Under 13 (U13) - U13-C
Storm Watch: 8th
Storm Watch: 8th Edition
Nov. 10, 2022- Carleton Place Cyclones vs Kemptville Storm
The Carleton Place U13C Cyclones travelled to the North Grenville Municipal Centre on Thursday to face-off against the Kemptville Storm. In their first meeting, the Cyclones claimed the upper hand and unleashed an offensive flurry to claim a 4-1 victory on home ice. The Storm had no doubt been doing their homework. They've been tracking the weather pattern. Would Thursday's game present a different kind of Storm? Sources close to the Cyclones indicated that the coaching points were very clear prior to the game. "First on the board," was the top priority.
The Cyclones came out a little flat but started putting things together as the first period rolled along. Recent practices have been closed to the public, but rumours of a triangle formation have been circulating in the press. Fans got to see this firsthand as the girls set up around the opposing goal and put on a display of passing reminiscent of the Harlem Globetrotters. Alas, all the passing did not pay-off with a puck in the net as shot attempts were stymied. Still the Cyclones had demonstrated a noticeably different approach to offensive control. The Storm than embarked on an offensive rush of their own and netted the first goal of the game, throwing off the Cyclones game plan and sending them into a bit of a spiral. Although tender, Piper Nicholson, tracked the first shot, the Storm were quick to pounce on the rebound. The first period ended with the Cyclones down 1-0.
The second period started a little flat as well. Momentum was hard to come by. The score remained unchanged, but the Cyclones were put on the defensive for a good majority of the period. This came to a head when a messy line-change led to players scrambling to get onside to stop a rush up the ice from developing. Despite the chaos, the Cyclones managed to gain the zone and Daria Sullivan jumped on a pass from Clara Salter. Sullivan took a no-nonsense shot from the centre of the frying pan and tied the game at one. The Cyclones could now catch their breath and regroup.
The Storm and Cyclones tilted back and forth for much of the third period. Open ice was hard to come by. The game had evened out a little. Just as it looked as though the tide might turn, the Storm got an advantageous shot from outside of the face-off circle. The shot had height and slipped past Nicholson to give the Storm a 2-1 lead. With little time left in the third, this could have spelled the end for the Cyclones who had struggled to generate many scoring chances throughout the game. As fate would have it, however, this was not the end for the Carelton Place team. Less than a minute after the Storm took the lead, Shae Chalmers netted the game-tying goal resulting from a dirty battle in front of the net. The goal was not pretty, but it was hard fought. They don't ask how; they ask how many.
The game would end in a 2-2 tie. Once again, a defeated rival had come back stronger against the Cyclones. The gameplan did not hold up as hoped for but the girls salvaged a tie. The team did enough to claw back twice and leave with a point. Moving forward, the Cyclones now know that there will be no easy games and that a win over a team is a reflection of a single game only.
Player of the Game:
Ella Anderson
Nov 12, 2022- Carleton Place Cyclones vs Gloucester Cumberland Stars
With heavy hearts and minds, the Carleton Place U13C Cyclones arrived at the Ray Friel Centre in Orleans to take on the Gloucester Stars. The team were informed the previous day that Reese Olmsted, younger sister to powerhouse defense Julia Olmsted, passed away suddenly on Thursday night. Emotions were high as players gathered together to try to make sense of such a tragic loss. At times like these we realize that the sport is simply a game, but the team is much like an extended family. The hardships and grief felt by one are shared by all. The Cyclones donned the number 11 on their helmets in honour and support of their teammate. Pre-game talks were spoken through tears and the players felt the weight of the occasion. Coaches made it clear that there was no way to replace the compete and aggressive play that Julia Olmsted brings to the team but suggested that players do their best to play a game that Julia would sign her name to. As the team huddled around tender, Josie Halayko, it was clear that everyone had been hit hard by the news. The huddle was tighter, and the girls were noticeably leaning on each other in support.
The game started with a moment of silence for Reese. Both teams lined the blue lines as a sign of respect and tapped their sticks to signal their support. And then the game was on. It started with an edge. The Cyclones came out of the gates firing on all cylinders. Passes were clean and crisp. Shots were finding their way to the net. Players were being pinned to the boards in some of the greatest battles we have seen yet this year. Had it not been for the outstanding goaltending of the Stars' tender, this game could have been a blowout. The Cyclones were relentless. Shae Chalmers found the back of the net on the very first shift of the first period with a shot that resulted from her exploding out of the corner on a mission. The first period would end with the Cyclones up 1-0.
The Cyclones appeared to have emptied the tank in the first period as they had a bit of trouble getting their legs going in the second. Some hard back checking and battles kept the Cyclones in the game. Tender, Josie Halayko, made some key saves and even the defense got in on the shooting. That's right, Ellie Sloan, Meredith Clarke, Mila Straznicky, and Katie Soper all got shots off from the point. They escaped the second period unscathed and still up by one.
Nearing the end of the third period, the triangle appeared once more. Katie Chase, Sophia Brown, and Shae Chalmers connected on a tick tack toe that will remain in the highlight reels for years to come. Chalmers made no mistake and found the top corner to put the Cyclones up 2-0. The extra breathing room would not last long, however, as the Stars were able to jump on a loose puck in the crease and cut the lead in half. The next couple of minutes were pure mayhem as the Stars pulled their goalie and the Cyclones were hit with a too many players on the ice penalty. By this time, the Cyclones grit had returned and there was no way this game was getting away from them. The Cyclones shut the door and completed a bounce back game that put them in the W column once more.
Post-game talks were brief. The team had played incredibly well under extraordinary circumstances. The girls could no longer hold back tears and they supported each other as the reality of the morning had set in. The Cyclones proved themselves to be more than just teammates, more than just friends... the Cyclones are family!
Player of the Game:
The whole damn team!
