Staff
The captain is on deck and she means business.
Amy Penner was front-and-centre in leading the Muskie girls’ hockey team to the quarter-final round with back-to-back victories at the OFSAA ‘A/AA’ championships in Kenora.
With Jessica Coran back on her wing after fully recovering from an emergency appendectomy several weeks ago, Penner put opposing goalies through the ringer during Fort High’s first two games at OFSAA with consecutive hat tricks.
Penner, Coran, and linemate Annalise Hayes got the ball rolling for the third-ranked Muskies in a 5-2 triumph Monday over the 14th-ranked McKinnon Park Blue Devils (Caledonia).
Heavy pressure from the trio resulted in Penner sliding home a loose puck past Blue Devils’ goalie Megan Hossack just 28 seconds into the game.
Jennifer Williams replied 21 second later with a shot that found its way over Muskie goalie Calie Clendenning’s shoulder.
But Fort High’s big guns reloaded and came back for more at 3:49, with Penner again cashing in on another scramble (Hayes and Coran assisted on both markers).
Taylor Troback tied the game once again at 10:50, just five seconds into a power play, when her point shot along the ice somehow eluded Clendenning.
But the veteran goalie settled down after that and came up with multiple saves as the Muskies slowly took control of the game against the slower-paced Blue Devils.
Hayes put Fort High on top again—this time for good—during a man-advantage at 10:08 of the second.
Penner won the offensive zone draw straight ahead, with Hayes gathering up the puck and stuffing it behind Hossack to make it 3-2.
Kaily Greengrass widened the gap at 1:10 of the third, using the speed to blow around defender Amber Lemos before beating Hossack five-hole.
Penner then completed her hat trick at 10:35 after Coran’s wraparound shot was kicked out by Hossack into the high slot, where Penner ripped it home.
The Muskies revved up the offence even further in yesterday afternoon’s 9-0 shutout over the eighth-ranked St. Mark Lions (Ottawa).
Penner ran her goal total to a team-high six but had plenty of help lighting the lamp.
Greengrass netted a pair while Hayes, Taylor Croswell, Janelle Kaemingh, and Mallory Payne added one each.
Kate Parsons earned the shutout.
Last night’s game against the ninth-ranked Southwood Sabres (2-0) was to decide who would finish first in Pool ‘B.’
A Fort High win would have them play at 12:30 p.m. today while a loss would put them in a 10:45 a.m. match-up.
The semi-finals follow at 4 p.m., with the gold-medal game tomorrow at 11 a.m.
