Midgets Take Silver Stick, News, Walkerton Kinette Reps, U18, 2008-2009 (Walkerton Minor Hockey Association)

This Team is part of the 2008-2009 season, which is not set as the current season.
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Feb 21, 2009 | rgrubb | 797 views
Midgets Take Silver Stick
Well, folks, they did it. In a whirl of a weekend in which the Walkerton Capitals (Kinettes) midget B girls’ hockey team played things out like a feel-good movie with ups, downs, drama, suspense and comedy, and in the end a happy ending.  Participating in the 11th annual Lanxess Internationl Women’s Silver Stick Hockey Finals in Sarnia February 6 to 8, the team pulled into port under the guidance of captain Rich Grubb and his trusty shipmates assistant coaches Brent Reading, Bob Parks and Don Busby and sea wench trainer Karen Busby. Three days of clear sailing? Never!

                On the 6th the red and blue suited up to take on Scarborough Sharks in their first game of the schedule. Despite numerous Shark… well… attacks, on the Walkerton net and goalie Alanna “AJ” Anstett the team was able to finish the job at the other end of the rink. Walkerton pulled ahead 2-0 by the end of the first (goals by Richelle Busby and Lauren Bell with assists to Colleen Parks, Becky Busby and R. Busby) and another two in the remainder of the game sealed Scarborough’s fate. At 8:37 in the second Maria Kuntz tapped in goal number three with help from Katrina Grubb and Bell. Closure was gained at 4:56 in the third when Grubb and Carolyn Hodgson set up Rachael Diebold who slammed it into the Sharks net. Final score: 4-0 in the Capitals’ favour.

                In the second game of the day the team would meet up with the mighty Goderich Sailorettes and it would prove a rough day at sea. Walkerton’s Bell broke the seal on the Goderich net, finally, at 7:24, assisted by Hodgson and Grubb but the Sailorettes were playing with a newfound determination and play was fast and furious. “Sneaky Pete” Parks was able to sneak in Walkerton’s next marker at 5:55 unassisted but, undaunted, Goderich answered that goal 40 seconds later and it was 2-1.

                Up and down the ice, back and forth waves of offence and defence swelled over the ice… it’s a wonder fans didn’t become seasick. However, Anstett was able to defend her net for the remaining 30 minutes and, when Parks took the Walkerton total to 3 the Sailorettes jumped overboard (assisting Parks was B. Busby and R. Busby). A series of ill-timed penalties for Goderich  saw the replacement of their fierce determination with frustration and the Capitals were there to take advantage. Slow and steady stays the course and Walkerton plunked in a total of four goals in the third period giving the Capitals a 7-0 victory over a team that in the first half of the game had them scrambling. Leading the regatta of scorers was Parks who sent home not just her third for a hat trick but her fourth also (another unassisted and the other assisted by B. Busby and R. Busby). Scoring the remaining two Walkerton goals were Bell with her second (assisted by Hodgson and Kuntz) and Grubb who was assisted by B. Busby.

                After a long wait in between games and plenty of team bonding, the Capitals took to the ice the following evening in a match-up against Lambton Shores Predators. Lambton Shores sailed onto the scoreboard at 10:45 for a 1-0 lead and Walkerton was unable to answer. Perhaps disadvantaged by the long hiatus it took Walkerton a full period before they got their sea legs again but then they came back with new determination. In the second, defenceman Kuntz was able to fire one home after a few zippy passes from Grubb and Kascha Fischer. Ten seconds later Walkerton took the lead after Bell and Kuntz set up Grubb who snapped it in. While the Predators struggled to regain their game, another wave of red and blue came at them and Grubb cannoned in goal number three (assisted by Fischer) at 10:12. Three goals in two minutes.

                Continuing the fight, Lambton Shores jumped onboard early in the third (11:50) to make it a 3-2 game that could blow either way. Things looked grim and fans bit nails when, with a minute left in the game and a Walkerton player in the penalty box, Lambton Shores pulled their goalie to stack the deck with six skaters versus our four. Keeping their cool, Walkerton was able to fight off the numerous Predators but not indefinitely. Lambton Shores kept up the barrage and eventually broke down the Walkerton defenses scoring and, thus, tieing the game 3-3.

