CHIEFS ARE MFMHL and
PROVINCIAL AAA CHAMPS
It was déjà vu all over again on Satuday night at the Communiplex in Shoal Lake, well, except for the ending. For the second year in a row and almost exactly one year to the day, the Chiefs faced the Central Plains Capitals in a game 5 winner take all game for the MFMHL championship. In front of a packed house, the two teams continued to showcase the quality of AAA female midget players in the province.
The first period once again was a tight checking affair as both teams worked hard to avoid making a mistake to give an early lead. Both teams had power play opportunities in the period but no goals were scored as the Chiefs outshot the Capitals 6 to 4.
A late first period penalty for having too many players on the ice had the Chiefs on the power play to start the second period and it would McKenna Paddock again who would give the Chiefs the lead. The veteran defenceman took a cross ice pass from partner Sydneee DeCorby and fired a quick wrist shot that would beat McKenna Wild in the Capitals goal. The next shift after a goal is very important and the Capitals pushed hard off the center ice face off and gained control of the puck in the Chiefs end. A defenceman kept the puck in at the Chiefs blue line and fired a high shot back into the zone. The puck was gloved down by a forward and slid towards the Chiefs goal where is deflected off another Capitals forward and into the goal to tie the game just 33 seconds after the Chiefs took the lead. The second period featured two more power plays each and the Chiefs had 12 shots on goal to the Capitals 7. The Chiefs survived the final minute of the period as they were stuck in their zone, forcing Emma Greenwood to make two of her biggest saves of the series.
Tied at 1 heading into the final period, both teams continued to work hard, but it was the Chiefs who seemed to have an extra step and they created several scoring chances. Just over a minute into the third, the Chiefs scored and celebrated taking the lead. However, the referee saw the play from a different perspective and ruled that the puck had been kicked into the net and waved off the goal. Yellowhead continued to press and the hard work of the same line who was denied just minutes earlier by the referees call gave the Chiefs the lead. Jessi Rampton , Sam Geekie and Tatum Amy controlled the puck in the Capitals zone and in a scramble around the goal, Amy found the puck and lifted a shot the floated over the Capitals goalie and into the net. The entire series has featured moments that turned the momentum but a constant has been the incredible penalty killing of the Chiefs and this would be tested again. With less then 3 minutes remaining, the Chiefs were down two player for over a minute and a half. The veteran duo of Hannah Fouillard and Jalyn Elmes would not be denied as they sacrificed to kill off the penalty. The Capitals would pull their goaltender for an extra attacker but the Chiefs kept them in their end of the ice and off a faceoff win, Jessi Rampton found Emma Coulter alone in front of the net and she made no mistake in scoring the 3rd and final insurance goal for the Chiefs. Emma Greenwood would finish with 18 saves none bigger then a quick alert poke check to break up a 2 on 1 rush by the Capitals that surely would have tied the game. As the seconds wound down, the Chiefs celebrated the 3 -1 win and the first MFMHL Championship in team history. The Chiefs were joined on the ice by family and friends to enjoy the moment and celebrate with the MFMHL trophy and provinical championship banner. The Chiefs have to thanks the great fans that came to the games in our playoff run, expecially through the tough moments in the last two weeks. The team could not have accomplished this without you.
The Chiefs will now face the Saskatoon Stars, winners of the Saskatchewan AAA Midget league, ina 3 game West Region Final with the winner advancing to the Esso Cup in Weyburn from April 17th to 23rd. The game will be played at the Communiplex in Shoal with Game 1 on Friday April 1st at 7:30 , Game 2 on Saturday April 2nds at 7:30 and Game 3 if necessary will be Sunday April 3rd at 4pm. All games are at the Communiplex in Shoal Lake.
Jessi Rampton, Hannah Fouillard and Jalyn Elmes accept the MFMHL Championship Trophy and Provnicial Championship Banner from Ray Brethour of Hockey Manitoba
and Cal Harrison of the MFMHL
