The schedule is quickening for the Walkerton Capitals (Kinettes) midget B girls’ rep team as the 2008-09 hockey league season begins its quick-slide towards completion and all eyes turn towards playoffs, Provincials and International Silver Stick. Each game is another opportunity to hone skills and bring it all together.
Travelling to Owen Sound the Capitals took on the intermediate squad with pleasant results. With only six players on the bench, Walkerton focused on precision passing along with the usual hard work as is the norm. Scoring two in the first and another in the second, all unanswered, Walkerton was able to snag the win 3-0. Earning a hat trick with all goals was Lauren Bell assisted singularly by Katrina Grubb, Chantale Bourque and Maria Kuntz.
January 29 the girls were off to Goderich and, once again, the score was in Walkerton’s favour. Bell continued to ring up her stat totals with a goal two minutes into the game, assisted by Jasmine Richardson. At 4:21, Grubb doubled the score after a sweet pass from Becky Busby.
The second period scoring also belonged to the visitors as Richelle Busby, Colleen Parks and Bourque all tapped in markers. R. Busby, Parks and Bell provided assistance. Successfully protecting the Walkerton net once again was Capitals netminder Alanna “AJ” Anstett with another shutout.
In the third game the midget Bs would take on Lucknow’s intermediates February 1 on Paul Henderson’s home rink. The sole goal scored in the first was scored by Walkerton as Rachael Diebold sent the puck up to Bell who sent it home. The scoreboard remained silent for almost 20 minutes until Bourque was able to sneak in another goal at 7:16 in the second with help from Kuntz. Copy catting, Kuntz followed suit less than a minute later with a goal of her own. Assists on this goal were provided by Bell and Janna Reading. Not giving up, Lucknow dug their way out of the 3-0 hole with two goals in three minutes before the second period was over and it was a 3-2 game.
Perhaps digesting words of ‘inspiration’ from Coach Rich Grubb between periods, the Walkerton team was quick off the mark in the third and were up 5-2 on the scoreboard 63 seconds into the final period. Bell rang in the first goal at 14:14 thanks to a set-up from Grubb Carolyn Hodgson. Richardson stepped in to fire home goal number five at 13:57 thanks to a quick pass up from R. Busby. The three-goal lead was maintained for the remainder of the period and the red and blue had a victory to enjoy on the ride home.
The Walkerton Capitals (Kinettes) midget B girls’ hockey team will be getting geared up for the International Silver Stick tournament in Sarnia February 6-8 with a couple exhibition games during the week. Fingers crossed that Coach Grubb and his bench staff can have the team in top form for this important Canada/U.S. tournament.