Play-offs, play-downs,
who the hell knows, but the Perth Auto Dismantlers Atom A Aces took the
Woolwich Wildcats to the edge and back where only Bruno Mars could describe the
emotions the girls pulled out of the crowd in game 3.5, Sunday, February 17,
2019. Shall we take a minute to
appreciate Mars’ lyrics?
Here, with my suggested substitutions, few be as they may, this passage encompasses everything I was feeling.
This hit, that ice cold
Michelle Pfeiffer, that white gold
This one for them hood girls
Them good girls straight masterpieces
Stylin', wilin', livin' it up in the city
Got ChucksSKATES on with Saint Laurent
Gotta kiss myself, I'm so pretty
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Called a police and a fireman
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Make a dragon wanna retire man
I'm too hot (hot damn)
Say my name you know who I am
I'm too hot (hot damn)
And my band 'bout that money, break it down
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
Girls hit your hallelujah (whoo)
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you
'Cause uptown funk gon' give it to you
Saturday SUNDAY night and we in the spot
Don't believe me just watch (come on)
Now that you have that song stuck firmly in your head, let’s talk stats for those of us who’re keeping track.
Game #1 was amazing. The girls were passing, skating, implementing an entire season’s worth of practiced skills into one game. And the end result showed just what can happen when you consistently work as a team, focused on a singular goal, The Win.
The scoring didn’t get started until the 2nd period. With only 27.5 seconds remaining, defenceman Avery Randall rushed with the puck to find net, unassisted, building the momentum that would go on to be the driving force in the third period.
The third period saw the puck drop, Lila Mortimer move it out of the crowded red zone and hammer one deep into the Wilderness. Meanwhile, Emersyn Miller, was strategically lined-up, with incredible foresight, ready at the net for the forceful rebound off the boards and hammered it home to move the score to 2-0, only 30 seconds into the third.
Lines changed, a return to centre ice, the puck dropped, and centreman Lauren Leis tied the Wild up, moving the puck out and back to defence Emma Van Nes, who moved the puck up the boards to waiting winger, Eve Binns.
Leis had gotten free of the swarm of Wild-cats, and I can’t think of another descriptive more fitting than a bunch of wild, feral cats, where our two centres where the equivalent of mice dipped in honey, and was seen moving past the blue line in perfect symmetry to Binns. Taking the pass, she found net, only 15 seconds after the pervious goal, bringing the game to its final score of 3-0, earning goalie Sloan Cameron, another well-deserved shut-out.
We’re going to skate by the second game in the Wildcat’s home ice, where the game ended in a scoreless tie. Rumour has it, since this writer was not there, that goaltender, Grace Kipfer, executed her unique blend of goaltending/martial arts fusion, making sure the Wild knew her house was not open for a visit. I’m super excited to see that in action against Kipfer’s next start against the Heat on the 22nd.
Game 3 saw the Wild on Stratford’s home ice where Stratford needed a tie to move on. Alas, sit back, take a deep breath and dig out any needed blood pressure meds. This one went on for 32 minutes of regular play, 10 minutes of stop time overtime and an incredibly long tense ending.
The girls looked fantastic right out of the gate with defence Avery Randall, rushing from end to end, with an incredible goal, unassisted, to get the game started. However, that lone goal would prove that 1 truly is the loneliest number, especially when the other team finished the game off with 3 goals.
With their solid win in game 1, the girls were spared elimination and went to a 10:00 minute sudden death, stop-time, 4 on 4, overtime period. Move to the edge of your seat. Literally. No ab-work necessary today, the intensity was almost overwhelming.
End to end, shots, rebounds, strategic passing and heavy skating after already playing an intense game, the girls left everything they had on that ice. But it was no dice. At the end of the 10:00 minutes, the score was still 0-0.
Next level stress. Mel and Sean Cameron were seen breathing into a paper bag in unison, because we’re on to a shoot-out. 3 pre-determined shooters, with 3 on deck. Except there was a bit of a problem. Shooter #2 had to leave the game. Remember those feral cats? Centreman, Lauren Leis fell victim and had to leave the game late in the third period and wouldn’t be returning.
The plan shifted slightly and the shoot-out was on. Wild went first, with goalie, Sloan Cameron perfecting the classic goalie tracking strategy, keeping the Wild out of her house. Knowing a goalie like I do, I’ve heard it said that goalies live for the shoot-out. It finally gives them a chance to show what they’re made of. It’s what they train for. It’s completely their jam. And Cameron & Kipfer proved that when the pressure’s on, goalies are made of steel.
Next up, Emersyn Miller went in for the win but was unable to find the net, passing it back again to our end. Wild came back with a goal and it was time for Avery Randall to repeat her first goal. She held true, with a clean top corner goal and we were back in business.
Giving Cameron a much-needed rest, goaltender, Grace Kipfer came in for the Wild’s third attempt, and held the net, blocking their attempt to score. Next up, was Anne Nickel, who was unable to score on the Wild’s goalie.
Cameron was back in for the Wild’s fourth attempt and her strategy of cutting of the shooter’s angle yet again worked, when her shot went “wild”.
Cue the fifth shooter, Paige Campbell, who’s notorious “leaning whistling wrist shot”, angled just right, flew past the goalie and it was all over but the celebrating. Disappearing into the ball of manic, screaming 9/10 year-old girls, Campbell ducked and covered and celebrated with her team-mates. They had pulled off possibly the most intense win of their lives and lived to meet Saugeen in the next round of the LLFHL play-somethings.
Next up for the girls, some Friday night action against the Huron Heat in game 1 of their Provincial Playdowns?