Individual Effort And Speed Dumps Mavericks
Story and Photos by Robert Thomas
It was a game of individual effort.
Individual effort where players saw opportunity and took advantage of the situation.
For the Moose Jaw U13 A Carpet One Mavericks Team 1 it was speed and extra effort by the Melville based Parkland Fire which saw the Moose Jaw team lose 3 - 1.
TIED UP - A Moose Jaw Maverick player is unable to get her stick on a loose puck as she is tied up by Payton Lamb
The win gives Parkland Fire the advantage in the best of 3 Saskatchewan Female Hockey League's U13 A East Division final.
The Maverick's, who have successfully employed a dump and chase offensive strategy throughout the season, were thwarted by a fast skating Parkland Fire.
Melville would out skate the Mavericks and grab the puck removing opportunities for Moose Jaw to set the play up and bang it into the Melville net.
LOOKING FOR A TEAMMATE - After pouncing on a rebound a Mavericks player looks for a teammate to pass to - MJ Independent photo
The First Period was a scoreless affair with both goaltenders making key stops.
Parkland Fire's netminder Lily Whitney faced less dangerous shots and quality scoring opportunities than her Maverick counterpart Charlotte McKee.
SAVE OF THE GAME - Parkland Fire's Abigail Korolek reaches in to stop a shot that had beaten goaltender Lily Whitney and was about to trickle across the goal line - MJ Independent photo
The Second Period saw Parkland Fire get on the scoreboard.
Breaking in on the right wing Tessa Keshane was tripped up and while falling down on her knees she managed to flip the puck past the Mavericks’ McKee.
Time of the unassisted goal was 8:58.
DIVING GOAL - Parkland Fire's Tessa Keshane is tripped up but still manages to score a diving goal- MJ Independent photo
Parkland Fire would go up by two goals when Abigail Korolek would take advantage of the space created by a Maverick player dropping their stick.
Korolek would pick up speed and then stick handle from the right to the left wing and break in and score.
CELEBRATION - Although it wasn’t a game winner the Mavericks celebrate getting on the scoreboard - MJ Independent photo
The Third Period saw the Mavericks hit the scoreboard.
Skating from the right wing corner Leila Olfert would cut an S pattern and ended up in front of Parkland Fire's net where she beat Whitney.
Although it was not a game winner the Mavericks celebrated on ice.
Time of the goal was 9:16 with Ella Campbell credited with the assist.
RACE FOR THE PUCK - Parkland Fire's Abigail Korolek (left) speeds after a puck - MJ Independent photo
With over 1:20 left in the game the Mavericks pulled their goaltender in hopes of tying up the game.
After dumping the puck deep into the Parkland Fire's zone the Mavericks were unable to contain the puck.
Parkland Fire broke out and after several attempts to score were broken up the puck ended up in the Mavericks net on a long short angle shot by Korolek.
Time of the unassisted goal was 31 seconds.
LOOSE PUCK - Parkland Fire's Payton Lamb goes after a loose puck. Lamb was a tough opponent who would build up a head of steam and then outskate her Mavericks opponents - MJ Independent photo
Parkland Fire goes up 1 - 0 record in a best of three games series.
Game Two, where the Mavericks face potential elimination, goes Monday at 7:45 pm at Melville's Horizon Credit Union Centre.
Game Three, if necessary, goes Tuesday evening at 7:45 pm at the Bert Hunt Arena.
