By Rachel Williams
The Dunlop
Fuels/Rintoul’s Pool and Spas Saugeen Shores Atom girls lost 2-1 in a close
game in their season opener against TCDMHA on Saturday October 23rd.
In a team comprised of seasoned veterans and several first-time players, the Saugeen Shores Atom girls were excited and anxious to get their first game of the season underway Saturday. Alyssa Trumbley started the game as net minder for the Saugeen Shores Storm, making some good saves in the early minutes of play. However, at 8:45 of the first, on a scramble in front of the net, TCDMHA slipped the puck past Trumbley to score the first goal of the game.
Trailing by one, the Storm stepped up their game. Ainsley Harron took advantage of a TCDMHA line change to move the puck up the ice and take a hard shot on net. Good stick work along the boards by Rachel Kelly and Kaitlin Ferguson and strong digging in the corners by line mate Carly Acton produced some more scoring opportunities, but the Storm was unable to net a goal.
The second period was highlighted by strong defensive play and great scoring chances. Defensive partners Marley Scott and Janelle Fowler kept the puck inside the defenders’ blue line working the puck along the boards and taking the odd point shot on net. Winger Amber Hou with line mates Jamie Miller and Tori Sutter-Lammie kept the puck in the offensive zone to give the Storm scoring opportunities. Midway through the second, picking up a nice pass from Miller, Sutter-Lammie released the puck from point blank range, but couldn’t get it past the goalie.
With just under 3 minutes left in the second, Tori Janes stormed up the ice making a nice move to get past the TCDMHA defenseman and fired a hard shot glove side on the goalie. The puck, however, struck the far post and bounced into corner boards as play continued. Moments later, Eve Martin had another great chance, slipping the puck on net through a bunch of legs. The defending goalie made a quick stick save to hold the Storm off the scoreboard.
The third period started with Tiffany Kewageshig in net for Saugeen Shores. Kewageshig was tested early, making an awesome stick save on a TCDMHA breakaway. Ainsley Harron and Lauren MacDonald continued their strong defensive play, winning chases to the puck and clearing the puck out of their own zone. Despite this strong defensive play, TCDMHA netted their second goal of the game at 13:03.
Undaunted, forward line Sasha Morano, Eve Martin and Tori Janes kept up the offensive pressure in the TCDMHA zone. Morano’s strong skating and feeder passes gave her line mates great scoring chances. At the 6 minute mark, Martin broke free from the defenders taking a breakaway shot on net but couldn’t convert. Seconds later, Janes streaked up the ice with Martin and Morano trailing. Janes fired a shot on net and Martin was there to pop in the rebound to get the Storm on the scoreboard.
Although the Atom girls played a strong game until the final buzzer, the score remained TCDMHA 2, Saugeen Shores 1. The Storm coaching staff awarded Player of the Game to centre Tori Sutter-Lammie. The Dunlop Fuels/Rintoul’s Pool and Spas Saugeen Shores Atom girls play next on Sunday October 31st at 1:45 p.m. at the Plex against Normanby.