Please pardon the title of the blog post today...just a little inside joke (just ask one of the players)...
After getting schellacked by the Selects 5-0 before Christmas (their words, not ours...again, ask a player), the ICE vowed to give the Selects a much better game this time around. I think everyone in attendance today would agree, today's game was certainly more entertaining, more exciting, and had a far better outcome! The Selects came out strong, as they usually do, and outshot the ICE 13-7 in the first period, but the play went back and forth for the most part. The Selects did manage to open the scoring with about 10 minutes left to play in the first period, but it was a good start for both teams. High energy was a major topic of discussion for the ICE today, as Eastman is one of the hardest working teams in the league. At intermission, the ICE were calm and looked to stay patient over the next 40 minutes. The first period was a good one for the ICE, but not great...and they trailed 1-0 despite killing all 3 penalties they took. The second started quickly, and the ICE tried to even the score...but just as their 5th powerplay of the game ended, the Selects scored to stretch the lead to 2-0. The ICE bench got a little louder, as the girls encouraged each other to stay in the game. A 2-0 deficit has been a death sentence for this team on many occasions this season, but one could sense that it felt a little different today. Kathleen Kosior played the rest of second period brillantly, and kept the ICE within striking distance, and 4 minutes after Eastman made it 2-0, Meara Grant scored a powerplay goal (assisted by Jessi Campbell & Michelle Anderson) to bring the ice within 1. The ICE pressed for the equalizer for the rest of the second period, but couldn't get closer before the second period ended. They managed to outshoot the Selects 13-11 in the second period, and the momentum seemed to be with them going into the third.
The coaches challenged the players to dig deep and find a way to pull this one out. They asked the players to leave it all on the ice and make this period their best (which has not been the case enough this season, to say the least) and the players responded perfectly! Two and half minutes into the third period, Meara Grant scored her second of the game (assisted by Allie Bednarz & Michelle Anderson) to tie the game at 2, and 16 seconds after that, Michelle Anderson scored the go ahead goal on a rebound (assisted by Emily Barber and Elizabeth Carter). The bench went wild at first, but settled in to ride the wave for the final 17 minutes of the game. The ICE fired a near-season record 22 shots on goal in the third period and found a way overcome a 2 goal deficit to win 3-2! The ICE ended up with 42 shots, while Kathleen Kosior stopped 31 of the 33 shots she faced. The players proved to the coaches, and probably much more importantly to themselves, that there is plenty of fight left in this group.
While it was only 1 game, the signs of have been present for a while now. The ICE have lost their fair share of games that they deserved to win...it was great to see them earn this one tonight. No real time to celebrate though, as the ICE take on Yellowhead on Sunday at 11:45am! Great work today girls, you all certainly held the rope today!
~Coach
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Crosstown rivals get the best of the ICE...
There's always a different feeling in the arena when the two AAA teams from Winnipeg play against one another. The players on the rosters are more familiar with another than they are with any other team in the league. Standings notwithstanding, games between the Winnipeg ICE and the Winnipeg Avros this season have all been very exciting.
The ICE were coming off of a successful trip to Moncton, which saw them take some huge steps as a team. The players vowed to keep up the energy they played with in New Brunswick, when they faced the Avros at Notre Dame Arena, for the first time this season. The first period played out as everyone expected, as both teams pushed the pace and had scoring chances. The Avros had a few more chances in the first than the ICE did, but Michelle Kerdes stood tall, as the period ended 0-0. At intermission, the ICE were pleased with the first 20 minutes, but unsatisfied that their chances didn't materialize into a goal. The second period went the same way, as the teams battled hard for possession of the puck, with neither team seemingly willing to back down. Midway through the second period, the Avros got the first break of the game, as a point shot deflected off an ICE body and changed direction enough to get past Kerdes in the ICE net. The ICE refused to allow the bad break to ruin a good start, which certainly has been in the case with this team in the past, and they pushed back for the equalizer. Again the Avros outshot the ICE in the second period, and they held a 1-0 lead going into the third. High energy and strong goaltending were two of the reasons for the exciting game so far. Intermission once again brought out a lot of positives and the players and coaches were excited for the third period. The players focused on playing the final 20 minutes as strong as, if not better than, the first two, and seemed confident they could even the score early in the period. The third period began with high hopes for the ICE, as 1 goal would change this game and send everyone on the bench into a frenzy. But, instead of pushing for that tying goal, the ICE spent the third period trying to kill off penalties. As has been the case several times this year, the game ended in heartbreak for the ICE. The very strong Avros powerplay scored twice in the third, leaving a 3-0 score on the board as the final buzzer sounded. Again, the ICE were left wondering what they needed to do to beat their Winnipeg rivals...
As the playoffs approach, the ICE know that these types of games NEED to turn into victories. The team played well enough on this day to beat most teams in this league, but it was not enough this time. It's up to the players to stay the course, to stay strong, and as always, HOLD THE ROPE.
