The wait is over for the St. Albert Slash.
The midget AAA team is back at the Mac’s tournament in Calgary after a one-year absence.
“It was a really big deal to make the Mac’s this year and we have a really good chance of winning because of how well we’re playing so far,” said Jenna Jewell, captain of the third-place 14-7-5 Slash in the Alberta Major Midget Female Hockey League.
The tournament opener for the Slash was Friday against the Northern Cougars of Prince George, B.C., but the score was unavailable at press time.
Tonight the Slash face-off against the Westman (Manitoba) Wildcats at 8:30 p.m. at the Max Bell Centre.
Sunday, the Slash plays the Peace Country Storm of Grande Prairie at 1 p.m. at Max Bell.
The last round-robin game for the Slash in their pool is Monday against the Swift Current Wildcats at 10:30 a.m. at Max Bell.
The top team in all three pools and one wild-card team advance to Wednesday’s semifinals at Max Bell.
The final is Thursday at noon at the Saddledome.
Visit www.macstournament.ab.ca for results.
Two years ago the Slash finished 1-1-2 at the Mac’s.
The Slash won the Mac’s Cup in 2009.
“We can go far in the Mac’s tournament and even as far as to the Esso Cup (national championship) as well,” said left-winger Jamie Jones. “We’re doing pretty good this year. We’re a lot stronger than last year. We’re where we should be in the standings.”
The Slash are 2-2-1 in their last five games after beating the Spruce Grove PAC Saints 5-1 at home and the second-place Red Deer Chiefs 2-1 on the road last weekend.
“Those were two big wins for us,” said Jewell, a third-year Slash centre.
Megan Lalor, an explosive forward and candidate for league MVP honours, lit the lamp twice and had two assists against the Saints (10-11-2). The league leader in goals with 19 also ranks second in the scoring race with 30 points in 23 games. She also plays with an edge with a team-high 40 penalty minutes.
Jones tallied once and added one assist against the Saints.
Jewell and Kennedy Newton also sniped singles.
Natalie Bender (5-5, 2.24 GAA) stopped a game-high 24 shots.
In Red Deer, the Slash led 2-0 after the first period on goals by Breanna Golosky and Kennedy Davidson.
The Slash outshot the Chiefs 30-18 as Erynn Shantz (9-4-3, 1.33 GAA) posted the win against the host team for the 2015 Esso Cup.
“As a team, we all skated well and we made really good passes. Our breakouts were good too,” said Jones, 16. “They were both pretty strong wins and we needed those wins going into the Mac’s.”
Jones’ assist on Davidson’s game winner against the Chiefs (16-5-4) was her 17th point in 26 games for second place in team scoring.
The Grade 12 Bellerose Composite High School student is also third in goals with seven.
After the Mac’s, the league all-star game will be staged Jan. 3 at Clareview Arena at 1 p.m. and the Slash will be represented by Jewell, Lalor, Shantz, forward Rachel Rochat, defenceman Megan Webb and head coach Phil Webb on Team Teal.
The all-star selection was an early Christmas present for Jewell, 17.
“It’s really cool. I wasn’t really expecting it. It’s an awesome opportunity and it will be fun to play with some girls that I haven’t got to play with since we were younger,” said Jewell, who has eight goals and eight assists in 26 games for third place in team scoring.
As captain Jewell is proud to help carry on the rich Slash tradition, which was celebrated in style at the first annual Slash Alumni Event in Sunday's game of past and present players at Go Auto Arena.
“We have a really good alumni base. A lot of people that have played out of St. Albert have gone far in hockey. It’s pretty cool to be able to play with some of these girls and build on that legacy that they made for us because it’s pretty impressive,” said the Grade 12 Bellerose student.
The next league game is Jan. 7 against the Sherwood Park Fury (13-8-2) at 8:15 p.m. in St. Albert.
