Hackett’s goal with 43 seconds remaining in regulation time lifted the Wind into a 3-3 tie with New Brunswick’s Northern Panthers from Miramichi on Saturday afternoon. Hackett’s goal, which came with an extra attacker on the ice, secured the Wind the necessary one point they needed to earn in the round-robin finale to advance to the gold-medal game of the Atlantic bantam AAA female hockey championship at the Kay Arena.
Sunday’s final, which will be played at noon, will feature a rematch of the Wind versus the Panthers, who entered the game 3-0 and had already secured a berth in the title match.
However, the Western team, which is based out of the Evangeline Recreation Centre, was not satisfied with just the one point, and went on to pull out a 4-3 come-from-behind victory in a shootout to complete round-robin play 3-1 (won-lost).
On Saturday morning, the Wind defeated Newfoundland and Labrador’s Eastern Ice Breakers 5-2.
Click here for pre-tournament story on Western Wind:
Click here story on Wild's game Thursday:
Click here for story on Wild's game Friday:
Wind 4 Panthers 3
The teams were tied 1-1 after the first period, the Panthers led 2-1 after the second and increased that lead to 3-1 early in the final frame. However, the never-say-die Wind bounced back, and Marley Gaudet’s goal with 7:21 remaining made it a one-goal game, setting the stage for Hackett’s equalizer.
Tianna Gallant (1-1), who scored in regulation time, and Hilarie Gaudet scored in the shootout while the Panthers were unable to beat Wind goaltender Madison McHugh on their two attempts. McHugh was credited with 23 saves.
Josee Gallant added an assist for Western.
Wind 5 Ice Breakers 2
Gaudet scored twice while Gallant (1-3), Belle Ashley (1-2) and Abby Hustler (1-1) also had big games offensively to lead the Wind. Kylie Campbell added an assist while Emma Smallman made 17 saves in notching the goaltending victory.
The Wind led 1-0 after the first period, and increased that margin to 4-1 following the second.
