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The Ice Wolves Peewee team traveled to Madison's east side recently to face off against the Patriots at Hartmeyer Ice Arena. At stake was the league championship with the winner take all. Earlier in the season the Patriots suffered their only loss at the hands of the Ice Wolves, and Dodgeville was hungry for a repeat performance.
From the opening face off both teams came out at a frenzied pace, with end-to-end action, relentless puck pursuit, and hard-fought battles along the boards. Barely one minute into the game the Wolves were first to light the lamp. Gabriel Vivian collected a loose puck, skated into the zone, down the right side and fired a laser past the Patriots goaltender. The Home team wouldn't let that get them down though. A few minutes later they would score a goal of their own to tie the game up 1-1. That would be it for scoring in the first period, as well as the entire second period.
The only entries on the score sheet in the middle frame were shots on goal (10-3 in favor of Dodgeville) and penalties. When two teams play with such intensity, and with a league title on the line, a few trips to the sin bin (also known as the penalty box) are inevitable. Both teams made several such trips, with over half of them the result of roughing calls. While neither team would score on any of these man-advantages, one penalty would end up playing a huge factor in the outcome of the game.
Still tied at one, both teams came out in the third period more determined than ever to break the deadlock. Just under two minutes in the Ice Wolves looked like they were going to have the best chance as Madeline Williams broke free from a scrum and dashed down the ice. Not wanting to give up a free shot on his goalie, a Madison player pulled her down from behind, preventing the break away and earning his own two-minute rest. After a short conference, the officials decided that Williams had a clear break to the net and that the only way the opposing team could stop her was by taking a penalty. That being the case she was awarded a penalty shot. The official placed the puck at center ice and Williams took her position behind it with nothing between her and the opposing goalie but roughly ninety feet of open ice. On the whistle she gathered in the puck and skated down the ice. As she neared the net she made a quick move left and cut back right. As the goalie slid across the crease his pads spread apart and Williams slid the puck right through the five-hole (the open area beneath the goalie and between his leg pads) and into the net. The goal gave the Wolves the lead and the momentum as the third period slowly wound down. After several more penalties, fast breaks, and full-ice action Williams' goal would stand as the game-winner. Conner Rusch kept Madison's goal count at one as Dodgeville went on to win the game 2-1.
As the horn sounded to end the game the celebration commenced, both on the ice and in the stands. With the win the Ice Wolves clinched the title, going undefeated in league play with a final record of 7-0-3. It is the first championship for this group of Ice Wolves, and it was well deserved after a hard-fought season.
As always, for more information on all things Ice Wolves please visit their website at iwyha.com.