Once again our Bantam House League Girls have brought Rams acclaim to the Western Ontario Hockey Association community in winning their SECOND CONSECTUTIVE CHAMPIONSHIP in Durham this weekend. The hallmark rural championship started with two straight losses and was eventually won with a level of perseverance and tenacity beyond what any coaching staff could demand. Coaches' sentiment: 'AWESOME!'
The Walkerton C were the Rams first
matchup Saturday with three losses and a one goal win AGAINST record.
Team apprehension was a factor in a flat first period show and 2-0 deficit. The defence and goalie tightened up and held off the Walkerton offence second period but couldn't muster any substantial counter offence against the Capitals until late in the third when Rachel T found a puck lane to Emily A at the hash marks who tucked a neat goal in low glove side. Final 2-1 Capitals, shots heavy in their
favour.
Game two was against the well coached and always improving South Bruce Blades, with two post Christmas victories against both the Rams and the Capitals. The Blades came out fast and strong pinning the Rams in their own end most of the game and scoring two unanswered goals to send the beleaguered Rams back home with their second loss of the Tourney.
Game three elimination semi-final was Sunday morning 10:00 against the justifiably confident Capitals. The Rams staff Ladies and coach Bill N. took the pregame time to run some outdoor dry land and team fun in the spring sun and sent 15 smiles back to the room to suit up for the challenge. At the same time Coach Scott N. was busy reworking lines with the surprise return of
Abaigael D. to the squad. As the Rams hit the ice for warmup it was palpably evident that the Ram's energy level was buzzing high. As the centers cued to puck drop the Ram's bench took in an apprehensive breath and the game was on. This game the first period immediately started in top gear with fast end to end action punctuated with the games first goal by the Rams by Rachel T from a deep corner pass by
Brianna G.. 'I just turned and shot!' said the elated shooter after the game. Walkerton battled just as hard but midway
thru the second
MacKenna G propelled a long pass to surging
Abaigeal D. at the red line who broke loose the defence and scored her breakaway goal with a deflection off the Walkerton goalie's reaching stick handle. With the insurance goal the Rams took advantage of the extremely slow ice and used every challenged home possession to clear the puck down ice and stall for time against the shortened Walkerton bench. The Capital's attack finally scored at 8:27 in the third and pinned down the Rams for the last three minutes with the extra attacker but finally ceded the upset victory to the Rams 2-1.
The championship final was 2:45 against the Blades, just as the year before but this time with odds turned clearly in
favour of the speedy strong
sticked South Bruce squad. From the start the Blades applied effective fore checking, collapsing the rams defence then hammering in fast shots to the screened net. Goalie Sandra N. spent little time on her feet the first period and a half, quick sliding post to post trying to track the pin-balling puck in front of her. Center
Laeney W., and wingers
Brooke A., Chelsea G., Chloe R., and
Brianna G. were key to eventually winning battles at the home blue line and finally getting the puck out to mount a few counter-offences that provided a couple of juicy but fruitless opportunities in the Blades slot.
The Rams continued to stave off the puck from the goal line
thru a dozen Blade frustrating near misses and had two waved off Blade goals ending the second 0-0. Midway
thru the third the Rams got two minor penalties a second apart and again defied the odds staving off a two minute 5 on 3. Center
Taryn N., and
Abaigeal D. along with defence pairs
Alexis M. and
MacKenna G., and Holly C. and
Eaden D. were outstanding on the penalty kill and would need to be again later in the game. The third ended 0-0, Rams short handed and going into 5 minute sudden death 4 on 3.
Coaches Scott N. and Mike
Tisdale fought frazzled nerves and juggled defensive lines while everybody gave their last ounce of effort to survive the first overtime barrage by the equally desperate Blades offensive picks. Fourth period ended 0-0, Rams again shorthanded.
The Blades advantage was yet again stymied and the exasperated Blades were forced to the shootout.
The Blade's goalie was solid and allowed only one of three shots to score by Ram's second shooter,
Abaigael D., but the bulletproof Ram's goalie Sandra N. sealed the championship, stopping all three shooters and earning another championship shutout.
'The most extraordinary defensive win I've ever been on the bench for...... and I don't want to do it again!' commented coach Bill N. .
'That goalie of yours....' lamented Blade's head coach Tyler G. with a rueful head shake and a smile during handshakes post game.
The Ram's staff and parents thank the team for putting up an exciting and successful ending to our season, and of course hope you coast a good long while on your well deserved accolades.