NotesGame 6 - Aces excite fans with hard fought loss in semi finals against Oakville
Coming off their morning thrashing of Owen Sound the Aces came into this game feeling good. Oakville had won their division and were looking to go to the finals. The Aces though, came out as hungry and fired up as the previous game. Whether the girls just rise to the occasions or Coach Canal knows how have them reach new levels in elimination games, either way, they came to play. Oakville however was a good match and the teams traded chances back and forth all game. The referees at least early, weren't helping the Aces as they were down a girl twice in the first. However, the Aces had a fantastic PK going with the skating of Stevens and Verellen and Neumeister and hard work up front from the forwards. In the second, Jillian Rossi had a partial break, splitting the D and got the shot off but was denied. The Aces were carrying the play, but not necessarily getting high quality chances and Oakville, despite having the puck less, was generating some more dangerous chances, but Feller, playing easily her best and hardest game of the tournament was keeping the chance alive for her team. Rossi had another chance again as a shot hit the Oakville goalies pads and was loose but the ref blew the whistle just as Rossi put it in the net and the no goal left the Aces fans on their feet. After a suspect waived off icing, Feller was forced to make an incredible save to keep the score at 0 to 0. Another Aces penalty put Feller and the girls on their backheels but they held the fort with strong play from Avery Kelly and Avery Canal. After the PK, the Aces turned the momentum around again and almost delivered as a deflected shot went of the post. Adella Feller continued to be the star of the game for the Aces as she made tough save after tough save though the Aces continued to get the puck in the Oakville zone but just couldn't find enough room to get the puck in. The Aces fan were all nerves as the game went to a 5 minute 4 on 4. However, the girls were cool as ice sa they continued to try and secure their ticket to the finals but Oakville wouldn't allow it. The game ended and the shootout loomed. Coach Canal sent out Verellen, Glitz and Liv to match Oakville's three choices. All 3 girls had nice attempts denied and Feller stopped one of 3 Oakville shooters as 2 had shots that were just too well placed. As the Oakville girls celebrated the win, the Aces girls knew their tournament was over but knew they had left everything on the ice that game. Paisley Stevens, Gracie Neumeister and Avery Canal had strong tournaments really rising to the occasion and being consistently strong all tournament. The Aces had other girls step up game to game as needed with Glitz and Liv strong as usual, MacIntosh and Michaels taking turns displaying moments of beauty and Green and Rossi and Downham grinding and contributing. Who could forget how Verellen led the the Aces when they needed a victory and both Kelly and Bell were strong at clearing the puck out of their zone.