The Wildcats scored two goals 50 seconds apart in the final two minutes of the third period to defeat Nova Scotia’s Northern Subway Selects 2-0 in the final of the Atlantic midget AAA female hockey championship on Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats, who will graduate only two players – Madison Vincent and Alexis Mulligan – this season, will now represent the Atlantic region at the Esso Cup Canadian midget female hockey championship in Morden, Man., from April 23 to 29.
“It’s quite a thrill for these young girls,” said Wildcats head coach Kevin Andrews. “I told them after the game, ‘When you are all done playing hockey, there are only going to be two things – memories and friendships – and we have both.’”
After scoring two third-period goals, including the winning goal with 23 seconds remaining in regulation time, for a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Kings County in the deciding game of the best-of-five provincial championship series, the Wildcats needed some more late-game heroics in the Atlantic championship, held at the East Hants Sportsplex.
“It’s hard on coaches’ hearts,” chuckled Andrews when asked about the dramatic finishes.
Winning goal
With the game scoreless and overtime looming, Keiran Andrews of Hunter River scored the winning goal with 1:49 remaining in regulation time. Andrews cut to the goal off the right wing and, from a sharp angle, made no mistake going high on the short side.
“I was coming down 1-on-2 and the girl tried to poke-check the puck off me, but I went around her,” explained the 16-year-old Andrews, a Grade 10 student at Bluefield High School. “I could see the girl back-checking and another girl right in front of me, and I just shot it. Then I saw the mesh move and went wild.”
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Taylor Gillis of Summerside added an insurance goal into an empty net with 59 seconds to go.
Maggie Johnston, who was named the top goaltender of the round robin after posting a microscopic 1.98 goals-against average in three appearances, was sensational in recording the shutout. The Clinton native delivered clutch saves throughout the game to keep it scoreless, especially in the third period.
“Phenomenal,” said Coach Andrews in describing Johnston’s play. “There’s no other word to explain it.
“You could see from the bench that she was very dialed in, and made the big saves when we needed them.”
Johnston was quick to praise the play of her teammates in front of her.
“They did a really good job in front of the net getting the players out of my way so I could see the puck,” said the 15-year-old Johnston, a Grade 9 student at Summerside Intermediate School. “When they needed to get the puck out they got the puck out.”
Both the Wildcats and Selects completed play 4-1 (won-lost).
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Results
Mid-Isle Wildcats’ tournament results:
Final
Sunday
Wildcats 2 N.S. 0.
Round Robin
Saturday
Wildcats 6 N.L. 4.
Friday
Wildcats 4 N.B. 1.
Thursday
N.S. 3 Wildcats 2.
Wildcats 3 Host 1.
