by Rick Rier
The past few weeks saw this talented group of ladies put up a very respectable 4-2 record.
A Saturday evening “Hockey night in Walkerton” vs Woodstock and shutout win for the home team with Cassidy Becker earning the shut-out.
Destiny Berberich would notch all the Capitals would need with under a minute to play in the first. Assist on the play to Alexis Martin. The second and third where well played both offensively and defensively earning the 1-0 win for their fourth consecutive league play victory.
No resting on that win as Sunday was load up and head to Strathroy for a match against Bluewater. Earlier in the season an excellent game vs this opponent was a narrow 1-0 win, and this re-match would prove to be similar. With Walkerton appearing to be carrying the play, Erica Parker would come up big on several occasions to secure a 3-2 narrow victory. The “Crosby” like line mates of Joelle Busby and Julie Thomson would team up with the “P K Subban” like defenseman Janelle Weber (near the top in points and penalty minutes!) and own the game sheet. Joelle scores two and assists on the game winner. Julie scores the winner and assists on the first two. Janelle earns assists on all three!
A little closer to home next, down to Clifford to take on the Saugeen Maitland squad for the first meeting of the season. The Walkerton ladies would get on the score board early in the first with Julie Thompson from Catherine Bradley and Janelle Weber, 1-0 after one. That didn’t sit well with the Saugeen team as the second period was much different and after two its 4-1 Saugeen. Erica Parker made many saves but did not get the stats in this one as she faced many many great shots and great passing plays. A back and forth third but no change on the scoreboard resulted in a good learning lesson for us.
Back home and looking forward to hosting Woodstock again on a Saturday evening however, a different result. Thru two periods of play, with the home team out playing, out passing, and out shooting their opponent, its 1-0 Woodstock. A third period with more of the same and at the sound of the horn a scoreboard registering a 3-0 loss. Some day’s hockey is just like that
After those two match ups, and the effort displayed, things just had to get better. A visit to Sarnia to face a team that we tied earlier in the season, but this time earned a solid 4-2 notch in the win column. Short a couple players, the ladies where called upon to keep the shifts short and aggressive. They did not disappoint the coaching staff. Destiny Berberich would lead the offence with two, and single tallies earned by Thomson and Busby. Kailee Liesemer and Thomson would be the lone assist getters. Erica Parker would earn yet another win between the pipes.
Back home to the comforts of the Walkerton arena and a rematch against local rival Saugeen Maitland. The memory of the week prior still fresh, the Capitals stuck to their plan of consistent forechecking, back checking, and even executing a couple of plays worked on in practice, to seal the deal 1-0. Defenseman Janelle Weber would get the unassisted marker in the first and then go to work shutting down the quick passing Saugeen Maitland team with the help of her defense partners Allie Leask, Alyssa Becker, Melynda McKenzie and Maddy Wright. Cassidy Becker would take the well deserved shut-out, being called upon on numerous occasions to make solid saves. The entire team worked for, and deserved this win.