The Port Elgin Veterinary Clinic / Port Elgin Lions Club Storm Pee Wee Girls managed to keep their playoff hopes alive Sunday by securing a tie against Normanby at their home rink in Ayton, ON.Having lost the first game of the OWHA Regional Playdown round robin series to Mildmay a day earlier, the Storm went into Sunday’s game knowing that a loss would end their playoff run. This led to a level of intensity that was evident from the opening faceoff with both teams crashing the opposing net with vigour. Even the Storm’s cool-headed captain Emma DeBoer took a roughing penalty while protecting goaltender Erica Parker from an overly aggressive Normanby forward. DeBoer took her opponent with her to the box, and the captain's exchange seemed to light a fire under the rest of the Storm team.
Despite being outshot early in the game and going down 1-0 late in the second period, the spunky Storm team refused to give up. An early third period breakaway attempt by Alexis Martin that saw the Normanby goalie charging from her net to send Martin and her stick flying through the air in opposite directions would have made any newscast's highlight reel. Commendation must also be given to the Storm defensive core of Brianne Becker, Hailey Patrice, Rochelle Salters, Emma DeBoer, Heather Kozak and Leah Fowler who were rock solid in their own end.
The thrilling climax came in the dying seconds of the third. With goalie goaltender Erica Parker on the bench in favour of an extra attacker, and with their playoff run on the line, the Storm forwards threw everything they had at the Normanby net. With only 3.7 seconds remaining, Zoe Mackintosh scored the tying goal, with assists going to Rochelle Salters and Teaghan Johnston.
The Storm play their final game of the round robin against the Tiverton Thunder in Port Elgin on Saturday February 20th at 1pm and a victory will vault them into the second round. The Storm have enjoyed some success against Tiverton this season, and this is a must-win game. Sure to be as entertaining as Sunday’s game, it’ll be one any hockey fan will not want to miss.