Bantam Storm earn provincial title

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT STORM HOCKEY TEAM

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Sault Storm Bantam C Provincial Champions

The Sault Storm Bantam Rep C girls hockey team returned home this weekend as the Ontario provincial champions, beating the No. 1-seeded Sarina Lady Sting in a very exciting 4-2 final.

The Storm opened the tournament losing 2-1 against the Walkerton Capitals. Madi Vernelli had the lone goal with textbook passes from Bethany Tummillo and Katie Pateman.

It was time to put the nerves aside and step up play as the Storm headed in to game two.

A rematch against the Lindsay Lynx, whom the Storm beat twice at the Kitchener Fall Fest tourney earlier in the season, the Storm again came out on top with a 5-1 win.

Tiffany Davies topped the scoreboard with two goals. Help came from Hannah Leask and Kaylea Furkey. Emily Roberts found the back of the net with a beauty clapper from the point. Furkey once again was there for the set up. With end-to-end action throughout the game, Amber Oja with help from Jalen Gagnon made it a comfortable lead. Halfway through the third, Jillan Dawe sealed the deal to make the final 5-1. Makayla Mazzuca and Vernelli had an assist each. Monik Pigeau held strong in the crease.

Game three brought on a battle of goalies, who were both strong, but in the end it was our own, Pigeau who came out with the 2-0 shutout against the Ingersoll Ice. With no score on the board until late in the third, Oja battled through to the net with a perfect pass from Leask. Dawe rounded the scoring to secure the Storms’ spot in the quarter-finals. Assists went to Tyra Giasson and Davies.

The quarter final game brought the Storm up against the Otonabee Wolverines. Furkey put the Strom on the board in the first with assists going to Mackenzie Fox and Leask. Vernelli made the final 2-0 with a stellar unassisted goal. Once again, Pigeau stood strong between the pipes and recorded her second shutout in as many games.

The Storm struck first and hard in the semi-final against the TCDMHA Rebels winning 3-0. Shy Jones starting things off with an unassisted goal in the first. Vernelli topped the board with two goals with help from Dawe. With her third consecutive shutout in the books, Pigeau was stellar in the crease turning away shot after shot.

In an intense final, the Sault Storm became the Ontario provincial champions with a 4-2 win over the Sarnia Lady Sting. It was a tough battle, but the Storm girls were not going home with nothing less than gold. Davies set the tone in the first with help from Tummillo and Vernelli, who contributed three assists in the final. Leask continued to up the score with an unassisted goal. Dawe and Oja rounded out the score with help from Pateman and Claudie Lecours. Pigeau dug deep and took the win for the Storm.

The Sault Storm ends a very successful season as the Kitchen Fall Fest Champions, regional Champions and provincial Champions. Congratulations to all the players, coaching staff and parents.
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