~Coach
The ICE were coming off of a successful trip to Moncton, which saw them take some huge steps as a team. The players vowed to keep up the energy they played with in New Brunswick, when they faced the Avros at Notre Dame Arena, for the first time this season. The first period played out as everyone expected, as both teams pushed the pace and had scoring chances. The Avros had a few more chances in the first than the ICE did, but Michelle Kerdes stood tall, as the period ended 0-0. At intermission, the ICE were pleased with the first 20 minutes, but unsatisfied that their chances didn't materialize into a goal. The second period went the same way, as the teams battled hard for possession of the puck, with neither team seemingly willing to back down. Midway through the second period, the Avros got the first break of the game, as a point shot deflected off an ICE body and changed direction enough to get past Kerdes in the ICE net. The ICE refused to allow the bad break to ruin a good start, which certainly has been in the case with this team in the past, and they pushed back for the equalizer. Again the Avros outshot the ICE in the second period, and they held a 1-0 lead going into the third. High energy and strong goaltending were two of the reasons for the exciting game so far. Intermission once again brought out a lot of positives and the players and coaches were excited for the third period. The players focused on playing the final 20 minutes as strong as, if not better than, the first two, and seemed confident they could even the score early in the period. The third period began with high hopes for the ICE, as 1 goal would change this game and send everyone on the bench into a frenzy. But, instead of pushing for that tying goal, the ICE spent the third period trying to kill off penalties. As has been the case several times this year, the game ended in heartbreak for the ICE. The very strong Avros powerplay scored twice in the third, leaving a 3-0 score on the board as the final buzzer sounded. Again, the ICE were left wondering what they needed to do to beat their Winnipeg rivals...
As the playoffs approach, the ICE know that these types of games NEED to turn into victories. The team played well enough on this day to beat most teams in this league, but it was not enough this time. It's up to the players to stay the course, to stay strong, and as always, HOLD THE ROPE.
~Coach
Monday, January 14, 2013
ICE invade Moncton, show signs of progress...
It was a memorable 5 days to say the least, as the Winnipeg ICE took their show on the road to Moncton, NB. The following is a day by day account of what went on in Moncton, as the ICE ventured far from home, for their Atlantic Canada adventure.
Wednesday January 2, 2013
The ICE players all met at Winnipeg International Airport at 5:30AM to board a 7:30AM flight to Toronto. While all the players were understandably tired, at a such a ridiculously early time of day, you could still sense a spark of excitement from the team as they prepared to begin their journey east. The first flight was business as usual, as it was smooth, quick, and on time. However, with only 50 odd minutes before the connecting flight to Moncton, the ICE had to race to their next gate. The team stayed together, but had to hurry from one side of the terminal to the other (thanks a lot Air Canada). Finally, after a quick count of 17 players at the gate, the team realized that we were on the ground floor, and we actually would be walking on the tarmac to board this plane...the plane, with propellers...(thanks again, Air Canada). As the ICE waited to board, it was nice to see the Winnipeg ICE blue and black hockey bags making their way on to our plane (coach's nightmare #1 was the bags not making it to Moncton). So the team boarded the small plane, and settled in for the final flight of the day into Moncton. After another uneventful flight, the team landed at Moncton International Airport and were delighted to find that the stick bag, all team equipment, and all team luggage had arrived. After some disagreement with the rental car company, which will remain nameless [but rhymes with Gertz], despite our requests for them to follow the basic principles of logic and reasoning, the team finally loaded up the luggage in the 5 vans and headed for the Crowne Plaza in Downtown Moncton. After a detour to the University of Moncton to drop off our hockey equipment for our practice there on Thursday, the ICE arrived at their home for the next 5 days.
Just a quick note about the tournament organizer Dan Leger: Dan rented a U-Haul trailer, and picked up all our hockey equipment and stick bag from the airport and dropped it off at the University of Moncton. He also picked it up after our practice and brought it to the rink where we played all 3 round robin games. Next, he picked up our equipment after our game on Saturday night and moved it to another town, for our semifinal game on Sunday. Finally, he transported our equipment from the semifinals to the airport. The Winnipeg ICE would like to thank Dan for all his hard work throughout the week, we could not have done it without your amazing help!
Once at the Crowne Plaza in Downtown Moncton, the ICE unpacked and jumped right back in the vans to go for dinner at Eastside Mario's. It was a very good meal and the restaurant commended the girls for being so respectful. We also had a few random customers come up to the team and welcomed them to Moncton and wished the team good luck in the tournament. Our long travel day ended with the team exploring the hotel and having an extended curfew, as breakfast on Thursday was only scheduled for 10:30AM. Overall it was a great day, albeit a long one, but the team was well fed, safe and ready for a good night's sleep.
Thursday January 3, 2013
The team slept in a little, before meeting in the hotel lobby at 10:00AM. It was a very bright, yet brisk, morning in Moncton. The team braved the -18C morning air, on their 10 minute walk to Cora's for breakfast. The meal was amazing, as the girls chose everything from crepes, fruit & yorgurt, and waffles to a crazy Cora's special breakfast which seemed to include 1 of everything on their menu. The team seemed quite happy with breakfast/brunch as they walked back to the hotel to get ready for the day. Once back at the hotel, the team had a little down time, intended to digest the feast they just had. At 1:30PM, the team piled into the vans and headed to the University of Moncton to meet the Blue Eagles' (U of Moncton's womens' hockey team) head coach, Denis Ross. After struggling to get into the arena on campus for a few minutes, the ICE finally sneaked in a back door and was met by Coach Ross. He gave the team a very informative history of the hockey program at the University of Moncton and then gave the team a full tour of the arena and dressing room. Coach Ross was an excellent speaker and tour guide, and he also introduced the team to the Blue Eagles Captain, who took the ICE for a tour of other parts of the campus, including the University's athletic facilities. The tour ended in the bookstore/gift shop where most ICE players purchased University of Moncton apparel. Coach Ross bought the entire team drinks and a snack, before leading us back to the arena for practice.
