EAST ALTON – Alton senior hockey goalie Madi Dallas is like any other hockey goalie – a key part of her team's defense.
“We kept it together,” Dallas said of the Redbirds' 4-3 loss to Edwardsville at East Alton Ice Arena in a Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association game. “We really should have kept up the momentum towards the whole game instead of the end, but all around, we put forth the effort; it didn't come out on the scoreboard, but we played a hard game – that's hockey, you win some, you lose some. We'll build from this as the season progresses."
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Dallas turned back 22 of 26 Tiger shots in the game after coming off a 5-3 loss the previous night to Bethalto; she's been playing hockey for the past 7-8 years, by her estimation. “PE – floor hockey actually (in an Alton school physical education class),” Dallas said, playing goal for the first time when her team needed a goalie. “We needed a goalie,” Dallas recalled, “and I decided to try it out – I ended up liking it, so I stuck with that the past few years and have been building off of that.
“It's not easy, but it's fun – it's definitely worth it.
“I build off all of the goalies, no matter what it is, even if it's one at my skill level or a little bit lower, I can always take pointers from other goalies and build off that to help my own game.
“I follow Jake Allen (the Blues' goaltender),” Dallas said when asked what goalie she follows. “Since I have grown up following the more modern goalies, it's kind of fun to look back and see the playing style of those before me.”
As for goals for the season, Dallas hopes “we accomplish more so coming together as a team; obviously winning would be nice as well, but once we're able to come together as a team, since we do have a younger team, I think we'll have a very successful season; we just have to stick with it.”
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