Under 13 (U13) - U13-C
Storm Watch: 19th Edition
Storm Watch: 19th Edition
How do you end your regular season? The Carleton Place U13C Cyclones laid the blueprint this Saturday when they faced off against the first place Glengarry Highlanders. Going into Saturday the Cyclones remained the only team to defeat the Highlanders in regular season play. Their season series was tied at one apiece. The two teams had also met in tournament play and won a game each- the Highlanders happening to get the semi-final win that sent the Cyclones packing in Belleville.
There was an incredibly relaxed atmosphere in the room during the pre-game talk. Coaches talked strategy and emphasized effort. The team was given notice of a few line-up changes- which were met with enthusiasm rather than nerves. And my how those swaps paid off!
The game started with strong back and forth play, but it was evident early on that the Cyclones were getting the upper hand and keeping Glengarry in their end for much of the first period. Taking the coaching points to heart, the Cyclones also did well clearing their end when needed and were connecting on some spectacular passing- particularly from the defense. Early in the period, Lila "the Tasmanian Devil" Faris raced for a long pass from new line mate Ella Anderson. When Lila wants the puck, no one is going to out-race her. She made no mistake and buried the first goal of the game. Whatever tension existed on the bench was eased.
The second period was much the same. Glengarry showed signs of a resurgence, but solid defense kept them outside. And if they did manage a shot on net, Josie "the Wall" Halayko was there to shut it down. Halayko had said that she has been excited for this game for weeks and she did not disappoint, putting on one of her finest performances of the season. The puck found her glove more than once and she shut the door on a breakaway leaving Glengarry looking to the sky for answers. Nothing more to show on the scoreboard, the Cyclones went into the third with a simple message: "don't slow down, don't give them anything- lets win this thing!"
The third period would see a goal for the ages. Once again the new tandem of Lila Faris and Ella Anderson would connect. Centre Shaelin Chalmers would get the puck to Lila who would feed Ella in the slot. Ella's shot found the top shelf where only the finest gourmet candies are kept. That's right, the Cyclones were up by 2 in the third. And they kept the pressure on. After killing off a penalty the Cyclones would get a call their way and move to the powerplay in the last few minutes of play. Here, Shaelin Chalmers found Katie Chase all alone in front of the net and they connected on the goal that would absolutely seal the deal. And that was it. The clock ticked down with the game well in hand and the Carleton Place Cyclones took a 3-0 over the first place Glengarry Highlanders. This concluded the regular season meeting between the two teams with the Cyclones taking the victory 2 games to 1.
With regular season play now completed, the Cyclones look to take on the Smiths Falls Cubs on Sunday in their first Playdown match. Hopefully the girls can bottle what they brought today and keep this momentum going. The team on the ice today was representative of the Cyclones team that hates to lose; the team that went on an incredible winning streak this season and put themselves in the playoffs. Let's keep this storm brewing!
Player of the Game
Josie Halayko