The ICE began practice early, around 4:15PM and skated hard for over 1 hour and 45 minutes. The coaches described the session as one of the best practices they'd seen all year...very fast, very sharp. It was great to have the opportunity to skate out the plane legs...another big thanks to Coach Ross, and Dan, for allowing the team to practice before the start of the tournament.
After practice the team watched Coach Ross put his University team through the paces in their second last practice before taking on St. FX on Saturday. After watching for a little while, the team headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at Montana's. Another very good team meal, and more compliments from the restaurant staff, were the icing on the cake of a great day in Moncton with the team. Next up, two games on Friday, beginning with an 11:30AM start against Pownal.
Friday January 4, 2013
Breakfast at Timmy's, a perfect start to what promised to be entertaining day of hockey. From Tim Hortons', the team arrived at Riverview Arena for their 11:30AM game against the Pownal Red Devils.
Game #1 ICE vs. Pownal:
The team was excited to get this game underway, and the players stressed the importance of a quick start and consistent effort for 45 minutes (games were 15 minutes shorter than the ICE play regularly). The ICE ended up doing exactly as they intended, as Melissa Blaine opened the scoring less than 5 minutes into the game, assisted by Chantel Olson, giving the ICE a 1-0 lead early on. The ICE continued to press for most of the period, but their momentum was halted by 3 straight penalties, giving Pownal a chance to even the score. Luckily for the ICE, the PK was solid, and so was Michelle Kerdes in net. The ICE outshot Pownal 10-7 in the first period, and led 1-0. The ICE continued to pour on the pressure in the second, but ran into penalty trouble again, taking two minors in the middle of the period. Pownal managed to tie the game at 1 during the second period, despite begin outshot by the ICE 10-4. The ICE spoke of owning the third period and taking control of the game. Despite being tied at 1, the ICE players felt that they controlled the play so far and should be able to get the win. However, the third period was a nightmare. The ICE managed to take 12 minutes in penalties, in a 15 minute period!!! Despite being short-handed for the entire period (basically), the ICE outshot the Red Devils 13-6, but could not solve the Pownal goaltender. A disappointed ICE team accepted the 1 point for a tie, and vowed to stay out of the box in their second game vs. Fredericton at 3:30pm. (Just an aside, the players played on the edge, which is how they are taught....and is the only way to survive in the tough MFMHL, but NB reffing didn't see it that way, regardless, the ref did not cost the ICE the win, he just made it a little more exciting...)
Game #2 ICE vs. Fredericton Varsity Reds:
There wasn't much down-time after the tie, as the parents picked up Subway for the players to eat at the arena between games. Before we knew it, the ICE were ready for warm-up and set to play the Varsity Reds. The ICE were happy that they controlled the balance of play in the first game, and hinted that they would be able to do that again this afternoon. The game started quickly, as the team skated back and forth, trading chances. Elizabeth Carter opened the scoring, as the ICE took the lead 8 minutes into the game, as she scored on a rebound from Melissa Blaine's shot. Exactly 3 minutes later, Michelle Anderson scored to give the ICE a 2-0 lead after 1. The ICE outshot the Varsity Reds 11-3 in the first period, as Kathleen Kosior stopped all 3 shots she faced. The ICE struck again on the first shift of the second period on a powerplay goal by Melissa Blaine...after about 4 of her shots found their way back to her to shoot again! With a 3-0 lead in hand, the ICE seemed destined for a win, but only 2 minutes later the Varsity Reds got one back to make it 3-1. The rest of the period was dominated by the ICE, but neither team found the back of the net. The ICE outshot Fredericton 14-7 in the second period, and held a comfortable 3-1 lead at intermission. The ICE players knew that a win was only 15 minutes away, but they stressed the importance of playing it out. Despite outshooting the Varsity Reds 12-7, the team from Fredericton managed to score twice in the third period, as the teams settled for a 3-3 tie. Another tie for the ICE left the team with mixed emotions. While the team was undefeated in the tournament so far...they were also win-less. The players once again spoke of how well the they controlled the play, but were disappointed that, for the second time in 1 day, had to settle for a tie.
There were definite signs of progress today, as the ICE played through some tough conditions. Two ties on this day set up a must-win game on Saturday night against King's County. The team wanted to dress up for a fancy (kind of) dinner on Friday night, so dinner reservations were made for 8:00PM at Pastelli's...one of Moncton's best italian restaurants. The team dined together on a nice pasta meal, and took full advantage of the Bread Bar (fresh breads that could be grilled to perfection by each individual person!). By the time the team finished the excellent meal it was almost time for lights out. A 5:30PM game the next day allowed for a late team breakfast and later wake-up call. Saturday would turn out to be a very important day for this team, as the ICE tried to advance to the semis with a win!
