Despite a furious third period comeback attempt the Thunder Bay Sportop Queens run for a second Esso Cup Canadian National Female Midget Hockey Championship fell just short Saturday as they dropped a hard-fought 4-2 decision to the Pembina Valley Hawks in the gold medal game played in Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Pembina Valley opened the scoring midway through the opening period as Jessica Kaminsky was sent in alone on a breakaway and made no mistake on a deke tucking the puck past the right pad of Thunder Bay netminder Megan Leikkari.
The Queens would notch the equalizer early in the middle frame as Kaitlyn Tougas scooped up a blocked shot and snapped one past Brittini Mowat from the left side at 1:19.
Answering back five minutes later were the Hawks on a power play goal by Cassidy Carels, who tapped in a cross-crease feed by Brooke Drummond.
Carels extended the Pembina Valley cushion to two following a turnover at the Thunder Bay blueline wristing a shot through Leikkari.
Special teams saw the Manitoba champion add another before the second stanza was complete as Lauryn Keen roofed one for her club’s second player advantage tally of the period.
Michela Cava pulled the Queens to within two at 8:38 of the third as she took a pass in front from Tougas and picked the right corner on Mowat.
Thunder Bay continued to apply the pressure on the Hawks, but standout goaltending and a stifling defence kept the Queens at bay as time expired giving Pembina their first national midget title.
Shots on goal favoured the Queens 15-6 in the final session and 37-19 overall with both teams finishing with identical 6-1 records.
NOTES – The Queens garnered three tournament awards in round robin competition. Michela Cava picked up both most valuable player and top scorer laurels while Jessica Gazzola was named the top forward. … Despite the setback Thunder Bay now has a gold and silver medal to show for their efforts in two appearances at the Esso Cup. ...Game star honours went to Tougas of the Queens and Carels of the Hawks.
