SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. – The Western Wind midget AAA female hockey team is quickly making a name for itself across the Maritimes.
The Summerside-based Wind went a perfect 5-0-0 (won-lost-tied) while outscoring their opposition 26-4 en route to capturing the SEDMHA tournament championship on Sunday. It was the Wind’s second tournament victory in as many weeks after winning all four games in claiming the Midget AAA Female Division of the Sherwood-Parkdale Rural Minor Hockey Association’s early bird tournament in Charlottetown on Nov. 18.
Championship game
At the RBC Centre in Dartmouth, N.S., the Wind defeated the Kings County Kings 5-1 in an all-Prince Edward Island championship game.
Paige Deighan had one goal and two assists while Tianna Gallant scored twice to pace the Wind’s offence in the winner-take-all final. Hilarie Gaudet, who was second in tournament scoring with nine points in five tournament games, and Meredith Rogers rounded out Western’s scoring. Emma Dyer added a pair of assists.
Kyara Somers scored unassisted for the Kings.
Talynn Banks earned the goaltending win.
In round-robin play, the Wind opened tournament play with a 6-0 shutout over Metro East Inferno and defeated the Kings 7-2 on Friday, Saturday, Western topped the Fundy Highland Cyclones 5-0 and defeated the Kings 3-1. The tournament features a draw system of games that has a goal of teams playing opponents of similar calibre.
Gaudet, Deighan, Gracyn Handrahan, Katie Snow and Kylie Campbell received most-valuable-player game awards for the Wind, who sit atop the P.E.I. Midget AAA Female Hockey League standings a 6-0-1.
The Kings completed the three-day tournament 3-3 while P.E.I.’s other entry, Mid-Isle Wildcats, went 2-2.
Wind 6 Inferno 0
Gaudet, who netted a tournament-high eight goals, scored four goals while Keira MacKendrick (1-1) and Campbell added single tallies for the Wind. Deighan (2), Rogers, Josee Gallant and Brianna McCardle set up the markers.
Banks recorded the shutout.
Wind 7 Kings 2
Gaudet and Handrahan each netted hat tricks to pace Western. Tianna Gallant also scored while single assists were credited to Deighan, MacKendrick, Campbell and Rogers.
Gabrielle MacDonald (1-1) and Sydney Powers countered for Kings County.
Winning goaltender was Banks.
Wind 5 Cyclones 0
Banks notched her second shutout of the weekend while Tianna Gallant (2), Handrahan (1-1), Dyer and Snow found the back of the net. Gaudet, Deighan, Campbell, McCardle and Josee Gallant picked up helpers.
Wind 3 Kings 1
A three-point performance by Handrahan (2-1) and a single marker off the stick of Campbell accounted for Western’s scoring. MacKendrick and Tianna Gallant collected assists.
Airika Pollard, assisted by MacDonald and Sydney Powers, responded for the Kings.
Banks registered the goaltending decision.
