Winning Streak on the Line, News, Atom Rep Girls, 2014-2015 (Kincardine Minor Hockey Association)

Right from the first drop of the puck the two teams proved to be very evenly matched. There was end-to-end action throughout the entire first and second periods. In our own end the Kincardine defence worked hard to protect the net and clear the puck. Jorja and Gabby shut down many potential breakaways, and Dayle and Taylor fought aggressively for possession and fired the puck out of our end time and time again. Macara Brooks was a wall in the net - consistently stopping every shot that made it through the defence, in what may have been her best game so far this season.

In the Rebel's end Ella, Ela and Caydence, and Dakota, Morgan and Kennedy applied relentless pressure on both the defence and the goalie. The second period ended with both teams locked in a 0-0 tie.

Just four minutes into the 3rd period the Rebels struck first as a puck squirted out from the corner between the Kincardine defender's legs and right onto the stick of a lurking Rebels forward. There was nothing for Brooks to do but lunge valiantly and try to get a toe in the way but to no avail. The rebels had a 1-0 lead. How would the Canadian Tire Girls respond?

Kincardine upped the pressure, relentlessly charging into the opponent's end time and time again only to be turned back by the defence and shut out by the goalie. Halfway through the final period Jone spotted Gratto breaking through the center of the ice. A lead pass made it onto Gratto's stick but the speedy forward could not outrace the long legs (and stick) of the backchecking TCDMH defence.

But lightning struck twice as, with only 1:52 remaining, Ella Gratto gobbled up a perfect clearing pass off the boards. Again the same defender came in pursuit. But like the Road Runner of cartoon lore, Gratto's legs were a blur and she would not be caught. She blew by the defender, over the blue line and at full speed fired a shot low glove-side right past the goalie and into the TCDMH net.