                However, the two wins and one tie were enough for Walkerton to advance as the first-place team in their pool and the following morning they were matched up against the second-place team from Pool A. Sunday’s action puts things into a do-or-die situation for all involved or, for the politically correct: do-or-go-home. Facing elimination brings out the best in most teams at this level and all participants know they had to dig deep to win and make it to the gold-medal finals.

                Nerves could not have been steady as the team discovered they were to play South Huron Sabres who had cut them down at this tournament, and many others, last season. But coach Grubb’s players do nothing if not rise to a challenge. The puck dropped and things were underway. Ice action was fast and the scoreboard finally lit up at 7:53 when South Huron put up point number one. Less than a minute later, the Sabres once again slashed the Walkerton defence for goal number two.

                Heading into the second down two goals, the Walkerton team just gave up. Ha! Just seeing if you were still with me. Heading into the second down two goals, the Walkerton team set their collective jaws and dug a bit deeper into their bags of tricks. These girls do not like to be cornered. The first period may have belonged to South Huron but the remaining two periods were all Walkerton as a fierce wind blew in and filled the Capitals’ sails. Walkerton scored once in the second to begin their advance and then another in the third tied things up. No longer assured of a win, the Sabres began to fight back but it was too late. At 2:57 Walkerton pulled ahead for the first time in the game and the final blow fell at :06 on an empty net. A beautifully executed come-from-behind win.

                Don’t worry, folks, I haven’t forgotten to give credit where it is due. It’s understood that this team plays as a unit and all are determining factors but the star of this show was undisputedly Colleen “Sneaky Pete” Parks who had her second four-goal game of the tourney and scored all of Walkerton’s goals against South Huron. The unimaginative scoresheet records four mentions of Parks and two to B. Busby who assisted twice. You do the math.

                It is probably safe to say that Silver Stick is known to all who know minor hockey. A history dating back to 1963, International Silver Stick has united teams from the U.S. and Canada in boys and, eventually, girls hockey. If you are fortunate enough to make it to Internationals, you know that it is a big deal and a milestone in your hockey career.

                The Sarnia event hosts both the pee wees and midgets in divisions from C to AA – and all in one weekend. These folks know their stuff and take the tournament’s reputation seriously. The import of all this history and accomplishment weighs heavy on all involved and none more so than the players themselves.

                Undoubtedly buoyed by the first-place finishes of the Walkerton pee wee Bs and Mount Forest pee wee Cs in the two preceding games, I’m sure the midget Bs also felt the weight of having to also bring The Stick up to our neck of the woods.

                In the finals for the 11th annual International Silver Stick competition, midget B division, the Walkerton Capitals looked across the ice and saw their nemesis from Regional Silver Stick: Mount Brydges Cougars, who, as you may recall defeated Walkerton in the finals at that tournament 2-1 in a shootout. Time to settle old scores.

                Walkerton sailed through the first period and at 2:51 took the lead with a goal by what’s her name, Parks. Assistance was provided by R. Busby and Kuntz. Still not on the scoreboard, the Cougars continued to keep up the pressure on Anstett and the Walkerton defence but access was denied. R. Busby had the honours of widening the gap on the scoreboard at 11:23 in the second and it was 2-0 (assists go to B. Busby and Kuntz). Well, that was those two goals from regionals back and then one for your good measure: at 3:11 in the third Parks was once again set up by R. Busby and Kuntz and she sent that puck into the Mount Brydges net. Playing out the remaining minutes in fierce determination not to relent a single point, Walkerton was rewarded and the 3-0 score snagged them first place and permanent recognition on the Silver Stick.

                And then, and only then, all of the fans and bench staff believed it safe to breathe again.

                As the 2008-09 hockey season picks up speed as it nears completion (a sure sign of Spring) the Walkerton Capitals (Kinettes) midget B girls will immediately begin their Provincials playoff series against Kincardine Kinucks seeking two wins from that centre before they can advance. Stay tuned folks and let’s see if they can make all their hard work pay off.

 

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