Playing in front of the largest student body crowd of the season, all of the Warhawks stepped up their game and kept the crowd cheering for more. Sophomores Kamron Sarmadi and Theo Lenz played their typical dominant game controlling the puck, setting up their teammates and scored a few goals while they were at it. Kamron finished the evening with 2 goals and 2 assists while Theo closed with 1 goal and 2 assists. Theo made the most of his one goal by deking the Chantilly/Oakton goalie so badly on a breakaway after the goal the poor goalie didn’t know whether to cry or wind his watch! The Warhawks also received scoring support from a couple of young guns when Freshmen Jason Calem and Justin Shayne each chipped in with a goal and 2 assists.
The success of the Madison ice hockey team is not just measured in goals and assists. It is built on every player doing the hard work that doesn’t show up on the scoresheet. Things like Alex Tudan’s hard hit early in the first period that energized his teammates and the crowd. Defensemen Justin Roberts and Johna Ezzard carried the mail all night long and although they were not credited with an assist, they consistently quarterbacked the plays out of our defensive zone so the forwards could do their thing (i.e., putting the biscuit in the basket). Forward Mike Gros did record an assist but also provided so much more with his gritty play in the corners and in front of the opponent’s net. Richard Zhang and Noah Thompson played their typical shut down defense to help goalie Dean Kern record his first shutout of the season.
Speaking of goalie Dean Kern, the ground swell of enthusiasm from the fans reached fever pitch when Dean made…The Save! Early in the 3rd period, with his teammates watching with baited breath, Dean was forced to make his only save of the game. It is rumored that ESPN already has a 30 for 30 special “The Save” in the works.
photos by: Debbie Bacigalupo and Adam Shayne