Saturday January 5, 2013
The coaches arranged for a full buffet team breakfast at the Crowne Plaza for the players and parents. The ICE were set up in a private room for this amazing meal. The team took their time and enjoyed a slow pace to the morning, yet the 5:30PM game certainly still had a place in their mind. The hostess in charge of setting up the room for the team, and of serving the entire group, was astonished by how polite and respectful the girls were. She said that she deals with hockey teams almost every weekend and that she had never been so impressed with a group before. She told the front desk about this as well, and the hotel staff echoed her sentiments, explaining how the ICE rooms were by far the cleanest and the girls were easily the most respectful players in the hotel! It was so great to hear what kind of impression our team was leaving on the people in Moncton! The hostess was given a Winnipeg ICE team bracelet for setting up the private room and taking care of the team so well, and she put it on immediately, and was seen wearing it the next day!
Today was about relaxing before the first must-win game of the season. At 12:00 the team jumped in the vans and headed to the Champlain Centre, Atlantic Canada's biggest mall! The team spent two hours....and an undisclosed amount of money...while the coaches scouted the ICE's next opponent. After the shopping trip, the team headed back to the Crowne Plaza for a team meeting and 90 minutes of quiet time, before departing for Riverview Arena once again. The pre-game meeting was spirited and upbeat. The team seemed to relish in the idea of a must-win...and coaches were eager to see how they would respond. About 1 hour late, at 6:30pm the puck dropped in the game against King's County.
Game #3 ICE vs. King's County:
The game started with a bang, as both teams had chances to open the scoring early on. Just over 3 minutes into the game, the ICE took a penalty, leaving some players to wonder if there would be another parade to the penalty box like Friday morning. King's County enjoyed the first PP of the game, but it was the ICE who capitalized on it, as Elizabeth Carter scored a short-handed goal from Melissa Blaine to give the ICE a 1-0 lead. The rest of the period went back and forth, but the ICE took 3 more penalties after the initial one. King's County also took a penalty late in the period, and the ICE took advantage and made it 2-0 on a PP goal by Sara Reuther, after a beautiful pass by Madison Neapew (also assisted by Jane Roxburgh). The ICE outshot King's County 8-7 in the first period, as Michelle Kerdes was very good in net early. The players insisted they needed to keep the pressure on, and needed to stay out of the penalty box too, as they had let leads slip away in the two previous games of the tournament. The ICE kept pushing the pace throughout the second period, but couldn't extend their lead. Eventually, with only 3 minutes left in the second period, King's County scored to make it 2-1. At intermission, the coaches stressed the importance of staying patient and finding a way to score the next goal. The coaches asked for a quick start to the third period, and that's just what they got! 3 minutes into the third period, Chantel Olson scored, assisted by Michelle Anderson and Jane Roxburgh, to make it 3-1 for the ICE. The rest of the period went back and forth, as the ICE tried to hold on to the win (which was absolutely necessary if they planned on making the semis). As was the case on Friday morning, the parade to the penalty box began with 9 minutes left in the game. The first ICE penalty was killed off, but two more penalties were called within 90 seconds of each other with under 5 minutes left. The ICE killed off the first one, leaving just a 5 on 4 situation, but with 2:54 left in the game, King's County made it 3-2 on the PP. Not deterred, but obviously a little anxious, the ICE set out to kill off the final 3 minutes to seal the deal. King's County had some real good chances near the buzzer, but Michelle Kerdes was exceptional! ICE win! ICE win! 3-2 the final. Now, all that had to happen was Halifax had to beat Fredericton and the ICE would be in the semis...but we had to wait for the score...
Fresh off of a victory the ICE headed for dinner at St. Hubert's...and anxiously awaited word about the score from the other game. Just as the team received their dinners, the text came in...Fredericton 2, Halifax 5! ICE are off the semis!!!
What a great day, but no time to celebrate as Sunday would be a very very long day. A 5:30AM wake-up call and 25 minute drive to a new town were waiting for the girls...
Sunday January 6, 2013
Wake-up call at 5:30AM Atlantic Time (3:30AM Winnipeg Time...keep that in mind when you read the last line in this post).
The ICE woke up early but excited and headed to Timmy's again before the 25 minute drive to Shediac! At Timmy's we ran into the old "since its 6 AM we only need 1 person working" scam! Thanks Tim Hortons'. So it took the team about 45 minutes to get all their food, but with about 6 players left, the girls allowed a firefighter to order ahead of them (nice Winnipeg girls). The firefighter was very thankful and proceeded to order 15 coffees and 18 muffins...seriously! So needless to say the ICE were delayed a little longer, but made it to Shediac on time and got ready for the semifinals against the Capital District Cyclones from PEI.
Semifinals ICE vs. Capital District Cyclones:
Lots of excitement and a few nerves greeted the coaches in the ICE dressing room, as the final preparations and instructions were completed. The teams both came out of the gate quickly, and everyone in attendance was treated to a very exciting semifinal! The first period saw end to end action but no goals for either team. The ICE outshot the Cyclones 6-5, and Kathleen Kosior was excellent in net. The second period went back and forth again, this time with both teams getting more chances toward the net. The ICE opened the scoring with 6 minutes left in the second period, when Michelle Anderson scored, off a pass from Emily Barber. The ICE held the lead 1-0 after the second period of play. Kosior stood tall in net all game for the ICE, stopping all 22 shots she faced through two periods. The ICE were a mere 15 minutes away from the final, but they knew the job wasn't done. The Cyclones had been coming on strong, and the game seemed like it would be a fight until the end! The third period started quickly again, with both teams playing it safe, but in a 5 minute span, the ICE were called for 4 penalties. The ICE managed to kill of the first one, but after two more calls, 40 seconds apart sent the Cyclones on a 5 on 3 PP, Capital District tied it up at 1. Some odd calls took the wind completely out of the ICE sails, but 9 minutes remained in the game and the ICE were determined to come away with the win. The third period ended in a 1-1 tie, resulting in a peculiar 7 minute 3 on 3 overtime period. It was crazy! There was chance after chance for both teams, but both goaltenders were stellar. Neither team could find a way to win it in OT. The ICE thought they had a chance at a winner, as Michelle Anderson had a breakaway in the final 30 seconds of the game. Anderson was tackled from behind, but in the opinion of the referee, the Cyclone player must have touched the puck before taking down the ICE centre. After overtime, it was a 3 player shootout. All 3 ICE players were stopped, and 1 Cyclone player found a way to net the winner. A tough loss, but an exciting end to great trip for the ICE. Players were understandably upset following the game, but the team seemed to sense the progress that was made in Moncton. The girls vowed to continue their spirited play when the MFMHL regular season resumed on January 12th in Winnipeg.
