UNION–Summit High School boys hockey coach Keith Nixon couldn't have asked for a better start to Friday afternoon's clash with Madison at the Union Sports Arena.
The Hilltoppers led the Dodgers, 5-0, after 15 minutes of play. But it took just 17 minutes of game time for that lead to fall apart.
Madison scored six unanswered goals to take an improbable third-period lead. Eric Stabler's goal with under seven minutes to play salvaged a 6-6 tie for Summit, improving the Hilltoppers' unbeaten streak to five.
But Nixon was well aware of the opportunity his team missed.
"Our guys didn't believe Madison had it in them to come back," Nixon said. "We didn't do a good job from start to finish. We had a good 15 minutes."
Summit (10-6-4) seemed to have an insurmountable lead after one period, earning quality shot after quality shot. The Hilltoppers scored four goals on their first four shots, and led by five entering the second period.
But Madison chipped away with two power play goals early in the second period, and a third, even-strength goal with 3:59 to play in the frame. Charlie Olendorp converted another power play goal 29 seconds into the third and Lou Cecala tied the game at 5-5 with 8:52 to go.
"They were beating us at our own game," Nixon said. "They were passing the puck deep, forcing turnovers and forcing our defense to make plays in uncomfortable situations. It was like watching a mirror image of us play out there."
Summit seemed to regain momentum somewhat after a penalty was called on a Madison defender 13 seconds later. But the Dodgers' Erik Andersson intercepted a Summit pass and broke away for a shorthanded goal, giving Madison their first lead, 6-5 with 7:55 to play.
Nixon called a timeout and changed goalies from Jackson to Jackson Stuckey, who made a crucial save on another Andersson breakaway with 14 seconds to play.
"I said to our kids, 'Are we gonna let this slip away?'" Nixon said. "There's enough veteran leadership on this team, that they were a little mad at themselves."
The Hilltoppers, though, still had a man advantage for more than a minute, and they capitalized seconds after the power play expired. Stabler's goal came after a flurry of shots on the Madison net, tying the game again with 6:33 to play.
Stabler's goal saved Summit from a devastating loss, in Nixon's words–an unthinkable conclusion to a game that seemed well in hand after 15 minutes.
Summit (10-6-4) came out of the gate looking unstoppable. Goalie Brandon Jackson stopped two Madison chances in the early going, and then the parade of Hilltopper goals commenced.
Mike Tsiang opened the scoring 2:02 into the first period. Mike Nyitray followed 42 seconds later, using a nifty move to beat Madison's two defenders just inside the blue line and wristing a shot past Madison goalie Grant Perry.
Bobby Lawrence and Jon Santina scored within 45 seconds of each other, the latter on the power play. Lawrence made it 5-0 on the Hilltoppers' second power play of the game with 3:55 to go.
To that point, Summit was dominating possession–outshooting the Dodgers, 8-3–and using its team speed to attack the Madison net from close range.
"They didn't have their legs early on," Nixon said. "We came out with a good jump. Maybe they had school off, and they didn't have their legs. You never can tell with high school kids."
But the tables turned rapidly after that moment. The Dodgers peppered 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.
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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.
SCORING SUMMARY
Madison 0 3 3 - 6
Summit 5 0 1 - 6
FIRST PERIOD
S- Mike Tsiang (from Mike Nyitray), 2:02
S- Nyitray (from Jack Mulcahy and Eric Stabler), 2:44
S- Bobby Lawrence (from Nyitray and Stabler), 5:28
S- Santina (power play, from Mike Nyitray), 6:14
S- Lawrence (from 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- Stabler (from Lawrence), 8:27
SHOTS ON GOAL
Madison 8 13 7 - 28
Summit 9 2 6 - 17
