The St. Albert Ron Hodgson Slash are playing for medals today at the Esso Cup after qualifying for Friday’s semifinals.
The result against the Brampton Canadettes (3-2) would determine if last year’s midget AAA female national champions would go for gold or settle for a shot at bronze against the Saskatoon Stars (5-0) or Pionnieres de Lanaudiere (2-2-1).
The semifinal scores from Bridgewater, N.S. were unavailable at press time.
The final will be broadcast on TSN at 7 p.m. Atlantic time.
Visit www.hockeycanada.ca for the Esso Cup website for updates.
The Slash (4-1) clinched second in the six-team round robin in Thursday’s come-from-behind 6-2 decision against Brampton.
Jayme Doyle scored a pair of first-period goals during a three-point performance to erase an early 2-0 deficit against the Ontario reps.
Head coach Dan Auchenberg called a time out to settle the Slash down after Brampton’s second goal at the 6:15 mark.
“It was clear we were on our heels and watching them beat us to the puck. We had to play our game, get a better pace going and set the tone and I thought we responded very well,” Auchenberg told the Hockey Canada media official for nationals.
The Slash responded with Doyle tapping in a one-touch pass from Madison Willan at the side of the net at 14:03 and less than three minutes later knocked in an Allison Reich rebound for the equalizer.
Jaden Bogden put the Slash ahead to stay off a scramble with 1:04 left in the period.
“It starts with our veteran players. They step up and calm the game down. Our bench started talking more and encouraging each other. That’s what you need when things are not going your way,” Auchenberg said.
McKenzie Hewett’s team-leading fourth goal was a shorthanded effort 30 seconds into the second.
Hewett, Vanessa Verbitsky and Taylor Anker were tied for the team lead in points after the round robin at six apiece.
Willan’s third goal in two games and Caleigh Meraw (power play) closed out the scoring before the period ended.
Shyla Kirwer also chipped in with two assists.
Shots were 14-6 in the first and 40-21 overall for the Slash.
Brianna Sank (1.00 GAA, .949 save percentage) posted her third win after giving up two quick goals, including the opener at 1:52, and was the team’s best penalty killer as Brampton went 0-for-6 on the power play.
“Bri has done a great job in net for us so I knew she would bounce back and shut the door,” Auchenberg said.
The lone loss for the Slash was 4-1 against Saskatoon on Tuesday as the Western reps tallied twice in the first after Reich opened the scoring at 7:19.
Saskatoon pulled away in the third with two more goals.
Camryn Drever (1-1, 2.88 GAA, .895 save percentage) was between the pipes as the Slash were outshot 16-4 in the third and 32-21 in total.
Saskatoon also ended a nine-game winning streak by the Slash, the first team to ever go 7-0 en route to the national championship last year and the winner of two games to start off this week’s tournament.
Saskatoon had lost only four games this season entering the Esso Cup and the last setback was Jan. 7.
The Slash record before nationals was 28-10-1.
The next day the Pacific reps returned to their winning ways by downing Northern Selects (0-3-1) of Nova Scotia 4-1.
Willan struck twice in just over two minutes in the third to bust open a tie game.
Kirwer and Bogden also found the back of the net and Anker added two assists against the Atlantic reps.
Shots were 38-22 for the Slash and Sank was in net.
“We knew that if we won today then we would secure our spot in the semifinals so it was very important for us to win this game. We had to keep pushing through and think on the positive side. We kept our heads up and believed in ourselves,” said Tyra Meropoulis, the Slash player of the game against the Atlantic reps.