Well...after that, the team had a hearty lunch before visiting the "fancy" mall one last time. At 4:00PM the team arrived at the airport for the 6:10PM flight to Montreal. Little did the ICE know that the shootout loss in the semifinals was going to be the SECOND most stressful part of the day!
The team's flight to Montreal was delayed for 1 hour, (without a word of explanation...thanks Air Canada), which coincidentally was exactly the amount of time the layover in Montreal was supposed to be. It was a decent flight, when it finally took off, but panic set in as we crossed our fingers that our flight from Montreal to Toronto would be delayed enough to let us run to the gate. The players and coaches were very relieved to find out that the departure gate was directly across from the arrival gate and the plan was still there! Wow, really believed we were going to miss it. The team boarded immediately, only to find out that this flight was on a huge, brand new, 767, with larger seats, crazy mood lighting, and larger touch screens on every seat. With a 2 hour layover in Toronto waiting for the team, the ICE relaxed on the fancy big plane as they waited for take-off. After 30 minutes, the team was pretty sure the delay was because they had to load ALL the hockey gear from the other plane...but as the snow continued to fall, and the plane continued to sit idle, panic once again started to set in...turns out a little blizzard shuts down Montreal pretty quick. Well, after over 90 minutes of waiting...and again, very little information from Air Canada, the plane finally took off for Toronto. Last minute texts that were received gave the team hope that the flight from Toronto was also delayed...so the team waited anxiously. That flight was the longest 57 minute flight EVER, as the team hurried off the plane in hopes that the flight from Toronto to Winnipeg had not yet departed. Thankfully, the flight home had been delayed for just over an hour...so the ICE made it! Relief set in as the team waited to board the final leg of this journey. After 5 days in Moncton, some excellent hockey, and supremely long day, the Winnipeg ICE touched down at Winnipeg International Airport at 1:57am. All of the team luggage and equipment made it home safely as well. Playing in the semifinals was a huge step for the ICE, and the coaches sense that the best is yet to come. It was an amazing week with the team, you made us very proud girls!
A final word to thank all of the parents who rode the roller-coaster for all 5 days with the team. Your help and support made the trip that much better for the team. The players and coaches sincerely thank you for all that you did! As the players completed the final kilometers home, here's hoping they found a few seconds to reflect on what they accomplished in Atlantic Canada...and here's hoping they look back on those days in Moncton with a smile. The bed times of the players and coaches will vary, some earlier, and some later, but for this coach specifically, the lights finally went out at 3:30AM Winnipeg Time...exactly 24 hours after that blasted wake-up call in Moncton.
~Coach
Wednesday January 2, 2013
The ICE players all met at Winnipeg International Airport at 5:30AM to board a 7:30AM flight to Toronto. While all the players were understandably tired, at a such a ridiculously early time of day, you could still sense a spark of excitement from the team as they prepared to begin their journey east. The first flight was business as usual, as it was smooth, quick, and on time. However, with only 50 odd minutes before the connecting flight to Moncton, the ICE had to race to their next gate. The team stayed together, but had to hurry from one side of the terminal to the other (thanks a lot Air Canada). Finally, after a quick count of 17 players at the gate, the team realized that we were on the ground floor, and we actually would be walking on the tarmac to board this plane...the plane, with propellers...(thanks again, Air Canada). As the ICE waited to board, it was nice to see the Winnipeg ICE blue and black hockey bags making their way on to our plane (coach's nightmare #1 was the bags not making it to Moncton). So the team boarded the small plane, and settled in for the final flight of the day into Moncton. After another uneventful flight, the team landed at Moncton International Airport and were delighted to find that the stick bag, all team equipment, and all team luggage had arrived. After some disagreement with the rental car company, which will remain nameless [but rhymes with Gertz], despite our requests for them to follow the basic principles of logic and reasoning, the team finally loaded up the luggage in the 5 vans and headed for the Crowne Plaza in Downtown Moncton. After a detour to the University of Moncton to drop off our hockey equipment for our practice there on Thursday, the ICE arrived at their home for the next 5 days.
Just a quick note about the tournament organizer Dan Leger: Dan rented a U-Haul trailer, and picked up all our hockey equipment and stick bag from the airport and dropped it off at the University of Moncton. He also picked it up after our practice and brought it to the rink where we played all 3 round robin games. Next, he picked up our equipment after our game on Saturday night and moved it to another town, for our semifinal game on Sunday. Finally, he transported our equipment from the semifinals to the airport. The Winnipeg ICE would like to thank Dan for all his hard work throughout the week, we could not have done it without your amazing help!
