Women's Hockey League report

One week of playoff action is complete in the Sault Ste. Marie's Women's Hockey League.

The playoffs continue on Monday with the top five teams playing for the 'A' Division title and the remaining four teams competing for the 'B' Division championship.

SooToday.com will publish a weekly report of games from the WHL provided by Lorie Springall.

*** WEEK TEN REPORT: By Lorie Springall

If the first week of playoffs is any indication, expect some close games in the remaining weeks of the WHL. Fans were treated to three ties and two one-goal decisions in Week 10.

Skip's Kweok had the biggest win, a 3-1 final over Investors Group.

Skip's, Source for Sports, Algoma Insurance, Investors Group and Lafarge are battling for the 'A' Division supremacy while Palmer Paving, Country Way, White Oak Paint and Crawford's Canines fight for the 'B' Division title.

Chris Elliot scored her third goal of the season, another game-winner, and Mona Jones had three assists in Skip's win over Investors. Amanda (Sniper) Fata and Pam Booth also scored. Debbie (Digger) Desgagne had one assist. Ellen (MacDash) MacDougall replied for Investors unassisted.

Lafarge came close to handing Source for Sports their first loss but as has been the case all season, Source found a way to win, squeaking by Lafarge 4-3. Trailing 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 during the game, Source for Sports battled back to tie the score three times before finally going ahead.

To Lafarge's disappointment, the only time Source held the lead was with 33 seconds remaining in the game. Lisa Venier's wrist shot from the left side mysteriously slipped past Lafarge goalie, Nancy Dewling.

That put the final touches on a chaotic finish in which Source was forced to play the final 8:42 of the game with six attackers and no goalie. Karen Armstrong suffered an "upper body injury" with the game tied at 2 apiece, sending her to the sidelines.

Two minutes later, Lafarge's Gerri Miller scored a heroic short-handed goal while killing a 6-on-3 Source for Sports power play. The lead was short-lived however as Source's Rhonda Crozier answered 50 seconds later to set the stage for Venier's winning goal.

"That was certainly a surprise win for us", said Venier. "I have no idea how that shot went in."

Also scoring for The Source were Jenny Sayers and Lori Ballstadt. Sayers, Crozier, Venier, Stephanie Bean and Kim Chapman each had one assist. Miller assisted on both of Lafarge's other goals, scored by Robin Bourck and Michelle Dillenbeck. Patti Lutz also had one helper.

Country Way started their playoffs with a 2-1 win over Palmer Paving. Kristy Kernaghen led the way scoring the winner with 1:37 left to play and setting up Sherry Boston earlier in the game. Joanne Pine assisted on Kernaghen's timely winner.

Just 10 seconds later Palmer's Sandy Glibota snapped Teri Bonnell's shut out and closed the gap to 2-1. Glibota gathered up a loose puck and wired a low shot from the slot but that was all she wrote as Country Way held on for the win.

White Oak Paint and Crawford's Canines played to a 1-1 tie in a tight checking game. Shelli Ubriaco scored for the Canines with an assist to Vicky Irving. Elaine Angelic replied for White Oak Paint assisted by Lori (Big Bird) Bonnell.

In an even more defensive minded game, Algoma Insurance held Source for Sports to a scoreless tie (Source's second of the year). Algoma's Sherri Collins picked up her third shut out while "pick up goalie", Laurie Terris, earned her first shut out of the season.

Terris finished the night with her Investors Group squad as they battled with Lafarge to a 3-3 draw.

Lafarge jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first three minutes on goals by Geri Miller and Robin Bourck. Investors replied with goals from Ellen (MacDash) MacDougall and Trish Evans before the end of the first period. After a scoreless second frame, MacDougall and Bourck traded goals again late in the third to earn the tie.

Lisa Turco and Leslie Bois each picked up one assist for Investors. Bourck picked up her third point of the game with one assist along with a single helper to Michelle Dillenbeck.

There will be no games played this Sunday at McMeeken as the Little NHL tournament comes to town. The playoffs will resume Monday night in Echo Bay starting at 6:30pm.

*** PLAYOFF STANDINGS:

(wins-losses-ties-points)

A DIVISION:

Source For Sports 1-0-1-3 Skip's Kweok 1-0-0-2 Algoma Insurance 0-0-1-1 Investors Group 0-1-1-1 Lafarge 0-1-1-1

B DIVISION:

Country Way 1-0-0-2 White Oak Paint 0-0-1-1 Crawford's Canines 0-0-1-1 Palmer Paving 0-1-0-0

*** PLAYOFF SCHEDULE:

Playoffs will consist of a Round Robin series in each Division. Division A involves 1st-5th place teams in regular season. Division B involves 6th-9th place teams in regular season. Semi-finals will involve top 4 teams in each division after the Round Robin series.

Monday March 14:

6:30pm Div A: 5th Lafarge vs. 2nd Skip's Kweok 7:30pm Div A: 3rd Algoma Insurance vs. 4th Investors Group 8:30pm Div B: 8th Country Way vs. 7th White Oak Paint 9:30pm Div B: 9th Crawford's Canines vs. 6th Palmer Paving

Sunday March 20:

4pm Div A: 5th Lafarge vs. 3rd Algoma Insurance 5pm Div A: 1st Source for Sports vs. 2nd Skip's Kweok

Monday March 21:

6:30pm Div B: 8th Country Way vs. 9th Crawford's Canines 7:30pm Div B: 6th Palmer Paving vs. 7th White Oak Paint 8:30pm Div A: 3rd Algoma Insurance vs. 2nd Skip's Kweok 9:30pm Div A: 4th Investors Group vs. 1st Source for Sports

Sunday March 27:

4pm Div B: Semi-Final 5pm Div A: Semi-Final

Monday March 28:

TBA Div B: Semi-Final TBA Div A: Semi-Final

TBA:

Div B: Final Div A: Final

*** WHL PLAYOFF RULES:

1. A tie will stand in Round Robin games. All semis and final games will be played to a winner.

2. To allow for overtime, the 3-minute warm up will be strictly enforced. GAMES MUST BEGIN ON TIME.

3. One 30-second time-out per team is allowed in semis and finals only.

4. The only Pick Up Players allowed in playoffs will be goalies and beginner players (up to a maximum of 10 skaters.) Any pick-up goalie/beginner must NOT have played pick-up for that team in ANY previous 2005 WHL game.

5. Home team must provide timekeepers. (Home team will start with a 1-0 deficit if they do not provide a timekeeper, on time!)

6. After Round Robin play, teams will be ranked 1st to 4th place according to most points in round robin (2 for each win, 1 for a tie.) If two or more teams are tied, tie-breakers will be as follows: -winner of head-to-head game (if 2 teams tied) -fewest goals allowed in round robin -most goals scored in round robin -fewest penalty minutes in round robin -fewest penalty minutes in regular season -coin toss

7. All other WHL regular season rules will apply.