Chiefs Hitting Stride as Season as Regular Season Winds Down

The Chiefs had three tough games over the last week, with matches against Westman and Pembina Valley who are both at the top of the league standings.  The Chiefs continue look for consistency as the regular season nears the end and the playoffs loom on the horizon.  While the weeks games didnt start as well as the girls would have liked, by the final game, progress was made.

     On Wednesday Jan 18th, the team gathered in Hartney to face their western Manitoba counterparts, the Westman Wildcats.  If the coaching staff could bottle the first seven minutes of this game and have the team just sip from that to keep it going, the game would be a lot easier.   All three lines hit the ice with plenty of jump and hemmed the Wildcats in their end.  Numerous goal scoring chances ultimately lead to Tatum Amy scoring  on a high wrist shot on a 2 on 1 break to give the Chiefs the lead.   Shortly after, the Chiefs were penalized and the host team would capatilize on the power play.  Several times this season, the Chiefs have faced some adversity and have taken some time to respond and this night would be a similar situation.  The rest of the first period saw Yellowhead off their game and the Wildcats took advantage.  With two more penalties to close out the period, the Chiefs escaped the first tied at 1.  The second period started wtih the Chiefs back to themselves, aggressive on the forecheck and using their speed.  However, on a power play, some  miscommunication led to a turnover behind the Chiefs net and a quick short handed goal gave Westman the lead.  The Chiefs sagged a bit after this and gave up anothere goal to trail 3 - 1 after two periods despite outshooting the hosts in the period.

In the third, the Chiefs were determined to not let this game slip away, even after an early period goal put Westman up by 3 at 4 -1.  With two quick goals, another from Tatum Amy and one from McKiya Mazur, Yellowhead narrowed the lead to 4 - 3 before the period was half over.  Unfortunately, a missed defensive assignment gave Westman a 2 on 1 and another goal to make the score 5 - 3.  The Chiefs continued to pressure, but an empty net goal sealed the game at a 6 - 3 loss.

     On Saturday Jan 21st Yellowhead was in Pilot Mound for the first of a two game weekend set with the Pembina Valley Hawks.  A solid start to the game for the road team was lost in  a span of a  minute as they surrendered two goals in less then a minute and by the end of the first, trailed 3  - 1.  Sydnee DeCorby scored the first period goals on assists from Morgan Ramsay and Jena Barscello.  The Chiefs narrowed the deficit to one goal as Karissa Cullum scored at the midway point of the period.  Tatum Amy and Sadie Wood assisted on the goal.  Pembina Valley restored the 2 goal lead before the end of the second.   There would be now scoring in the third and the Hawks defeated the Chiefs 4 - 2

     The scene shifted to Manitou for the second game of the weekend on Sunday afternoon and right from the drop of the puck, it was evident the Chiefs would not be denied on this day.  The Chiefs would out play the host team in every period, with hustle and speed.  Despite falling behind in the first on two power play goals, the Chiefs would not be denied.   Led by two goals from Captain Tatum Amy and a goal from McKiya Mazur, the Chief won 3 - 2.