Flyers Suffer First Loss Of The Season
By Robert Thomas
“I don’t have anything good to say about this one,” a visibly frustrated Shane Kaufmann head coach of the Milestone U18A Female Flyers said as the post game interview got underway.
Kaufmann’s frustration wasn’t with the players but rather with the bug that just won’t go away that has dogged the Flyers for close to a month now.
Milestone Flyers Taylor Myers gets ready to hit the ice
“We’re just not healthy. We outplayed them the first two periods it’s just the pucks didn’t bounce our way,” he said with a noticeable rasp from an infected throat.
The Flyers had just suffered their first loss - 4 to 1 - to the visiting Southeast Gold Wings.
“We didn’t have our best game and we are not healthy.”
The Gold Wings first goal by Jenna Emmel was shot in the net just over top of Flyers net minder Amelia Heagy
Kaufmann is known for his truthfulness and telling like it is in his post game interviews and not serving up excuses.
Asked about the bug that has infected the team for the last month he said “it’s still hanging around.”
Kaufmann said the respiratory infection that has struck the Flyers makes it tough to recuperate on the bench between shifts.
Milestone Flyers forward Allison Duncan’s presence was felt all night
During the second intermission Kaufmann went and bought a big handful of rolls of Halls to ease the symptoms from the throat infection. Traditionally he usually gets a coffee re-fill just prior to heading to the third period.
“We have been playing fairly good. As I said, it wasn’t our best night and we’re not healthy.”
Friday night’s matchup was a big one as Milestone faced a combined Weyburn and Estevan team in the Southeast TS&M Supply Gold Wings.
Despite allowing four goals Flyers net minder Amelia Heagy made some great saves including this one
“I think we played right with them most of the game. I think our powerplay was really good. I thought a penalty kill was really good.”
On top of illness the puck didn’t bounce in Flyers favour.
With four minutes left in the second period the Flyers had all kinds of chances only to have the puck hit the post.
The Flyers managed to put extreme pressure on the Gold Wings late in the second period but they failed to score on Kailyn MacFadden when the goal post gave her an assist
“We had lots of chances we just had to get more traffic in front of the net. The rebounds were there lots of times, but we just weren’t there for them.”
“We just weren’t firing because we’re not healthy.”
The Flyers lone goal came at 19:14 of the Third Period when Allison Duncan scored. Assisting on the goal was Callie Callaghan and Dayna Pratt.
The Flyers next home game is Sunday afternoon at 2 pm versus the Prairie Ice at the Milestone Memorial Centre.