Joey Payeur
The Muskie girls’ hockey team is the gift that keeps on giving—nightmares to opposing coaches, that is.
Claire Sandelovich had six points, including a hat trick, as Fort High routed the visiting Sioux Lookout Warriors 16-1 in NorWOSSA action last Tuesday.
The scary part? It could have been an even worse blowout in the minds of the victors.
“We could have done better keeping our intensity up for three periods, but it’s tough to avoid in a game like that,” noted Muskie blueliner Sam McKinnon, whose brilliant end-to-end rush resulted in a 5-1 lead that took the life right out of the Warriors just after Sydney MacDonald had gotten her team on the board in the first period.
“It’s hard to keep your focus because it’s natural to take your foot off the gas pedal,” echoed Grade 10 forward Janelle Kaemingh, who had two goals and an assist.
Fort High, which sits atop the NorWOSSA standings with a 4-1 record, had to rework its lines after entering the game down two forwards.
Grade 12 veteran Jessica Coran had her shoulder and C1 vertebrae in her neck dislocated after taking a high hit along the boards during the K-Town Christmas Classic tournament in Kenora the previous weekend.
Meanwhile, 10th-grader Rylee Redford slipped on an icy surface near her home and needed stitches for a cut on her shin that made it too painful to skate.
Muskie head coach Scott Clendenning adjusted accordingly, putting together an all-Grade 9 trio of Annalise Hayes, Taylor Croswell, and Jenna Clendenning while putting Kaemingh with Sandelovich and Kaily Greengrass.
But it had little effect on a Muskie team that had the added bonus of getting to face Warriors’ Grade 9 back-up goalie Alex Morin rather than normal starter Kyla Kulchyski, who had made more than 90 saves in each of Sioux Lookout’s last three games against the Fort.
Clendenning and Croswell combined to set up Hayes alone in front for her first of four goals on the night, then Kaemingh followed that with a 30-foot missile that beat Morin glove side.
Before the period was over, Emma Noga, Amy Penner, McKinnon, Mallory Payne, and Hayes (power play) upped the lead to 7-1.
“The forward lines were a change, but we all work well together when we get the chance to set up and we proved it in this game,” said Kaemingh.
The Muskies planned to scale back their assault in the second period but that all changed in the face of a major faux pas by Warriors’ coach Rob Favot.
Sandelovich notched a short-handed goal just over a minute in—stuffing home a rebound of her own shot.
Favot immediately summoned the referee and asked for Penner to be checked to see if she didn’t have a mouthguard, which brings with it an automatic penalty.
Such a move in a seven-goal game was akin to waving a red flag in front of a cranky bull and had Muskies’ assistant coach Todd Hamilton seething.
Hamilton then encouraged his team to go all out in response and the Muskies gladly did his bidding.
Greengrass first finished off a 2-on-1 with Sandelovich, then redirected Kaemingh’s pass over to Sandelovich, who pounded it into the empty side of the net.
Hayes notched her hat trick goal before markers by Kaemingh and Greengrass made it five goals in just over 11 minutes after the perceived slight against Penner.
“I think in the next couple of years, Sioux Lookout will be a stronger program,” Penner said graciously despite the desperation attempt by Favot to have her penalized.
“They are definitely improving.”
In the third, Payne sent a rocket that beat Morin five-hole to make it 14-1.
Sandelovich and Hayes then closed out the scoring.
“Our forechecking and puck movement was good,” said Penner.
“Just getting everyone involved in the offence is the main thing.”
The Muskies now get a break until New Year’s Day, when they head to Blaine, Mn. for the annual three-day Schwan Cup tournament against what should be an extremely-competitive field.
“The [Christmas] rest will definitely be necessary if we want to make our goal of getting to OFSAA,” stressed Penner.
“Dryden is going to be our main competition [in NorWOSSA] and we need to come out each night ready to play,” she warned.
Both McKinnon and Kaemingh are looking forward to the trip south.
“It’s really exciting and always the best tournament we play in each year, and it’s just fun to play different teams,” noted McKinnon.
“I think we’ll do well as a team down there,” added Kaemingh.
“It might take a little to get going again after the [holiday] break but we’ll figure it out.”
The Muskies’ next home game is an exhibition rematch with the International Falls Broncos on Jan. 12 at the Ice For Kids Arena.
Fort High beat the Falls 5-3 when they met back on Dec. 2 at Bronco Arena.
