Makenna Schuttler scored Monday's game-winning goal for the St. Albert Slash against the host team at the Esso Cup national championship in Morden, Man.
The Grade 10 Bellerose Composite High School student was driving to the net when Shyla Kirwer put the puck on her stick and the Slash winger knocked it home midway through the second period in the 2-1 decision against the Pembina Valley Hawks.
Stephanie Markowski tied it up in the first with her second of the tournament and added the second assist on Schuttler's goal.
Shots were 21-4 in the first and 51-29 overall for the Slash.
With just over a minute remaining and a crowd battling in the low slot, Slash netminder Camryn Drever made a toe save on a scrambled shot to preserve the one-goal lead.
The result was the second victory in a row for the Pacific regional reps at the six-team nationals and Hawks dropped to 1-1.
Tuesday the Slash played the 2-0 Harfangs du Triolet (Quebec) of Sherbrooke but the score was unavailable at press time.
Today the Slash face-off game against the 0-2 Prince Albert (West) Bears and the last round-robin game is Thursday against the 1-1 Durham West (Ontario) Lightning.
Friday's semifinals are 3:30 and 7 p.m.
Saturday's bronze-medal game is 1 p.m. and the championship final is 7 p.m.
Games are Central Daylight Time starts.
Visit www.hockeycanada.ca for results.
The Slash opened the tournament in Sunday's 6-0 win against the Mid Isle Wildcats (Atlantic) of Summerside, P.E.I.
Drever made 23 saves against the 0-2 Wildcats.
Shots were 23-9 in the third and 38-23 overall for the Alberta Female Hockey League provincial champions.
Kaylee Vader buried the first goal 45 seconds into the contest.
Tyra Meropoulis and Isabelle Lajoie also scored before the period ended.
Markowski, Taylor Anker and Madison Willan tallied in the third.
Willan added two assists and Lajoie, a Grade 10 Bellerose student, also picked up an assist.
The Slash are competing in their second Esso Cup but first as the Pacific regional winners. The St. Albert Raiders Hockey Club team hosted the 2011 nationals and finished fifth.
The Slash skated into the Esso Cup with a record of 31-4-1 in league play, provincials and the national qualifier. The team's roster consists of players from Sherwood Park (five), Edmonton (three), Wetaskiwin (two), St. Albert, Sturgeon County, Calahoo, Gibbons, Onoway, Edson, Stony Plain, Spruce Grove, Fort Saskatchewan and Ardrossan.
The St. Albert Storm are coming off their worst loss of the season when they line up against the Edmonton Chargers in midget spring league football.
Saturday's kick-off is 3 p.m. at the Clareview turf field.
The Chargers are 3-1 and the Storm is 2-2 in the nine-team Capital District Minor Football Association division for Grade 9, 10 and 11 players.
The last game for the Storm was a humbling 59-33 shellacking by the 3-2 Edmonton Seahawks last weekend at the Millwoods turf field.
It was 20-0 Seahawks in the first quarter after the Storm turned the ball over at their 40 on the first series.
The halftime score was 34-7 and after three quarters it was 46-13.
The blustery weather forced the Storm to air the ball out and quarterback Quade Kozak completed 21 of 33 attempts for 459 yards and four touchdowns and was intercepted twice.
The Storm also dressed an 18-man lineup due to Bantam Bowl north team tryouts, the U18/U17 provincial selection camp and sickness.
The lack of players affected the depth in several positions, including the offensive line.
Logan McCullough continued his outstanding spring league performance with TD receptions of 34, 50 and 45 yards in the fourth quarter, plus a two-point conversion catch.
McCullough grabbed seven passes in total for 220 yards.
After four games, McCullough has seven receiving TDs and 431 yards on 20 catches and has rushed for three majors on 13 carries for 212 yards.
Travis Heggart pulled off a highlight-reel 33-yard TD catch at the back of the endzone and Kozak also crossed the goal line on a one-yard sneak after Ben VanLeeuwen bulldozed his way 19 yards to the one.
Bronson Wilkie led the defence with seven tackles.
