MARLBORO – With just three returning players, a new head coach and back-to-back losses to open the season, the Natick Chill’s defense of their 2015 Girls U14 Championship got off to a bit of a rocky start. Those struggles, however, are slipping further into the rearview as the 2016 season passes its midpoint, the Chill (3-2-1) having strung together three wins in their last four games. The most of those a 4-2 victory over the Marlboro Thunder (2-4-0) on Sunday at the Navin Arena in Marlboro.
Much like their season itself, the Chill took sometime to get warmed up after the puck dropped on Sunday, Marlboro taking control of the game early. With it, they also took the game’s first lead, a rebound finding its way right to Natalie Peterson, who put it away for a 1-0 Thunder advantage at 4:02 of the first.
The Chill came around by period’s end, taking a lead they would not relinquish. Celia Blaszkowsky was on the board twice to give the Chill a 2-1 advantage, netting the equalizer at 6:12 and the go-ahead at 12:12, peeling off the half boards and going upstairs, short side.
Natick’s lead grew to 3-1 on a Jenny Smith goal at 3:03 of the second as the Chill dominated the middle period. While the Marlboro offense struggled to progress deep into their opponent’s territory, netminder Hannah Bergeron and the Thunder defense were as equally stifling in their own end. For as much as they controlled the play, the Natick offense was not allowed to break away any further on the scoreboard.
Their chances may have been few in the second period, but with Bergeron and the defense keeping it close, the Thunder offense did enough to get within striking distance, a Rachel Marinofsky shot pinballing its way into the back of the net. The score at 11:29 of the second got Marlboro’s deficit back to one, where it remained into the third period.
The scales balanced in the third, both sides keeping it tight in their own end. With the end of regulation looming, Natick took advantage of the game’s first power play opportunity get gain some much needed distance. At 9:02 of the third, Smith found Blaszkowsky in front, who was able to fend off the defense and just get the puck over Bergeron to complete her hat trick and extend the Chill lead back to two.
The Marlboro power play had a chance of their own in the waning minutes, leaving the door open slightly open with the goaltender pulled and a 6-on-4 opportunity for the final 1:15. Natick, however, staved off any sort of rally and held on for the 4-2 victory.
Smith (1G, 2A) and Blaszkowsky (3G) were each credited with a game-high three points.
