Jan 21, 2020 | Sean Cameron | 661 views
Humphrey Fleet Service Atom A Takes Gold In Cambridge
The Humphrey Fleet Service Atom A Aces are champions again.
The Aces used relentless pressure, strong team defense, and great goaltending to the championship final of the Cambridge Roadrunners tournament versus the highly touted Guelph Gryphons. The Aces advanced to the final with a 2-0 win over the Barrie Sharks, January 17. The Aces jumped on the Sharks immediately. Jayda Houben's shot was stopped but Ava Harmer was there to bang home the rebound 45 seconds in. The Aces held a huge advantage in chances except for a two and a half minute period during the second when Malaika Kibedi had to be extremely sharp on several chances. The Aces regrouped and Jayda Dietz's shot was stopped but Abby Van Bakel banked it off the goalie and in for a two goal lead with 2:32 left in the second. The teams exchanged chances in the third but the Aces came away with the win. Next up was the Kitchener Lady Rangers. Chloe Rison came up with a big save early in the contest and then the Aces used their tenacious attack to wear down the Rangers. Harmer and Eve Binns did the dirty work behind the net and they fed Jule Cameron out front and she found the back of the net with 46.7 seconds left in the first. Immediately off the faceoff in the second, Krista McMahon raced down the right side and ripped a bullet blocker side and in, unassisted. Rison came up with a huge glove save midway through the second and had to be sharp late in the second and early in the third when the Aces had to kill off penalties. Late in the third, Binns jammed home a goal mouth scramble. Harmer and Cameron picked up assists. Thirty seconds later, Camryn Medhurst kept it in at the point and McMahon shot was stopped but Emersyn Miller was there to tap in the rebound and round out the 4-0 win. On January 18, the Aces took on the North Halton Twisters. Miller got the Aces on the board when she redirected Linley Porter's shot off a defender and in. Unfortunately the Aces gave up a two on one early in the second and they snuck it home. Two minutes later, Emma Van Nes ripped a point shot top shelf through the maze out front. Binns ripped a shot off the defender and in from behind the goal line to give the Aces the 3-1 victory. Kibedi made some great saves for the win setting up a semifinal with the Ottawa Ice. Miller was on fire two minutes in. Kylin Wilson sent Miller away and she weaved through the defenders before she deked the goalie at the last second and tucked it home. Rison was busy especially in the first and rose to the challenge, robbing the Ice time and again. Midway through the second, Cameron fed Binns and she found Dietz. Her shot was stopped but Miller backhanded the rebound in for a two goal lead. Twenty seconds into the third, McMahon took the pass from Eden Fraser and Wilson spun and ripped a shot bar down from the top of the circle. Two minutes later, Miller made it 4-0 when she intercepted in the neutral zone, weaved through the defenders before another last second deke and tucking it around the netminder. Less than a minute later, Miller deflected Wilson's point shot to send the Aces to the finals with a 5-0 win. McMahon also picked up an assist on the play. In the final, the Aces were determined and came out flying but despite numerous chances the first ended scoreless. As the teams exchanged chances in the still scoreless second, Miller picked it up at the blueline weaved through the defenders before another last second deke made it 1-0. Unfortunately, Guelph tied it up with a last second pass on a two on one with 30.2 seconds left in the second. The Gryphons pushed hard to take the lead before the end of the frame but the Aces withstood the challenge. Thirty seconds into the third, Miller buried the McMahon setup. The teams exchanged chances but Houben put the Aces up two when she backhanded the rebound of Van Bakel's shot in with 7:39 remaining. With 1:15 left the Gryphons called timeout and pulled the goalie. Kibedi made several solid stop including a huge glove save and the defenders were blocking shots and sacrificing their body to earn the win. The entire team, Emersyn Miller, Krista McMahon, Linley Porter, Abby Van Bakel, Jayda Dietz, Jayda Houben, Ava Harmer, Jule Cameron, Eve Binns, Eden Fraser, Kylin Wilson, Emma Van Nes, Maeve Moss, Maren Marshall, and Camryn Medhurst played its best hockey of the season. Limiting the chances defensively, while being relentless on the puck. Chloe Rison and Malaika Kibedi came up with some great saves when needed. The Aces are back in league action January 25 when they host the St. Thomas Panthers in their final regular season action. January 26 they head to Guelph for an exhibition game with the Gryphons.
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