes Friday afternoon, and down five after the first period.

Luckily for coach Dave Hansen's squad, Madison finishes much better than it starts.

Lou Cecala and Charlie Olendorp notched two goals each as the Dodgers scored six unanswered over a span of 17:20 to take an improbable lead. But Summit fought back for a tying goal, and the game ended 6-6 at the Union Sports Arena.

"We started off very slow once again," Hansen said. "I'm going to bring this game up and remind them about it for the rest of the season."

Madison (11-4-2) scored three power play goals in the second and third periods to get back in it, with Cecala's even-strength goal tying the score at 5-5 with 8:52 left.

That momentum seemed to shift 16 seconds later, when Olendorp was called for a two-minute holding penalty. But on the Summit power play, as he has done so many times this season, Madison's Erik Andersson created some instant offense.

"We all know Erik's fast," Hansen said. "When he gets out in the open, everything and anything is capable of happening."

Andersson intercepted a pass in Madison's defensive zone and took the puck up the right side of the ice. Once in the Summit zone, he cut to the other side of Hilltopper goalie Brandon Jackson and beat him with a spectacular finish. The Dodgers led, 6-5, with 7:55 to play.

But Madison still had a power play to kill. Summit surrounded the Madison net with the same tenacity as they showed in the first period, launching several shots on the Madison net. Seconds after the power play ended - and before Olendorp could get back in the play–Eric Stabler completed Summit's flurry to re-tie the game.

"I told our kids, 'Are we going to let this game slip away?' said Summit coach Keith Nixon. "A loss would have been devastating for us, after the five-goal lead."

Both teams had their chances in the game's wide-open final six minutes. Summit began to reassert their speed advantage and move the puck into Madison's zone unobstructed. But Perry and defenders Olendorp and Bobby Yutko stood strong.

Yutko took a penalty with 39 seconds left, hooking a Summit attacker near the Madison goal on a 3-on-1 breakaway, but the play probably snuffed out a golden scoring opportunity for the Hilltoppers.

Meanwhile, Andersson, the freshman, had a chance to play hero once again. With Summit on the power play, he again intercepted a pass and had another one-on-zero chance on the Summit goal with 14 seconds left. But this time, he was denied.

"I thought he was going to get it," Perry said. "Erik's incredible. He's been there to lift us up all year. I thought he got hacked a bit, but I saw exactly what he was trying to do. He's done it a hundred times in practice, this time it just didn't work out."

That would be the game's final scoring chance. Madison walked away with an uplifting tie, Summit a missed opportunity.

"They're a quality team," Hansen said. "Those first five goals were all quality. But we can play with anyone. We just have to go out there and actually do it."

The Dodgers actually dominated the majority of the game against the Union County Ice Hockey League leaders, despite the score.

Summit scored on each of their first four shots, and Madison appeared to be thoroughly beaten after Bobby Lawrence's power play goal - his second of the game–with 3:55 left in the first period gave the Hilltoppers (10-6-4) a 5-0 lead.

At that point, Summit held an 8-3 advantage in shots, taking advantage of their team speed to crash the net, setting up multiple looks from mere feet away, rendering Madison goalie Grant Perry ineffective.

"We came out flat out unprepared," said Madison senior center Brett Perry. "We left Grant out to dry. He came to play, we let them take, what, eight shots from the top of the crease? It was ridiculous."

But the tables turned rapidly after that moment. The Dodgers peppered Summit goalie Brandon Jackson with five shots in the final three minutes, and dominated possession despite failing to get on the board.

In the second period, Summit could barely even mount an offensive threat, thanks to Madison's control of the puck. The Dodgers also benefitted from three penalties called on the Hilltoppers in the second period, and scored on all three.

After falling behind in the shot totals 8-3, Madison took 22 of the game's next 26 shots. The Dodgers outshot the Hilltoppers, 28-17.

It was the fifth straight game Madison gave up at least one early goal. The Dodgers are 2-2-1 in those games.

The Dodgers end the regular season with a 1-1-1 record against Union County teams, thanks to a win over Jan. 14 Westfield and a Jan. 31 loss to Governor Livingston.

HAAS NOTES
This week's snowstorm pushed back the conclusion of the Haas Division schedule–and the final seedings for the Haas Cup–to next Wednesday. Roxbury would clinch the top seed for the cup with a win in either of their final two games (Monday against West Morris, Wednesday against Montville). Madison is assured of at worst, the Haas Division's second seed. The Dodgers could clinch the top seed with a win Monday and two Roxbury losses.

The Haas Cup this year has been expanded to include all 10 teams in the Haas and Charette Divisions. If Madison finishes as the top seed, the Dodgers would play the winner of the preliminary-round game between the fourth- and fifth-place Charette finishers in a quarterfinal match Feb. 20. If the Dodgers finish second, they'll face the third-place Charette team Feb. 22.

NEXT UP
Madison concludes its regular season Monday night at Mennen Arena, when the Dodgers take on Mount Olive (13-4-1, 7-4-1) in a makeup of Wednesday's snow-postponed game. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 8:30. The Marauaders clinched the Charette Division regular-season title two weeks ago, and had won 10 out of their previous 11 games before suffering a 7-1 defeat to Parsippany on Feb. 2.

SCORING SUMMARY
Madison   0  3  3  -  6
Summit    5  0  1  -  6

FIRST PERIOD
S- Mike Tsiang (from Mike Nyitray), 2:02
S- Mike Nyitray (from Jack Mulcahy and Eric Stabler), 2:44
S- Bobby Lawrence (from Mike Nyitray and Eric Stabler), 5:28
S- Jon Santina (power play, from Mike Nyitray), 6:14
S- Bobby Lawrence (from Jon Santina), 11:05

SECOND PERIOD
M- Charlie Olendorp (power play, unassisted), 4:45
M- Lou Cecala (power play, from Erik Andersson and Brett Anton), 8:22
M- Brett Perry (from Cecala), 11:01

THIRD PERIOD
M- Olendorp (power play, from Cecala), 0:29
M- Cecala (from Anderson), 6:08
M- Andersson (shorthanded, unassisted), 7:05
S- Eric Stabler (from Bobby Lawrence), 8:27

SHOTS ON GOAL
Madison   8  13  7  -  28
Summit    9   2   6  -  17