The Pembina Valley Hawks defeated the ICE for the 4th time in 4 games on Sunday, closing out the season series between the two teams. While the scoreline certainly doesn't flatter the ICE, there we long stretches in the game where the ICE went stride for stride with the league's top team. Through two periods, the Hawks had the edge on the scoreboard, but the ICE coaches tried to explain to the players how 34 of the 40 minutes were played at a very high level. The goals against through two periods were scored in clusters, where the ICE began to panic and the Hawks capitalized on most of their mistakes...as strong teams often do. Michelle Kerdes stood tall all game in net, and turned away countless Hawks chances. By the time the third period was 5 minutes old, the Hawks managed to dampen the spirits of the ICE, and the bench started to go quiet. Final score 8-1 Hawks.
The positive aspects of the game include:
Kerdes was very good in goal, despite what the scoreline says. Michelle Anderson added a goal to break the PV shutout. The ICE PK was very good, even against a very strong Hawks PP. Each one of the ICE's lines (forwards and Ds) had several moments where they owned the puck and the play, against a very deep Hawks line-up. Finally, the ICE welcomed back assistant captain Ashley Kubic, as she played in her first game since the trip to The Pas, due to an elbow injury.
After 4 straight games against the top 3 teams in the league, the ICE had a lot of confidence going into Sunday's game. A solid game against the Avros, followed by good performances against the Hawks and Wildcats, left the team confident but unsatisfied, as wins in those 3 games eluded them. Sunday's game seemed to take a toll on some of the players, as they try to find a way to make a difference. With 6 days to prepare for their next game against Eastman, the players know that this week will be about regaining some confidence and working very hard to bring the energy every day. This week = 2 practices, 1 off-ice session, and a fun team event on Friday!
~Coach
