Sarnia Ladies look to take over first place!
October 24, 2008

The Sarnia Atom Lady Jr. Sting looked to take over first place when they traveled to Cambridge October 24. The already short-handed Sting juggled lines when steady defenseman Aleah Boersma couldn’t answer the call due to the flu, leaving the Sting 11 skaters. The first period saw the Sting exert great pressure. Kristin Parkes taking over the point from Boersma, received a nice cross-ice pass from Suzanne Lockhart but the shot just missed the far post. Sarah McCormick of the Sting looked to cash in again from Lockhart but her attempt was also put wide. The Sting knew they needed to score early with the limited squad and were almost rewarded when Claire Vanden Eynde sent a long clearing pass ahead to Lockhart. Lockhart skated in but her hard wrist shot hit the side of the net.
 

Cambridge came into the contest undefeated and demonstrated why when they kept sustained pressure in the Sting end. Ashley Norland in the Sting cage was strong and denied the RoadRunners advances.

Cambridge seemed to find their legs half way through the first period. A puck was sent in deep and the Cambridge forward was first to the puck. A centering pass and shot trickled just past Norland and Cambridge had drawn first blood. 1-0.

The second period saw the Sting start to buzz the Cambridge end. An effective cycle by Vanessa Wardell and Ginger Ruypers  resulted in a pass out front to Lockhart. Lockhart picked the far corner with a low hard shot and the Sting had tied the score at 1.

Vanden Eynde skated down the wing for the Sting and centered across ice pass to Lockhart but Suzanne couldn’t pull the trigger. A face off in the Cambridge end saw Parkes step up and scramble the draw. Lockhart found the puck in the fray but couldn’t find enough space to get the shot off as the buzzer went to end the second frame tied at 1.

The third period started and Cambridge attacked the Sting defense wide. The guarding Sting defenseman fell and the Cambridge player took a sharp angled shot at Norland. Norland played the angle and the puck careened straight out into the slot and was cleared. The far side ref, standing at the Cambridge blue line blew the whistle and signaled a Cambridge goal stating the puck had gone in and out of the Sting net. Tough call against the Sting and they were now down 2-1 in a hostile building.

The Sting had to press to find the equalizer. Wardell battled hard in the corner winning the puck and centered to Ruypers out front. A bad bounce and the puck skipped over Gingers stick. Parkes jumped on the puck in the corner and centered to Wardell but Wardell was unable to connect and the Sting were still down 1.

The final period was half over when Parkes made a rush from her defensive position. Kristin skated around the Cambridge “D” and was hauled down. A power play opportunity for the Sting. The puck dropped and the Sting cycled the puck in the Cambridge zone. The puck squirted out to the point to Vanden Eynde. Claire’s high wrist shot eluded the Cambridge keeper tying the game at 2.

The PP goal gave the Sting new life. Mackenzie Wilson carried the puck from her own defensive end and found Parkes wide. Parkes return pass to Wilson was then sent over to Sarah McCormick in front but the RoadRunner goalie came up big to deny McCormick.

The Sting continued to press, a sigh from the visitors stands was heard when Parkes made a good defensive effort to keep the puck in the Cambridge zone. Wilson corralled the biscuit, deked the defenders and fired her patented wrist shot just wide of the top corner!

With time winding down Vanden Eynde found Lockhart alone in front but the goalie made a big save just as the buzzer sounded for a 2-2.  Sarnia would have to wait to the return date October 25 to try to claim first spot from the RoadRunner squad.