Sarnia Atom Lady Sting vs. Guelph
January 12 2009
After a successful 2-0
win in Guelph the night before, the Sarnia Lady Atom
Jr. Sting looked to take over 2nd place
in the standings.
The Sting’s Wilson won
the center ice face off back to Aleah Boersma on
defense. Boersma returned the pass to Wilson who
skated over the Guelph blueline. A wide pass to
Suzanne Lockhart on the wing was successful but the
right-winger was unable to snap her patented wrist
shot. Vanessa Wardell on the left side scooped up
the puck and fed Lockhart, this time a quick shot
was kicked aside by an astute Thunder keeper.
Kristen Parkes received a centering pass but the
again the Thunder netminder kept the game scoreless.
An icing by the Sting
saw Parkes win the faceoff in her own end. Parkes
weaved her way through the Guelph squad but was
denied by the lone player left in the Thunder cage.
The Sting continued to
attack the Guelph end of the rink. Boersma spotted
Lockhart in front but the pass deflected off
Lockhart’s stick just wide. Lockhart retrieved the
puck and a centering pass found Parkes in front but
again a save was made.
Boersma pinched hard
down the right wing offensive boards and slapped the
puck around the net to Allee Riddoch on the left
wing a wrap around was stopped by the Thunder
keeper.
Guelph was able to clear
the puck down the ice with no icing. The Sting
looked to control the puck in their own zone, but a
sloppy clearing attempt found a Guelph stick. A
quick shot and save by Norland in the Sting net drew
a quick whistle just as the puck slid under the
netminder and into the back of the net. No goal and
the Sting had dodged a bullet.
The near miss gave
Guelph some life as they gained the Sting zone and
fired at Norland but the shot could not beat the
Sarnia goalie.
Sarnia hoped to draw
first blood when Parkes spotted Jocelyn Eves in
front of the Guelph net; a shot by the left winger
went just wide. Parkes gathered the puck and fed
Claire Vanden Eynde at the right point. Claire’s
blast was handled by the Guelph keeper for another
face off. Wilson won the faceoff back to Vanden
Eynde but her rising shot was aimed at the Queen
rather than the Thunder net.
Another face off win by
Sarnia and the puck went to Wardell on the side
boards. A pass out front to Lockhart but the right
winger couldn’t fish the puck out of her skates for
a good shot. Lindsey Osler jumped over the boards
for her shift and passed in front to Parkes. Parkes
looked to cash in on the back hand but again the
Guelph goalie stymied the attempt to end the first
period scoreless.
Sarnia had controlled
the vast majority of the play but the fans held
their breath, as Guelph was only a shot away from
pulling an upset.
Sarnia started the
second frame just as they ended the first. Wilson
skated over the blueline and left the puck for
Vanden Eynde. Vanden Eynde elected to pass to Eves
who tipped the puck on goal but could not beat the
keeper.
Wilson was almost
rewarded when she won the puck in the high slot. A
rising shot hit the keeper in the chest and was
smothered. Boersma hit Parkes with a pass but the
shot was kicked aside once more.
Ginger Ruypers looked to
break the goose egg but the left pad of the Guelph
goalie kept out her shot from the right slot.
Parkes skated wide
around the Thunder defense and her shot was kicked
out in front. Ruypers was in position but couldn’t
control the rebound and the puck was cleared to
safety by the Guelph team.
Lockhart and Wardell
cycled the puck deep in the Thunder end of the rink.
Wardell snuck out front and Lockhart spotted her
linemate. Wardell turned in the slot and fired a low
hard shot but the Guelph goalie was quick to react
and made a fine toe save.
Sarnia had another good
scoring chance as Wilson and Ruypers broke away 2 on
1. Wilson passed wide to Ruypers who tipped the puck
deep into the Guelph end. Ruypers found Vanden Eynde
on the point but the shot didn’t get through.
Ruypers jumped on the loose biscuit and fired but
was denied by another pad save.
With time winding down
in the second period Vanden Eynde passed in front to
Wardell. Wardell tipped the puck on goal and jammed
away but couldn’t push the puck past the prone
goalie and the period ended as the first ended,
deadlocked at zeros.
Sarnia looked to up the
tempo and become more aggressive on the puck. Osler
skated hard at a Guelph player but was rewarded with
a body checking call rather than the puck.
Guelph was unable to
capitalize on the Power Play and the Sting continued
to strive for their first strike. Riddoch took a
shot that was blocked in front, Allee again won the
puck and passed to Parkes but Kristin was once more
denied.
Vanden Eynde effectively
kept the puck in the Guelph zone but her shot sailed
wide. The rebound out to Parkes and the shot was
saved.
A line change and the
pressure remained in the Guelph zone. The puck was
picked up by Wilson who was able to get a shot away
that was turned aside. Wardell crashed the net for
the rebound and from a bad angle bounced a shot off
the pad of the keeper and into the net to stake
Sarnia to a 1-0 lead.
Sarnia looked to be in
full control of the game when the Sting was called
for their second minor, Parkes off for
interference. Guelph came to life on the power play
but Norland was up to the task and kept the Thunder
off the board.
A nice break out from
the Sting end saw Eves hit Wilson up the middle.
Wilson passed wide to Ruypers whose shot was kicked
into the slot past a hard charging Wilson and Eves.
Guelph had been totally
outplayed in the game but still had life thanks to
the fine efforts of their keeper. A mad scramble in
the Sting end ended with a quick whistle. Guelph
pulled the goalie but the game was sealed when
Vanden Eynde cleared the puck down the ice to
preserve a well earned 1-0 win.
Sarnia’s next action is
January 24 when they again play Guelph for the
fourth straight time.
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