The CrabbyJoe Atom Girls thank their Novice Girls for
helping to bolster their depleted roster in a Saturday game against the
Walkerton Atom HL team. And their help brought Crabby an exciting 4 – 3 win.
The affiliated novice players in the atom line-up did not disappoint their older sisters and proved that the battle drills they share in practices with the bigger girls eliminated any feeling of intimidation one would have thought would be a factor for the younger ages. The camaraderie the novice and atom girls share extends off ice as well. Both teams mixed for their Christmas Party, pizza and Minute-To-Win-It games, and entered the Southampton Santa Claus Parade together handing out candy canes along the route. Cherished memories.
Back to the reported game. AP Parker Ribey stood tall in nets. Her smile before, during, and after is what girls hockey is all about. She let three get by her that she didn’t see but those that she did see, she stopped like a seasoned veteran. Her defence was awesome. Maddy Leger, Lauren Macdonald, Natalie Brown, Lily VanGeel, and AP Sydney McArthur all blocked shots and relieved any pressure by keeping the puck to the outside. The line of Olivia Hall, AP Celsey Moulton, and Emma Nason threatened all game and it was Olivia who opened the scoring mid-way through the first period. This stood up into the second period when Walkerton scored a couple to go ahead 2 – 1. But before the period ended Lily made a sparkling rush to tie the game. Ashley Shields and AP Abby Clarke were killing off a tripping penalty assessed to their linemate AP Chloe Lalonde, when Lily found Ashley open in the slot and Ash one-timed a beauty for a short-handed marker to put Crabby’s ahead 3 – 2 going into the third. With Ashley being the Atom’s regular goaltender, she wanted to show she wasn’t just another pretty face who could stop pucks.
The third period saw relentless action at both ends but it was Walkerton who would pot the next goal to notch the score at 3. It appeared the game would end in a draw but with only 18 seconds to go AP Gillian Warren assisted by AP Chesney Miller and AP Courtney Cuillier won it for Crabby Joe’s.
Great game. Shared Practice Novice/Atoms, Monday at 5pm in South.