Submitted by BJ Avramenko, Stettler Storm midget girls
The Stettler Storm are the North Central Minor Hockey Association midget female champions.
The girls opened the best-of-three final last Tuesday at home against the Lacoka Rockets. The Storm opened the scoring early on a goal by Jennifer Hallett.
Stettler was assessed a major penalty late in the period and was able to kill it off, keeping the momentum.
In the second period, Stettler took advantage of a power play when Sarah Imbery scored. Jayden Hogg added more insurance with just 32 seconds left in the period.
In the third period, the girls kept the pressure on Lacoka. Jessie Anderson scored and Hogg got her second of the night to round out the scoring.
Stettler’s Sommer Bauman was outstanding in net, especially when the team was shorthanded, blocking all 22 shots she faced.
Game 2 was in Lacombe Saturday evening. The Storm jumped on Lacoka quickly, with a goal by Hallett. Lacoka wasn’t going to lie down and battled back with a goal of its own less than two minutes later. Stettler took the lead again on a goal by Kelsie Litke.
The second period was all Lacoka as its goalie stopped all 12 shots she faced, and they took the lead, scoring two goals in less than four minutes. Stettler came back hard in the third after a denied goal. Dani Van Dusen broke through the Lacoka squad and scored the equalizer with a nifty flip shot that handcuffed the Lacoka goalie.
Stettler, inspired by Van Dusen’s goal, kept flying scoring again 11 seconds later on a goal by Anderson. The Storm added an insurance goal late in the third from Ronni Burrows.
Bauman rounded out the scoring with only 34 seconds left in the game, making it a 6-3 final. Lindsey McKinnon was strong in net, stopping 21 of 24 shots.
Congratulations to the girls, including graduates Bauman and Van Dusen. Good luck.