Joey Payeur
The Sioux Lookout Warriors wanted the evening–and their season–to last as long as possible.
Unfortunately for them, the Muskie girls’ hockey team wasn’t in the mood to be accommodating.
Two goals in each of the first two periods, and another solid performance by Grade 9 rookie goalie Kamryn Sandelovich, led to the Muskies earning a 4-1 win in Game 2 of their best-of-three NorWOSSA semi-final Sunday in Sioux Lookout.
Fort High had opened the series with a 5-1 win here last Thursday night.
“I’m really proud of them,” said Muskie head coach Todd Hamilton, whose team will go for its fourth-straight NorWOSSA crown when the best-of-three final begins Friday at 7:15 p.m. at the Ice For Kids Arena against either the Dryden Eagles or St. Thomas Aquinas Saints (Kenora).
“They really banded together even though a lot of them are not feeling very well right now,” he added.
A spate of serious colds moving through the Muskies’ dressing room, combined with assorted bumps and bruises, have tested the team’s resolve.
Leading scorer Annalise (CC) Hayes missed the regular-season finale against the Kenora Broncos and then Game 1 of the semi-finals.
But she was back for Game 2 and garnered an assist, although Hamilton said Hayes still was showing some signs she was working through the shoulder injury.
“It’s good to have everybody back in the lineup,” noted the coach, who had veteran netminder Sydney Beck also available again after she didn’t dress for Game 1 due to illness.
“It’s great to see all the kids pitching in.
“If you look at our scoring from the last few games, it’s coming from all areas which is great, especially for the younger ones who are going to take over this team next year,” he noted.
In Saturday’s game, Taylor Croswell beat Warriors’ starting goalie Kyla Kulchyski just 2:19 into the game, with Jess Steele drawing an assist.
Jenna Clendenning then made it 2-0 at 8:07 on a set-up from Lillie MacKinnon.
A body checking call against Janelle Kaemingh late in the first resulted in Sioux Lookout’s power play giving the Warriors life 25 seconds into the middle frame as Savannah Kirton buried a loose puck behind Sandelovich.
Rallying to their Grade 9 goalie’s aid, Fort took full control of the game later in the period.
Siobhan Mackintosh scored what she jokingly referred to as “the coolest goal ever” by gathering in a rebound and whipping a shot into the top of the net at 12:55.
Less than four minutes later, Hayes fed the puck back to the point while Clendenning put up a perfect screen in front as Sara Jackson cranked a shot that zipped past Kulchyski.
Sandelovich took it from there–turning aside every Warriors’ chance the rest of the way.
“Kamryn played very confidently,” lauded Hamilton.
“Sioux Lookout has some players who can really rush the puck and crash the net,” he noted.
“The only goal we gave up was a misplay on our part that rolled into the net.”
In the opener here last Thursday, Sandelovich and Warriors’ starter Alex Morin walled up their respective nets until Steele proved she was ready for her close-up.
Beginning the season as one of two extra forwards, Steele’s willingness to work to get better wound up elevating the Grade 12 rookie to start the game on the top line with Kaemingh and Lauren Hamilton in Hayes’ absence.
With Clendenning in the sin bin for hooking, Steele darted across the Warriors’ blueline and uncorked a wrist shot from 25 feet out that Morin barely moved on as it found the lower right corner of the net at 5:08 of the second.
“[Todd Hamilton] always tells us when we get in that box in front of the net to shoot,” said Steele.
“When I shot, I wanted to keep it on the ice hard,” she noted. “The goalies are always giving us feedback in practice to shoot lower because it’s harder to stop.”
Steele notched her second of the game by drilling a shot from the right circle past Morin at 6:48 of the third.
“I’ve been working on shooting from that angle for 10 minutes before every practice,” smiled the Emo resident.
“[Morin] left a gap about that big,” detailed Steele while curving her hand to form a small circle. “And I put it there.
“Jess had worked hard all year, whether it’s in practice or in a game,” lauded Hamilton.
“I couldn’t be happier for her. I hope she sticks around another year.”
Fellow Emo resident Reece McQuaker then made it 3-0 when she dove to spear home a rebound after Jill Calder’s shot hit the post at 8:38.
Kaemingh broke through with 1:15 to go by racing between two defenders and then getting just enough of the shot to slide it past Morin.
Sydney MacDonald spoiled Sandelovich’s shutout bid with less than a minute remaining.
But Alex Gartzke gave herself–and her teammates–one more thrill with her first goal as a Muskie with a blast from the left circle that eluded Morin high to the glove side.
“I didn’t believe it went in,” enthused Gartzke. “I heard a ding and then people were rushing at me.
“It was so cool.”
The Muskies got to rest last night while the Eagles and Saints duelled in Dryden in the finale of their best-of-three semi-final after splitting the first two games.
“I hope they go to triple overtime and tire each other out,” Hamilton laughed Monday.
“They’re both good teams and we have to be ready because I believed beforehand any of the four teams could win the championship this year.
“It comes down to who wants it most,” he added. “That’s the great thing about it.”
Game 2 of the NorWOSSA final will go Monday in either Dryden or Kenora, with Game 3 (if necessary) tentatively set for here next Wednesday (March 8).
