It was a rare home game at the Davidson Centre for the Canadian Tire Aton Girls as they hosted the Walkerton Capitals for the second half of their home and home series. Hot off a win the night before, the team was keen to make it two in a row. Coach Gratto continued to stress the importance of looking after our own end first, being responsible for the players in front of our net and not giving their players a chance to think when they had the puck. Joining the girls for the game was Casey Beisel, on loan from the Atom Boys Rep Team.
The first period was a back and forth affair with Kincardine getting the lion's share of chances at the net. The period ended as it began, 0-0.
The second period started with a bang. 26 seconds in, the line of Gratto, Gibson and Talbot were following the coach's direction to a 'T'. Gibson skated hard to pressure the Capital's defence, who coughed up the puck to a waiting Gratto. A quick pass to the front was corralled by Morgan Talbot who wasted no time firing it in the net: assists to Gratto and Gibson. 34 seconds later defence man Gabby Legge chipped the puck off the boards and out to a waiting Ella Gratto who out-skated the Walkerton defence and scored the second goal in the opening minute of the second! Kincardine continued to apply pressure, but a Capital standing unchecked in front of the Kinucks net snuck one by Macara Brooks. The second period ended with Kincardine nursing a 2-1 lead.
Knowing that the one goal lead was tenuous at best, the Kinucks turned up the heat. The night before it was the forward line of Urie, Jones and Christie that provided the offence. On Sunday it was Talbot, Gibson and Gratto who stepped up. Strong work by Gratto along the boards worked the puck to Talbot who fired a perfect pass to Gibson who calmly made a perfect shot past the diving goalie. Not to be outdone, the very next shift saw Jorja Scott break out of the Kinucks' end, pass to Christie who dumped it deep into the Walkerton end. Urie was the first to the puck and fired a shot to the front of the net from behind the goal line. The shot hit the goalie and ended up in the net!
While all of this scoring was going on, Taylor Carney was having a whale of a game on the blue line. The coaches were very pleased with the defensive efforts of Carney, Legge, Scott and Chinnick, who made great decisions with the puck and worked hard to stymie any Walkerton offence before it could develop. Once again Macara Brooks played a strong game between the pipes.
Great game girls! Next weekend the girls will look to continue their winning streak against Markdale on Saturday.