Bantam Wildcats earn silver in Markham

The National Supply/Main Street Pharmacy Bantam Wildcats won a silver medal at the Markham Tournament over the weekend.

The tournament summary is as follows:

Game #1 - Sault National Supply/Main Street Pharmacy Wildcats - 1 vs Scarborough Sharks - 0

Goaltender Amanda Alexander had to stop a penalty shot and managed to hold on for a shutout in game 1 of the tournament. Olivia Pavoni would find the back of the net with the only goal of the game receiving a nice feed from Brittany Syms and Jamie Orlando at the 5:54 mark of the 3rd period. A solid team effort was given by all 17 players.

Game #2 – National Supply/ Main Street Pharmacy Wildcats - 3 vs King City Calvary – 1

In game 2 of the tournament, Wildcats forward Mackenzie Gibson awarded a penalty shot at the 7:56 mark of the first period after being hooked on a breakaway. She would open up the scoring on a nice deek on the King City netminder. At the 4:43 mark of the same period a speedy Brittany Syms would find the back of the net and put the Sault up 2-0. King City would find the back of the net on a scramble play at the 4:48 mark of the 3rd period to make a close 2-1 game. At the 2:40 mark of the 3rd period Olivia Pavoni would make a pass out of the defensive zone to a breaking Jessica Grisdale and she would power a shot past the King Calvary goalie to make the score 3-1. Strong defensive hockey and solid goaltending by Emma Running would allow the Sault team to have a 2 and 0 record going into game 3 of the round robin play.

Game#3 - Sault National Supply/Main Street Pharmacy Wildcats – 1 vs Belmont Blazers - 0

Game 3 would have the Sault team facing a strong Belmont club. After the 2 clubs battled back and forth for nearly 2 periods but at the 8:26 mark of the 2nd period, Jamie Orlando would take the puck into the Belmont zone wide and she would feed the puck to Olivia Pavoni in the slot with a onetime shot beating the Belmont goalie on the stick side. Amanda Alexander would pick up her second shutout of the tournament with solid defensive efforts and good back checking by the Sault club. The National Supply/MainStreet Pharmacy Wildcats earned themselves a spot in the semi finals against the home town Markham-Stoufville team.

Semi Final - Sault National Supply/Main Street Pharmacy Wildcats – 1 vs Markham-Stoufville – 0

It seemed like not a player would be able to solve either goalie in this nail biter of a game which would play out to a 0-0 tie in regulation time. Markham had many scoring chances but with the absence of Jayce Chiblow the defensive core of Arla Biron, Kelsey Burton, Michelle Fabbro, Melody Paradis and Jaime Sacco would not allow the Markham team to get second shots on goalie Emma Running earning her 1st shutout of the tournament. The forward line of Jessica Grisdale, Cierra Luxton and Haley MacLeod provided solid back checking against the strong Markham forwards. A five minute 3 on 3 sudden death overtime would begin but it would end at the 3:51 mark after Renae VanBuskirk would find Mariah Krancevich and she would blow one past the Markham net minder and send the Sault team to the finals against the round robin rivals Belmont Blazers.

Finals - Game#6 - Sault National Supply/Main Street Pharmacy Wildcats – 2 vs Belmont Blazers – 3

Sault Ste. Marie would open the scoring at the 4:29 mark of the first period when Olivia Pavoni would make a nice pass to Brittany Syms at the back door and she would beat the Belmont goalie to put the Sault up 1–0. After a penalty filled 1st and 2nd period the Sault squad would net one more goal at the 2:48 mark of the second period when Brittany Syms would get her second goal of the game with assists going to Olivia Pavoni and Jaime Sacco. Belmont not to be out done would get their chance when the Sault would get penalties back to back early in the 3rd period allowing Belmont to tie the Sault 2-2 which would stand until the end of the game and sending this one into 5 minute 3 on 3 overtime for the second time in that day for the Sault club. Belmont would score at the 2:42 mark for the win.

The Bantam Wildcats would settle for Silver on a hard fought weekend by all 17 players.

Coaches Mark Pavoni, Tim Burton, Jeff Grisdale , trainer Loretta Alexander and Manager Cathy Burton were very proud of the team effort and exciting hockey that the girls provided all weekend. Next tournament action for the Wildcats will be in Monroe, Michigan in January.

(Submitted to SooToday.com)