Kincardine Atom Girls Rep Team Wins Gretzky Tournament
The Canadian Tire Atom Rep Girls returned from Brantford with the gold medals and a championship banner after participating in the Annual Walter Gretzky Tournament March 6-8. They were feeling confident after qualifying for the Provincial Championships a week earlier by virtue of their 3-1-2 record against division rivals during play downs. The tournament would offer new challenges, and a chance for retribution against Wallaceburg; a team that they lost to in a shoot-out in December at the Panthers on the Prowl tournament in St. Thomas.
Sure enough, Wallaceburg was the first of three round robin matches. The girls’ desire to avoid a repeat of last their last meeting was evident as they came out flying. Endless pressure by the forward line up of Dakota Christie-Wylds, Kennedy Urie, Ela Jones, Ella Gratto, Caydence Gibson, and Morgan Talbot was matched by the Kinuck’s stingy defense quartet of Gabby Legge, Jorja Scott, Taylor Carney and Dayle Chinnick. Net minder Macara Brooks deftly handled any wayward pucks. The team worked together to keep the puck in the offensive zone but had a hard time getting shots on the net. Shots that did get through we handled by the goalie who had the bottom half of the net covered. It wasn’t until the third period when Urie received a pass from Jones in front of the net that she was able to fire a shot over the shoulder of the goalie and into the mesh. It looked like the Kinucks were on their way to victory when, with 2 and change left on the clock, a shot from the blue line ricocheted off a few skates and snuck by Brooks’ outstretched pads. The game ended deadlocked at 1-1. Revenge would have to wait.
Game 2 saw Kincardine match up against the Park Hill junior stars for a 7am tilt. Remarkably chipper for such an early hour the girls started where they left off- dominating play in the offensive end and playing tight defensively. It was all Kincardine until an unfortunate deflection in front of the net left Brooks with no chance to make the save. The team did not panic and continued to attack the net. Finally, 2:30 into the second third period Urie struck again as line mates Christie –Wylds and Jones dug the puck out of the corner and onto their teammate’s waiting stick. And once again that was the end of the scoring and the Kinucks would have to be satisfied with a 1-1 tie, despite carrying the play for a majority of the game.
The St. Mary’s Rock was the opponent in the afternoon match. Once again the Kincardine Girls outhustled the opposition but came up with nothing. Goalie Brooks was up to the challenge and helped keep the Rock off the board as well. To everyone’s surprise the team finished round robin play with 3 ties! It was good enough to get them to the semis early Sunday morning.
Wallaceburg…again. The Kinucks were on a mission from the opening face –off. Chance after chance as hard driving wingers Gibson and Talbot attacked the net. Center Ella Gratto prowled the slot looking for the loose puck. The defense smothered the Wallaceburg players giving them no place to go. The team knew the Laker goalie was good, but with Coach Gratto’s three point plan, they knew that the goals would come. And they did. But not until the third period! Right off of the faceoff Christie Wylds drove to the net and slapped one that deflected through the 5-hole of the Lakers goalie. Shortly thereafter Christie Wylds and Jones worked the puck loose to Urie who popped home her third goal of the tournament to add some breathing room. It was off to the finals!
The championship game was a nail biter. Mooretown Lady Flags jumped out to a lead in the first period as a hard high shot snuck over Brooks’ shoulder. The game ebbed and flowed as Kincardine pressured, looking for the tying goal. Tense moments in the finals seconds of the first period as steady defenseman Legge went heavily into the boards; she would return to action after a short breather. Then, in the second period Jorja Scott stepped out of the penalty box and headed straight for the net. Gratto was battling in front of the net and worked the puck loose and Scott pounced, slamming home the tying goal. The third period saw chances at both ends of the rinks as both teams threw heart and soul into chase for the winning goal. But, in keeping with the theme of the weekend, the game ended in a tie and the rules called for 5 minutes of 3 on 3 followed by a shoot-out if necessary to break the tie.
Thankfully, it only took 27 seconds for the trio of Chinnick, Gratto and Gibson to score the winner. A hard drive to the net and a shot by Gibson created a rebound that sat in the crease as the goalie slid out of position. Gratto, eyes as big as dinner plates, pounced on the rebound and made no mistake as she buried the puck in the back of the net.
Congratulations to the girls on a fantastic effort. You are fantastic ambassadors for the KMHA and the town of Kincardine.