Nov 29, 2010 | dbridgwater | 896 views
Stratford Aces Hockey Tournament Silver Winners
Here we go again.
Four different arenas, five hockey games, eleven girls, four different opponents, lots of parents, a few restaurants (where we are not invited to again) and Coach Donald. What do you get?
Well for Mr. Donald, he gets a headache and the shakes. The rest of us get action packed great hockey and a silver T-shirt.
Our first game was against Lucan, early Friday morning in St Mary's. Not much to say they won 2 to 1. What I can say is, we are not a morning team. The coaches are, but the girls are not. We will be working on that. I have a call in for Ice Scheduler Kieffer for some 7am practices. (Our parents love us). Jordan MVP
Second game three hours later in Tavistock against Cambridge. With the mighty Abby on the blue line rocketing two goals for us. We need to get her shot under control as well as her anger issues(lol). We win 4 to 0. TJ's first shut out of the the tourney. Abby's MVP.
Another early morning game in Stratford against Markham Stouffville on Saturday. we win 4 to 3. We scrape by to win. The tournament schedulers really don't want us to win by playing sooo early in the morning. The girls got a good talking to after this game. We need to play better. Did it work? Stay Tuned. Please don't ask about the pancakes and milkshakes scenario at an undisclosed restaurant somewhere in Stratford. It wasn't us. Enough said.
PC MVP.
Sunday morning in Milverton at 11am. Stratford is pretty confident it was there turn to win to go to the Championship game later in the day. Guess what, the talked worked! We won 5 to 0! Our lines are starting to work again. TJ's second shut out. Natalie MVP. We, the mighty Rams go to meet Lucan for the Championship game at three.
So we go to Wendy's. Please don't ask about Coach Donald's extra large Coke incident. It wasn't us. Some food, a rest and some strategizing (I think that is a word) we head back to Stratford. Guess what? Lucan hasn't played today. We did. We get the girls pumped and ready to go. We had the team's scouts out to watch their earlier game. We have some history with Lucan. We have tied them and beat them in regular season match ups.
We start early with one goal in the first period. We get another to make it 2 nothing. Their bench and parents are very quiet. Our girls are on fire. Then the girls maybe got too confident and they catch up 2 -2. I call for a time out and spray them with water (at least that what we tell the parents, it is actually testosterone, anabolic steroids, Gatorade and Frank's Red Hot Sauce, we put that %^$# in everything)(I'm really funny!)
I asked a certain little special player to score, and we really needed it and she did it. 3 to 2. Crowd is going crazy! Back and forth and back and forth. The end of the third period, tied at 4 goals each. Five minutes of OT, four on four. The puck is at their end for three minutes. Shot after shot. Lucan has a great goalie. Lucan breaks out of our end crosses our blue line ref's arm goes up for a slash and Lucan thinks they scored. Referee waves it off as it was kicked in. We have a penalty. Four on three. No one scores and it is off to a shoot out.
Three players each, two at time. Lucan with that pot of luck scores on the first draw. Second and third round are scoreless. The lucky Lucan Irish win. Elyse MVP.
I just want to say our girls put their heart and soul into this game and they are truly winners. I can't wait to meet Lucan again (later in the day!). We are getting better each week and getting ready for the big prize, Provincials. We went last year and we will be coming back with something this year (and not restaurant stories).
The girls come out as team from the dressing room to standing ovation from the parents. Yes Coach Donald cried!
I hope the girls appreciate the support from parents and everyone involved with Minor Hockey. We are going places!!! Lucan may have luck, we have skills!
Team record 14-3-2!