The Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School club ice hockey team overcame a four-goal deficit to gain a 6-6 tie against previously unbeaten/untied Woodbridge last Friday night at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.
Woodbridge struck first with 11 minutes remaining in the first on a goal by CJ Kline, but MEH’s Alec Reusch answered two minutes later, with assists from Jack MacKinnon and Jackson Oppel to tie it 1-1. Two quick goals by Woodbridge star Alec Cordova left MEH down 3-1 at the end of the first period. MEH defenseman Cole McDowell managed to cut it to 3-2 with nine minutes left in the second, but then three goals by Cordova, Kline and Finn McIain made it 6-2 late in the second period, and it appeared the game was headed for a rout.
The MEH skaters refused to give up, however, and Reusch and MacKinnon got their team going at the 1:22 mark of the second when MacKinnon made a beautiful pass across the crease to Reusch, who buried it to make the score 6-3. The momentum shifted and MEH began a hard pressure game which whittled away at the lead with a goal by Oppel, followed by a power-play goal by Jack Meteyer, and finally the equalizer by Oppel off an assist from Reusch with nine minutes remaining. Woodbridge made a furious attempt for the remainder of the period to get the winning goal, but MEH goalie Henry Middlebrook closed the door to ensure the tie.
MEH moved to 5-2-2 on the season and 3-2-1 in league play.