Storm Pee Wee Girls Earn Split in Home Openers
The Port Elgin
Lions Club / Port Elgin Veterinary Clinic Storm Pee Wee Girls managed to split
their first two games of the regular season this weekend (Oct 23 & 24). The weekend games featured two of the most
evenly matched opponents the girls have played in recent memory which resulted
in some exciting end to end hockey for the home town crowd
The first league game of the season on Saturday saw the Storm drop a 3-2 decision to the Bruce Peninsula Wild. Despite coming out on the losing end, the Storm played their hearts out from the opening face-off, and took an early 1 – 0 lead less than a minute into the first period, with Sarah Bester scoring on a nice feed from Alexis Martin. The Wild bounced back in the second however scoring 3 unanswered goals to take a 3-1 lead after two periods.
The Storm managed to mount a comeback early in the third frame on a goal by Hailey Patrice (assisted by Brittany Greig). Despite relentless pressure in the third, culminating in a 45 second offensive flurry with goalie Rochelle Salters on the bench in favour of an extra attacker, the Storm could not overcome the Wild in the end.
Sunday’s game against the Mount Forest Rams proved to be just as exciting topped off with a more favourable result for the home team.
The first period was a defensive battle with both teams enjoying an equal number of scoring chances, but with both goalies proving to be unbeatable. The Storm came out with renewed vigour in the second with Storm newcomer Hailey Woods scoring the opening goal, unassisted, less than a minute into the frame.
Both teams battled hard for the next 10 minutes, but the Storm would open the game up with two goals less than two minutes apart. The first goal, Sarah Bester’s second of the weekend on a feed from another Storm rookie, Heather Rice. The Storm’s third goal came on a spectacular individual effort by Alexis Martin who managed to strip the puck from a Mount Forest defender, drive to the net and bury her own rebound.
When it was all over, the Storm had managed an impressive 3-0 victory with goaltender Rochelle Salters recording her first shutout in a Storm uniform. Rumour has it that contract talks have now reopened.
With their efforts this weekend, the Storm Pee Wee Girls sit tied with Bruce Peninsula atop the WOAA standings.
The girls’ next contest takes place Saturday October 30 @ 2:15pm when they’ll take on Lucknow at the Plex in Port Elgin.