Once at the Crowne Plaza in Downtown Moncton, the ICE unpacked and jumped right back in the vans to go for dinner at Eastside Mario's. It was a very good meal and the restaurant commended the girls for being so respectful. We also had a few random customers come up to the team and welcomed them to Moncton and wished the team good luck in the tournament. Our long travel day ended with the team exploring the hotel and having an extended curfew, as breakfast on Thursday was only scheduled for 10:30AM. Overall it was a great day, albeit a long one, but the team was well fed, safe and ready for a good night's sleep.
Thursday January 3, 2013
The team slept in a little, before meeting in the hotel lobby at 10:00AM. It was a very bright, yet brisk, morning in Moncton. The team braved the -18C morning air, on their 10 minute walk to Cora's for breakfast. The meal was amazing, as the girls chose everything from crepes, fruit & yorgurt, and waffles to a crazy Cora's special breakfast which seemed to include 1 of everything on their menu. The team seemed quite happy with breakfast/brunch as they walked back to the hotel to get ready for the day. Once back at the hotel, the team had a little down time, intended to digest the feast they just had. At 1:30PM, the team piled into the vans and headed to the University of Moncton to meet the Blue Eagles' (U of Moncton's womens' hockey team) head coach, Denis Ross. After struggling to get into the arena on campus for a few minutes, the ICE finally sneaked in a back door and was met by Coach Ross. He gave the team a very informative history of the hockey program at the University of Moncton and then gave the team a full tour of the arena and dressing room. Coach Ross was an excellent speaker and tour guide, and he also introduced the team to the Blue Eagles Captain, who took the ICE for a tour of other parts of the campus, including the University's athletic facilities. The tour ended in the bookstore/gift shop where most ICE players purchased University of Moncton apparel. Coach Ross bought the entire team drinks and a snack, before leading us back to the arena for practice.
The ICE began practice early, around 4:15PM and skated hard for over 1 hour and 45 minutes. The coaches described the session as one of the best practices they'd seen all year...very fast, very sharp. It was great to have the opportunity to skate out the plane legs...another big thanks to Coach Ross, and Dan, for allowing the team to practice before the start of the tournament.
After practice the team watched Coach Ross put his University team through the paces in their second last practice before taking on St. FX on Saturday. After watching for a little while, the team headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at Montana's. Another very good team meal, and more compliments from the restaurant staff, were the icing on the cake of a great day in Moncton with the team. Next up, two games on Friday, beginning with an 11:30AM start against Pownal.
Friday January 4, 2013
Breakfast at Timmy's, a perfect start to what promised to be entertaining day of hockey. From Tim Hortons', the team arrived at Riverview Arena for their 11:30AM game against the Pownal Red Devils.
Game #1 ICE vs. Pownal:
The team was excited to get this game underway, and the players stressed the importance of a quick start and consistent effort for 45 minutes (games were 15 minutes shorter than the ICE play regularly). The ICE ended up doing exactly as they intended, as Melissa Blaine opened the scoring less than 5 minutes into the game, assisted by Chantel Olson, giving the ICE a 1-0 lead early on. The ICE continued to press for most of the period, but their momentum was halted by 3 straight penalties, giving Pownal a chance to even the score. Luckily for the ICE, the PK was solid, and so was Michelle Kerdes in net. The ICE outshot Pownal 10-7 in the first period, and led 1-0. The ICE continued to pour on the pressure in the second, but ran into penalty trouble again, taking two minors in the middle of the period. Pownal managed to tie the game at 1 during the second period, despite begin outshot by the ICE 10-4. The ICE spoke of owning the third period and taking control of the game. Despite being tied at 1, the ICE players felt that they controlled the play so far and should be able to get the win. However, the third period was a nightmare. The ICE managed to take 12 minutes in penalties, in a 15 minute period!!! Despite being short-handed for the entire period (basically), the ICE outshot the Red Devils 13-6, but could not solve the Pownal goaltender. A disappointed ICE team accepted the 1 point for a tie, and vowed to stay out of the box in their second game vs. Fredericton at 3:30pm. (Just an aside, the players played on the edge, which is how they are taught....and is the only way to survive in the tough MFMHL, but NB reffing didn't see it that way, regardless, the ref did not cost the ICE the win, he just made it a little more exciting...)
Game #2 ICE vs. Fredericton Varsity Reds:
There wasn't much down-time after the tie, as the parents picked up Subway for the players to eat at the arena between games. Before we knew it, the ICE were ready for warm-up and set to play the Varsity Reds. The ICE were happy that they controlled the balance of play in the first game, and hinted that they would be able to do that again this afternoon. The game started quickly, as the team skated back and forth, trading chances. Elizabeth Carter opened the scoring, as the ICE took the lead 8 minutes into the game, as she scored on a rebound from Melissa Blaine's shot. Exactly 3 minutes later, Michelle Anderson scored to give the ICE a 2-0 lead after 1. The ICE outshot the Varsity Reds 11-3 in the first period, as Kathleen Kosior stopped all 3 shots she faced. The ICE struck again on the first shift of the second period on a powerplay goal by Melissa Blaine...after about 4 of her shots found their way back to her to shoot again! With a 3-0 lead in hand, the ICE seemed destined for a win, but only 2 minutes later the Varsity Reds got one back to make it 3-1. The rest of the period was dominated by the ICE, but neither team found the back of the net. The ICE outshot Fredericton 14-7 in the second period, and held a comfortable 3-1 lead at intermission. The ICE players knew that a win was only 15 minutes away, but they stressed the importance of playing it out. Despite outshooting the Varsity Reds 12-7, the team from Fredericton managed to score twice in the third period, as the teams settled for a 3-3 tie. Another tie for the ICE left the team with mixed emotions. While the team was undefeated in the tournament so far...they were also win-less. The players once again spoke of how well the they controlled the play, but were disappointed that, for the second time in 1 day, had to settle for a tie.
