Fillies Use Size And Experience Advantage To Vault Past Mavericks
It was a case of deja vu as the two top teams in the Saskatchewan Female Hockey League (SFHL) met on Saturday afternoon to determine who would end up at the top of the standings
And as in their first meeting the Moose Jaw Midget A Mavericks found themselves falling to the Leroy based East Central Fillies in an identical 4 - 0 score to their first outing. The loss puts the Mavericks in second place in the league with 20 points two points behind the Fillies.
Despite the loss and second place position in the SFHL Midget A league standings they are still the winningest hockey team in Moose Jaw.
The Mavericks, who have 14 rookies on their roster, found themselves outmatched for a good portion of the contest by the older and more experienced Fillies squad.
“They are a skilled team, they’re an older team and experienced team and they were the better team on the ice tonight,” Coach Mike Botterill said in a post game intervew.
“But I think we have a lot more in the tank and we have a better game than we put on the ice tonight. And like I told these girls, we’re going to have a rematch against them …they haven’t seen the best of the Mavericks,” Botterill said.
The Mavericks initial game plan was based upon taking advantage of a perceived weakness in the East Cental roster - that being the Fillies only have three defense players.
The Mavericks started the game trying to dump and chase the puck into the Fillies end to hopefully tire the three Fillies defenders. But the Fillies defence held and were instrumental in preventing the Mavericks from breaking out into neutral territory whether it be carrying the puck out or ringing it out along the boards.
“Our strategy was to dump and chase…their defense though is very strong.”
The Fillies aggressive style paid off on the powerplay at the 12:23 mark of the first period when league’s points leader Lauren Hinz took advantage of the Mavericks unable to carry the puck across their blue line and stole the puck. Hinz would skate in and wire a diagonal wrist hand shot from the right wing into the twine on Mavericks goaltender's Sydnee Christmann’s mid-net blocker side. An assist went to Emma Abrey.
The Fillies would add to their lead when Kiana Leicht skated towards the left wing corner and then bobbled a floating pass out front to Bridgette Vedress who scored at 3:13 of the first period.
The second period would see the Fillies add to their lead within the first minute when close in Jacelyn Kelly would backhand in a shot along the ice beteween Christmann’s pads after receivong a pass along the ice from just behind the goal line from Kiana Leicht. An additional assist went to Hinz.
About the 10 minute mark of the second period the Mavericks offense ignited for five minutes when they had aseries of great scoring chances but failed to put the puck in the net.
Ember DuSomme would perform a stickhandling clinic at the 14:45 mark where she would beat three of the Fillies defenders only to be denied by goaltender Jensen Kelly.
The Mavericks would threaten at the 9:47 mark when captain Coutney Botterill was denied by Kelly in what looked like a shutout breaking shot.
The pressure would continue when at 9:42 Keana Maclachlan’s screenshot was stopped by Kelly.
The momentum would swing back to the Fillies when Christmann would pull of a brilliant save stopping Abrey whose great wristhand through traffic almost pre-destined for the back of the net.
But by far the greatest save of the day went to Christmann who sprawled out of her crease to knock the puck away from Cassadi Klapak who was on the doorstep and about to shoot with 55 seconds left in the second period.
The third period scoring K;apak finally score at the 13:14 mark on a long floating wristhand shot whose arching path alluded Christmann. The assist went to Hinz - her third point of the day.
The shots on goal were 29 (10-10-9) for the Fillies and 26 (9-8-8) for the Mavericks.
“There was no sustained pressure (on our part),” Botterill said about the team’s chances throughout the game.
The team did not play their usual more open style of hockey but he called the Mavericks play as tight and not their usual more open style. He attributed it partially to the team’s nervousness given it was a big game.
Asked about the first intermission and if he had given the team different instructions Botterill said he had and there was a change in the game plan which allowd the Mavericks to not be so bottled up in their own end and work in closer to the opponents net generating some good scoring opportunities.
“We had our chances in the second period if we would have gotten a goal it would have likely have been a much different game,” he said.
“They are a strong team.”
He said if the rest of the season and playoffs play out anticipated the Mavericks and the Fillies will likely meet up in the league final but nothing is set in stone.
“Anything can happen…the puck can bounce in mysterious ways.”
The Mavericks have four more games remaining in the regular season.
As it was a game dedicated to helping out the needy who use the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank the larger than normal turnout - likely the largest so far this season - were asked to bring a non-perishable food item to donate something Botterill described as “we had some really good donations.”
The Mavericks next game is January 10th at 7:30 pm when they play the Wood River Southwest Terminal Ice Cats in Lafleche.
Mike Botterill