Under 13 (U13) - U13-C
Storm Watch: 7th Edition
Storm Watch: 7th Edition
The Carleton Place U13C Cyclones roared into Kanata last night to face-off against the Rangers for their first meeting of the season. The Cyclones are coming off a 2nd place finish in the Northumberland Halloween Havoc tournament. Media learned that the key coaching points in the pre-game discussion were as follows:
-first to the puck
-pass with purpose
-shoot with purpose
-D, play the player not the puck
The Rangers definitely had a size advantage over the Cyclones, but the two teams seemed evenly matched as the puck dropped. A quick sneaky goal, however, put the Cyclones on their heels right away. Sophia Brown would tie the game up in the second period with a blocked shot that led to a breakaway. Though the Kanata goalie got a piece of it, Brown did not give up on the puck and made sure it hit the back of the net.
The game was a little scattered compared to previous efforts. One has to believe that if the team that came out against the Nepean Wildcats last Sunday showed up last night, the Cyclones would have secured the victory. The Cyclones had moments of greatness. Backchecking and corner battles were there aplenty, but the girls had a difficult time putting a complete game together.
Kanata would get on the board again in the third period to put the Rangers up 2-1 and the Cyclones were visibly deflated. As the Cyclones seemed to lose their speed, the Rangers stormed in wave after wave. They would put one more puck in the net to secure a 3-1 victory.
In post-game discussions, the coaching staff were clear that the Cyclones were more than capable of competing with the Kanata Rangers. The difference tonight could be traced back to the key coaching points before the game. The Rangers checked off each item on the list as though they had been privy to the Cyclones plan. The Cyclones, on the other hand, struggled to gain momentum and meet the pre-game expectations.
There are always positive takeaways from every game. Clara Salter competed hard on a great backcheck that saw her lifting a stick which prevented a viable scoring opportunity. Chloee Carmody fought back from injury to have two back-to-back great shifts. Julia Olmsted played a very physical brand of hockey that aimed to set the tone from the beginning. But unfortunately, the moments of glory were too few and the Rangers were prepared for the game the Cyclones brought to the Bell Centennial Centre.
The Cyclones have not played at home in six games and will have a few more road games before seeing home ice again. They do, however, have a week in between games to rest and work on some of the problem areas that showed up last night. One thing we have learned about this group is that they do not stay down very long. There is a storm rising. We'll have to wait and see if the Cyclones prove to be the team that hates to lose.
Player of the Game:
Chloee Carmody