There were definite signs of progress today, as the ICE played through some tough conditions. Two ties on this day set up a must-win game on Saturday night against King's County. The team wanted to dress up for a fancy (kind of) dinner on Friday night, so dinner reservations were made for 8:00PM at Pastelli's...one of Moncton's best italian restaurants. The team dined together on a nice pasta meal, and took full advantage of the Bread Bar (fresh breads that could be grilled to perfection by each individual person!). By the time the team finished the excellent meal it was almost time for lights out. A 5:30PM game the next day allowed for a late team breakfast and later wake-up call. Saturday would turn out to be a very important day for this team, as the ICE tried to advance to the semis with a win!
Saturday January 5, 2013
The coaches arranged for a full buffet team breakfast at the Crowne Plaza for the players and parents. The ICE were set up in a private room for this amazing meal. The team took their time and enjoyed a slow pace to the morning, yet the 5:30PM game certainly still had a place in their mind. The hostess in charge of setting up the room for the team, and of serving the entire group, was astonished by how polite and respectful the girls were. She said that she deals with hockey teams almost every weekend and that she had never been so impressed with a group before. She told the front desk about this as well, and the hotel staff echoed her sentiments, explaining how the ICE rooms were by far the cleanest and the girls were easily the most respectful players in the hotel! It was so great to hear what kind of impression our team was leaving on the people in Moncton! The hostess was given a Winnipeg ICE team bracelet for setting up the private room and taking care of the team so well, and she put it on immediately, and was seen wearing it the next day!
Today was about relaxing before the first must-win game of the season. At 12:00 the team jumped in the vans and headed to the Champlain Centre, Atlantic Canada's biggest mall! The team spent two hours....and an undisclosed amount of money...while the coaches scouted the ICE's next opponent. After the shopping trip, the team headed back to the Crowne Plaza for a team meeting and 90 minutes of quiet time, before departing for Riverview Arena once again. The pre-game meeting was spirited and upbeat. The team seemed to relish in the idea of a must-win...and coaches were eager to see how they would respond. About 1 hour late, at 6:30pm the puck dropped in the game against King's County.
Game #3 ICE vs. King's County:
The game started with a bang, as both teams had chances to open the scoring early on. Just over 3 minutes into the game, the ICE took a penalty, leaving some players to wonder if there would be another parade to the penalty box like Friday morning. King's County enjoyed the first PP of the game, but it was the ICE who capitalized on it, as Elizabeth Carter scored a short-handed goal from Melissa Blaine to give the ICE a 1-0 lead. The rest of the period went back and forth, but the ICE took 3 more penalties after the initial one. King's County also took a penalty late in the period, and the ICE took advantage and made it 2-0 on a PP goal by Sara Reuther, after a beautiful pass by Madison Neapew (also assisted by Jane Roxburgh). The ICE outshot King's County 8-7 in the first period, as Michelle Kerdes was very good in net early. The players insisted they needed to keep the pressure on, and needed to stay out of the penalty box too, as they had let leads slip away in the two previous games of the tournament. The ICE kept pushing the pace throughout the second period, but couldn't extend their lead. Eventually, with only 3 minutes left in the second period, King's County scored to make it 2-1. At intermission, the coaches stressed the importance of staying patient and finding a way to score the next goal. The coaches asked for a quick start to the third period, and that's just what they got! 3 minutes into the third period, Chantel Olson scored, assisted by Michelle Anderson and Jane Roxburgh, to make it 3-1 for the ICE. The rest of the period went back and forth, as the ICE tried to hold on to the win (which was absolutely necessary if they planned on making the semis). As was the case on Friday morning, the parade to the penalty box began with 9 minutes left in the game. The first ICE penalty was killed off, but two more penalties were called within 90 seconds of each other with under 5 minutes left. The ICE killed off the first one, leaving just a 5 on 4 situation, but with 2:54 left in the game, King's County made it 3-2 on the PP. Not deterred, but obviously a little anxious, the ICE set out to kill off the final 3 minutes to seal the deal. King's County had some real good chances near the buzzer, but Michelle Kerdes was exceptional! ICE win! ICE win! 3-2 the final. Now, all that had to happen was Halifax had to beat Fredericton and the ICE would be in the semis...but we had to wait for the score...
Fresh off of a victory the ICE headed for dinner at St. Hubert's...and anxiously awaited word about the score from the other game. Just as the team received their dinners, the text came in...Fredericton 2, Halifax 5! ICE are off the semis!!!
What a great day, but no time to celebrate as Sunday would be a very very long day. A 5:30AM wake-up call and 25 minute drive to a new town were waiting for the girls...
