Joey Payeur
Jess Steele began the season as a Grade 12 rookie who received minimal ice time as an extra forward.
She came out of her first career playoff game as an inspiration for players everywhere about how putting one’s nose to the grindstone can pay off in the end.
Steele broke a scoreless tie with a shorthanded goal in the second period and tallied again in the third as the Muskies used a four-goal third period to down the Sioux Lookout Warriors 5-1 in Game 1 of the best-of-three NorWOSSA girls hockey semifinal last night at the Ice for Kids Arena.
And, in typical fashion for the humble Emo resident, she steered the conversation away from herself and towards her whole squad’s performance.
“The team’s effort is amazing. We’re a big family, not a bunch of individuals, and we work together as a team,” said Steele.
“We do that and we’re going to go all the way.”With leading scorer Annalise (CC) Hayes still sidelined by a shoulder injury, it was vital for others to step up and provide some offensive punch.
On the tail end of Hailey Clendenning’s hooking penalty, Steele did just that when she carried the puck across the Warriors’ line and unloaded a bullet of a wrist shot from 25 feet out that found the lower right corner of the net at 5:08 of the middle frame to crack the ice.
“(Muskies head coach Todd Hamilton) always tells us when we get in that box in front of the net to shoot,” noted Steele.
“When I shot, I want to keep it on the ice hard..The goalies are always giving us feedback in practice to shoot lower because it’s harder to stop.”
On her second goal at 6:48 of the third, Steele gathered a loose puck near the right boards and took two strides before whistling a shot past heroic Warriors goalie Alex Morin, who had an enormous 65-save night as her team was outshot 70-11 in the game.
“I’ve been working on shooting from that angle for 10 minutes before every practice,” grinned Steele, who had great chances at a hat trick, but hit the post and also missed a close-in chance that ended up with her taking the net off its moorings.
“(Morin) left a gap about that big,” she motioned by curling her hand in claw-like fashion, “and I put it there.”
Hamilton tipped his cap to his unexpected offensive ace for the evening.
“Jess has worked hard all year, whether it’s in practice or in a game,” lauded the bench boss.
“I couldn’t be happier for her. I hope she sticks around another year.”
Another one of the Fort’s foot soldiers who hails from down Emo way added to the lead at 8:38.
An offensive zone face-off win led to Jill Calder putting a shot off the post that lay there like a piece of meat in a shark tank.
Reece McQuaker devoured the morsel by driving the night and stuffing the puck home while lying on the ice to make it 3-0.
Captain Janelle Kaemingh, who had just missed several times during the evening, finally lit the lamp with 1:15 left by splitting the Sioux Lookout defence and then slipping the puck past Morin although it slipped off the heel of Kaemingh’s stick while trying to score.
Sydney MacDonald broke Kamryn Sandelovich’s shutout mission with less than a minute to go by on a scramble in front.
But that was countered by perhaps the most celebrated goal of the night. with 27.6 seconds left.
Grade 11 rookie Alex Gartzke, one of only two Muskies not to score yet this year, stepped into a shot from the top of the left circle and blew it past Morin bar down on the glove side for a spectacular first goal of her high school career.
“I didn’t believe it went in,” beamed a thrilled Gartzke.
“I heard a ding and then people were rushing at me. It was so cool.
“My first career goal was against Sioux Lookout in their own rink,” recalled Steele.
“Being a rookie like me, it’s pretty awesome for her to get it in her first playoff game. She’ll always remember it.”
Sandelovich made 10 saves to earn a win in the Grade 9 rookie’s playoff debut after she got the call with veteran starter Sydney Beck out of action due to illness.
Game 2 is set for Sunday in Sioux Lookout, while Game 3 (if necessary) will be back at the Ice for Kids Arena on Tuesday at 7:15.
Steele said anyone with other plans that night probably shouldn’t worry about changing them.
“We’re bringing (a fourth consecutive NorWOSSA title) right in and going straight to OFSAA.”
In last night’s other semifinal, the Dryden Eagles blanked the St. Thomas Aquinas Saints 4-0 in Dryden.
Game 2 of that series goes on Sunday in Kenora, with Game 3 (if necessary) set for Dryden on Tuesday.
Today, the focus switches to the male pucksters.
The nine-time defending NorWOSSA and reigning OFSAA champion Muskies host Sioux Lookout today for Game 1 of their best-of-three semifinal at the special start time of 5:15 p.m. at the IFK Arena.
Game 2 in that clash will go Monday in Sioux Lookout, with Game 3 (if necessary) returning here next Wednesday (March 1) at another rare start time of 1:15 p.m. at the IFK Arena.
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