The stage was set for one of the toughest midseason tests the Icecats have faced. After being dominated by Sherwood in a loss that exposed their offensive struggles, questions were raised on their ability to compete with the county’s top programs.
The opponent was Whitman, who beat Sherwood with ease, while WJ came into the Nov. 21 contest still searching for offensive consistency.
“Whitman is a huge rival. They’re a good team that knows how to score and take advantage of missed opportunities,” junior goalie Isaac Russ said. “Going into this game, we knew it would be a key win for us, so we really focused on executing the important details.”
Whitman opened the scoring halfway into the first period, capitalizing on sustained pressure in the Wildcat defensive zone. Fortunately, the Icecats responded just seconds later, punching in the equalizer less than a minute after Whitman’s opener.
But as the second period began, WJ’s defensive messup handed Whitman a clean look in front of the net. Minutes later, a mishandled puck near the blue line set up a Whitman fast break, which the Vikings buried to stretch the advantage to 3-1. At that moment, the Icecats seemed on the brink of letting the game slip away.
Instead, they fought back.
WJ struck three minutes later, cutting the deficit to 3-2 and injecting life back into the team. The Wildcats spent the rest of the period hovering on the cusp of a full comeback, generating pressure, winning one-on-one battles and dictating possession. The momentum fully swung into the Wildcat’s hands, setting up the opportunity for a massive third period.
Just four minutes into the third, WJ converted on a quick three-on-one opportunity to tie the game 3-3, yet again igniting the entire Icecats roster. Less than a minute later, riding on the energy from their quick strike, the Wildcats executed a beautiful passing sequence in transition to score and take their first lead of the night, 4-3.
But Whitman, a veteran squad fit for late-game pressure, answered with three minutes left. A loose puck in front of the crease found a Viking stick, and the score was tied 4-4. The final minutes ticked away with both teams scrambling to be the hero, sending the contest into a five-minute, 3-on-3 overtime period.
In OT, the Icecats hit the ice hard right from the get-go, but were unable to capitalize on opportunities in front of the net. With a little over just one minute remaining, WJ surged forward with an odd-man rush, finishing a clean look to secure a 5-4 victory and complete one of their most dramatic comebacks in recent history.
“Henry [Horwell] and Tyler [Pappafotis] made an amazing game-winner that was crucial to our momentum for the rest of this season,” freshman defenseman Kiran Buttazoni said. “It was great to see and felt amazing that we pulled through for the win.”
Friday, Dec. 3 marked another opportunity for the Wildcats to refine their offensive efficiency and defeat a tough county opponent, RAM, as momentum builds heading deeper into the season.
Sophomore Luke Anderson opened the scoring halfway into the first period, capitalizing on a power play to give the Wildcats the early lead. Both teams generated quality chances throughout the frame, but the score remained tight heading into the second period. A costly offensive-zone turnover led to a breakaway for RAM, who buried a top-right corner shot past junior goalie Isaac Russ to even the game.
Despite several power-play opportunities for RAM, the Wildcats’ penalty kill held firm, and the period remained even at 1-1.
With seven minutes remaining in regulation, sophomore Finn Carr broke the deadlock, putting WJ back in front with a composed finish. The Wildcats earned a power play with three minutes remaining, and senior Henry Horwell sealed the 3-1 victory with a clean wrist shot from the center of the offensive zone, securing another important midseason win for the Icecats.
“Both games have been huge wins that put us back in the running and showed what this team is capable of when we play our game,” junior defenseman Gus Schine said.
The Icecats continue their late winter stretch, taking on the DC Stars tonight, Friday, Dec. 12, at Rockville Ice Arena.
“We can carry the confidence from those wins and keep putting pucks in the net,” Schine said.