Sunday January 6, 2013
Wake-up call at 5:30AM Atlantic Time (3:30AM Winnipeg Time...keep that in mind when you read the last line in this post).
The ICE woke up early but excited and headed to Timmy's again before the 25 minute drive to Shediac! At Timmy's we ran into the old "since its 6 AM we only need 1 person working" scam! Thanks Tim Hortons'. So it took the team about 45 minutes to get all their food, but with about 6 players left, the girls allowed a firefighter to order ahead of them (nice Winnipeg girls). The firefighter was very thankful and proceeded to order 15 coffees and 18 muffins...seriously! So needless to say the ICE were delayed a little longer, but made it to Shediac on time and got ready for the semifinals against the Capital District Cyclones from PEI.
Semifinals ICE vs. Capital District Cyclones:
Lots of excitement and a few nerves greeted the coaches in the ICE dressing room, as the final preparations and instructions were completed. The teams both came out of the gate quickly, and everyone in attendance was treated to a very exciting semifinal! The first period saw end to end action but no goals for either team. The ICE outshot the Cyclones 6-5, and Kathleen Kosior was excellent in net. The second period went back and forth again, this time with both teams getting more chances toward the net. The ICE opened the scoring with 6 minutes left in the second period, when Michelle Anderson scored, off a pass from Emily Barber. The ICE held the lead 1-0 after the second period of play. Kosior stood tall in net all game for the ICE, stopping all 22 shots she faced through two periods. The ICE were a mere 15 minutes away from the final, but they knew the job wasn't done. The Cyclones had been coming on strong, and the game seemed like it would be a fight until the end! The third period started quickly again, with both teams playing it safe, but in a 5 minute span, the ICE were called for 4 penalties. The ICE managed to kill of the first one, but after two more calls, 40 seconds apart sent the Cyclones on a 5 on 3 PP, Capital District tied it up at 1. Some odd calls took the wind completely out of the ICE sails, but 9 minutes remained in the game and the ICE were determined to come away with the win. The third period ended in a 1-1 tie, resulting in a peculiar 7 minute 3 on 3 overtime period. It was crazy! There was chance after chance for both teams, but both goaltenders were stellar. Neither team could find a way to win it in OT. The ICE thought they had a chance at a winner, as Michelle Anderson had a breakaway in the final 30 seconds of the game. Anderson was tackled from behind, but in the opinion of the referee, the Cyclone player must have touched the puck before taking down the ICE centre. After overtime, it was a 3 player shootout. All 3 ICE players were stopped, and 1 Cyclone player found a way to net the winner. A tough loss, but an exciting end to great trip for the ICE. Players were understandably upset following the game, but the team seemed to sense the progress that was made in Moncton. The girls vowed to continue their spirited play when the MFMHL regular season resumed on January 12th in Winnipeg.
Well...after that, the team had a hearty lunch before visiting the "fancy" mall one last time. At 4:00PM the team arrived at the airport for the 6:10PM flight to Montreal. Little did the ICE know that the shootout loss in the semifinals was going to be the SECOND most stressful part of the day!
The team's flight to Montreal was delayed for 1 hour, (without a word of explanation...thanks Air Canada), which coincidentally was exactly the amount of time the layover in Montreal was supposed to be. It was a decent flight, when it finally took off, but panic set in as we crossed our fingers that our flight from Montreal to Toronto would be delayed enough to let us run to the gate. The players and coaches were very relieved to find out that the departure gate was directly across from the arrival gate and the plan was still there! Wow, really believed we were going to miss it. The team boarded immediately, only to find out that this flight was on a huge, brand new, 767, with larger seats, crazy mood lighting, and larger touch screens on every seat. With a 2 hour layover in Toronto waiting for the team, the ICE relaxed on the fancy big plane as they waited for take-off. After 30 minutes, the team was pretty sure the delay was because they had to load ALL the hockey gear from the other plane...but as the snow continued to fall, and the plane continued to sit idle, panic once again started to set in...turns out a little blizzard shuts down Montreal pretty quick. Well, after over 90 minutes of waiting...and again, very little information from Air Canada, the plane finally took off for Toronto. Last minute texts that were received gave the team hope that the flight from Toronto was also delayed...so the team waited anxiously. That flight was the longest 57 minute flight EVER, as the team hurried off the plane in hopes that the flight from Toronto to Winnipeg had not yet departed. Thankfully, the flight home had been delayed for just over an hour...so the ICE made it! Relief set in as the team waited to board the final leg of this journey. After 5 days in Moncton, some excellent hockey, and supremely long day, the Winnipeg ICE touched down at Winnipeg International Airport at 1:57am. All of the team luggage and equipment made it home safely as well. Playing in the semifinals was a huge step for the ICE, and the coaches sense that the best is yet to come. It was an amazing week with the team, you made us very proud girls!
A final word to thank all of the parents who rode the roller-coaster for all 5 days with the team. Your help and support made the trip that much better for the team. The players and coaches sincerely thank you for all that you did! As the players completed the final kilometers home, here's hoping they found a few seconds to reflect on what they accomplished in Atlantic Canada...and here's hoping they look back on those days in Moncton with a smile. The bed times of the players and coaches will vary, some earlier, and some later, but for this coach specifically, the lights finally went out at 3:30AM Winnipeg Time...exactly 24 hours after that blasted wake-up call in Moncton.
~Coach
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