The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Eagles ice hockey team played against the West Side Mutts on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m. The match was the team’s second to last home game of the season and took place at the Florida Panthers Ice Den in Coral Springs.
The first period came and both teams scored quickly, with Eagles forward Sianu Houge (3) scoring first and the Mutts following. The Mutts quickly scored again, making the score 2-1. After a Mutts player received a penalty, the Eagles had an opportunity to score, but failed to.
The Mutts swiftly started attacking and extended their lead to 3-1. The Eagles looked to bounce back and increase the score before the period ended, but the Mutts kept pressure on the Eagles the whole period. The Mutts continued to have a strong defense, ending the first period leading by 2 points.
The Eagles looked to close the lead in the second period and they started off with a goal from forward Joao Pedro Alves (50), making the score closer at 3-2.
“They [the Eagles] stuck together, they played like a team and they always look out for each other and stayed in the game,” assistant coach Ian Kravitz said.
The Eagles received a 2-10 penalty and they had a disadvantage, but Eagles forward Slater Szirovatka (27) tied the game at 3-3. The game was getting intense but the Mutts scored to finish out the second period on top 4-3.
“I backchecked really hard because I didn’t want to get scored on,” Alves said. “We got motivated by the second period and started scoring more. [We have to make sure to] not let them skate by us and [take] them outside.”
The Eagles entered the third period looking to capitalize on their big second period, but failed. The Mutts kept pressure on the Eagles’ defense and it proved to pay off as the goalkeeper Jonah Lenamon (30) was unable to block most of the Mutts’ attempts to score, allowing another score by the Mutts.
The Eagles were getting desperate as they trailed 5-3, nearing the end of the final period. The Mutts’ defense proved to be too much as the Eagles could not score in the third period. The Mutts scored another goal, setting the final score at 6-3, with the West Side Mutts coming out on top.
“[We need] consistency, we need to play for the entire game and not just select periods of time,” Kravitz said.
The Eagles’ next and final game of the fall season is on Monday, Nov. 27 at 8:45 p.m. at the Panthers Ice Den against North Broward Preparatory School.
