Women's Hockey League results

Playoff time is quickly approaching as the Women's Hockey League concludes their regular season schedule this coming weekend.

Country Way holds a five point lead for first place in the eight-team loop although second place Source For Sports has three games in hand.

The following is complete recap of last week's action provided by the WHL's Lorie Springall:

*** WEEK # 11:

Investors Group picked up two wins in league action on the weekend to pull out of the WHL cellar.

Shelli Ubriaco had a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over Algoma Insurance. Francine "Flash" Floreani had the other goal while Ellen MacDougall had one assist. Pick up goalie, Teri Bonnell, recorded the shut out.

In a continuation of last week's cancelled game due to a power outage, Investors added three more goals to their 2-2 tie against Crawford's Canines. Pick up goalie, Lisa Venier, was brilliant once again, earning a shut out for Investors. The game will go into the record books as a 5-2 score.

"Flash" Floreani had two of the three goals against Crawford's. Ellen MacDougall had the other. Trish Evans pitched in with two assists, with singles going to Cathy Toni and Sarah Fischer.

Palmer Paving defeated Skip's Kweok 6-2 Sunday at the Rankin before a large Skip's Kweok crowd. Although the score was disappointing for the crowd, the play of Kweok goaltender, Marion Seymour, was once again exciting and entertaining.

Seymour's performance held the Paving Crew at bay for over the half the game to keep Skip's within reach of a victory. However, Palmer Paving's persistence paid off with three unanswered goals including an empty-netter late in the game.

Pick up player, Donna May Sayers-Lariviere, had a goal and an assist for Skip's. Jo-Ann Jones scored the other goal, while Rose Jones and Jenny Sayers (another pick up player) had one assist each.

Scoring for Palmer's were Lori Swan and Lori Bonnell with two each, Debbie Desgagne and Anita Kovac. Bonnell, Desgagne, Kovac and Doreen Shaw each had one assist.

A four goal outburst in the third period gave Country Way a 5-1 victory over Lafarge. Both teams battled hard for two periods in an evenly matched game heading into the final frame tied 1-1. Country Way's Lisa Venier had her shut out streak ended after two and a half games (115:30).

Lafarge's Suzanne Dunn ended the streak on a pretty play from Debbie "Bam Bam" Beauchamp and Michelle Walls at the 4:30 mark of the second period.

Krysten DiTommaso led the charge for The Granolas with a hattrick. Brenda Frey and Sherry "Sniper" Boston each scored once. Andrea Moraca, Denise "Deeter" Goldade, Kristy Kernaghen and Michelle Dillenbeck contributed with one assist each.

With four league games remaining, it's anybody's guess as to the final standings and playoff match ups which begin Monday, March 22nd in Desbarats. Country Way and Source For Sports are in a battle for top place.

Country Way has finished their regular season games and will wait it out as The Source plays their final three games this weekend. They take on Crawford's Canines Saturday, March 20th at the Rankin Arena at 9 p.m.

Source For Sports then has a double-header Sunday, March 21st at McMeeken. They face off against Skip's Kweok at 4pm and then Investors Group at 5pm. The final league game will take place at the Rankin Arena Sunday, March 21st at 8pm between Skip's Kweok and Lafarge.

*** STANDINGS:

(wins-losses-ties-points)

Country Way 11-2-1-23 Source For Sports 8-2-1-17 Crawford's Canines 7-5-1-15 Palmer Paving 6-7-1-13 Investors Group 5-7-1-11 Lafarge 4-8-1-9 Algoma Insurance 4-9-1-9 Skip's Kweok 4-7-1-9

*** WEEK # 10:

Some things just aren't meant to be.

After two and half games were completed, a power outage hit Echo Bay leaving the arena in a blanket of darkness. Crawford's Canines and Investors Group were in the middle of a 2-2 tie when the lights went out. The final game between Source For Sports and Skip's Kweok never started.

Players suggested playing under the light of the moon. However, with no back up power source, Eric (Echo Bay Sportsplex Manager) informed league officials that the roof could not be retracted.

Tanya Dowding had scored twice for Crawford's. Gillian Eccles and Elaine Angelic each had one assist. Lisa Rowlinson and newcomer Sarah Fischer each had a goal and an assist for Investors. Patti Lutz also had one assist before the interruption. Both cancelled games will be rescheduled.

In Monday night's earlier games, Country Way squeaked past Palmer Paving 1-0, for Lisa Venier's second shut out in a row and third of the season. Christine Trivers scored the only goal with Andrea Moraca getting the assist.

Teri Bonnell was brilliant in goal for Palmer Paving turning aside all but the Trivers goal. Bonnell filled in for Palmer Paving's regular goaltender.

The second game featured a scoring rampage from Lafarge as they spanked Algoma Insurance 7-1. Natalie King and Suzanne Dunn both scored twice while Debbie "Bam Bam" Beauchamp, Brenda Huibers and Alicia Pollock added one goal each.

King, Beauchamp, Betty Buck and Suzie Sherrard all had one assist. Julie Hodkinson replied for Algoma. Sheree Wright had the assist.

In Sunday's action, Palmer Paving defeated Lafarge 4-1. Debbie Desgagne had a four point game with two goals and two assists. Lori "Big Bird" Bonnell also scored twice for Palmer. Doreen Shaw and Kim Chapman each had one assist.

Sheila Madahbee opened the scoring for Lafarge just one minute into the game to give them a short-lived 1-0 lead. Alicia Pollock and Debbie "Bam Bam" Beauchamp had the assists.

Crawford's Canines won their third straight defeating Skip's Kweok 2-1. Carrie Mancuso led the Canines, scoring the winner and setting up Elaine Angelic's goal. Skip's goalie, Marion Seymour, had an outstanding game to keep the Kweok within reach of a tie.

Nancy O'Donnell's goal with just under two minutes to play made for an exciting finish. With the goalie pulled, Skip's pressed for the equalizer but to no avail. Natalie Barry and Trish Irvine had one assist each.

Source For Sports extended their undefeated streak to four games with a 4-3 nail-biter over Algoma Insurance. Leah-Anne Pine's second goal of the game with two minutes remaining was the winner. Pine also had an assist for The Source.

Mona Jones had a goal and two assists and Karen Gartshore scored once. Other assists went to Heather Coutu (2) and Julia Robertson.

Scoring for Algoma Insurance were Wendy Mandolesi, Sheree Wright and Julie Hodkinson. Theresa Glover had two assists while teammates Donna May Sayers-Lariviere, Penny Glover and Pam Linklater pitched in with one assist each.

Lisa Venier had a career game in goal for Country Way, earning her second shut out of the season. Venier was spectacular in a 3-0 win over Investors Group. As equally impressive at the other end of the rink was Laurie Terris filling in for Investors' regular goalie.

Terris and Venier stole the show for most of the game as both teams failed to capitalize on a number of scoring opportunities. The only player to beat either goalie was Country Way's Krysten DiTommaso who scored all three goals, unassisted, for her second hattrick of the year.