by Rick Rier
The
Walkerton Kinettes Capitals Midget ladies travelled to Detroit to compete in
the Bauer World Invitational Hockey Championship this past weekend.
Early Friday, facing the Rocky Mountain team from Colorado, the girls notched two goals in each of three periods for the convincing 6-0 victory. Joelle Busby (2), Leah Kittel, Jasmine Thompson, Elyse Bridgewater, and Olivia Linklater were the goal scorers with Erica Parker earning the shutout. Assists going to Julie Thomson (3), Melynda MacKenzie, and Ally Spielmacher. The next opponent was the team from Durham West, and another dominating performance this time resulting in a 5-0 win. Cass Becker was the netminder with the shutout in this game while Kittel would notch three goals for the hat trick and singles to Julie Thomson and Ally Spielmacher. Madison Wright, Thomson, Bridgewater, and Busby would earn the helpers.
Saturday morning would have the Walkerton Ladies facing division rival Saugeen Maitland. There was no let up in this game right from the initial puck drop, and the end result was a very solid 6-1 win. Julie Thomson and Joelle Busby would each find the back of the net twice while Bridgewater and Spielmacher would notch singles. Helpers going to Natalie Lupo-Flewelling, Leah Kittel, Julie Thomson, Elyse Bridgewater, and Jazzy Thompson. The referees let both teams play hockey and this was a physical but clean game with great flow. Erica “Ricky” Parker with another x in the win column in net.
So thru the round robin, and outscoring their opponents by a 17-1 margin, the quarter final match up was set vs the Brampton Canadettes. The girls continued to roll along, and after two periods its 5-0 on goals by Spielmacher (2), Jaz Thompson, Lupo-Flewelling, and Bridgewater. Ally Spielmacher would also earn two assists with a very strong game, and the others to Madison Wright, Thomson, MacKenzie and Thompson. It wouldn’t be until late in the third that Brampton would finally find a way to beat Cass Becker in net.
That win would earn the Capitals a date in the semi-final against the Clarington Flames. In keeping with the weekend theme of “Dominate” it would take Elyse Bridgewater all of seven seconds into the game to put them up 1-0. Jasmine Thompson from Busby were next on the score sheet before Busby would score her first of two with assists to Julie Thomson and Leah Kittel. Ally Spielmacher would round out the scoring from Bridgewater and its 5-0. With Clarington getting a lucky bounce the shut out would be spoiled for Parker who again did the goaltending tandem, and her teammates, proud. A very physical game that the Walkerton team should be proud of by not participating in the unfortunate antics from the opponent.
So with a stellar record of 5-0, a goals for/ goals against of 27-3, the Championship is set and they host another Lower Lakes Ontario team in the Clearview Icecats who are currently leading their Central East division. This match-up is how hockey should be played, great end-to-end action, marvelous passes and even better saves from both sides. Furious work in the corners, aggressive but clean, true Canadian hockey. In the end, a Clearview player left alone out front would one time a feed from behind the net and secure a 1-0 Clearview win.
The team continues to bond well early in the season and with performances like this weekend, there are many more great games to come. Congratulations to the entire team for an outstanding team effort.