Mar 23, 2014 | novicerep | 892 views
Hard Earned Win!
The Hericanes won a hard fought series against the Belmont Blazers by winning the final game 3-1.
The series was best of 3 games with the winning team being the first to accumulate 4 points. As had been the case all year, it was a hard fought battle against a swift skating Belmont team. In game one, the Blazers got out to a fast start and pulled ahead by a score of 1-0. The Hericanes quickly answered back and then scored again to lead 2-1 heading into the third period with both goals scored by Mia Thompson. The Blazers refused to give up and tied the game with just over 8 minutes left. The game would end a fitting tie. Erinn Zyta was very strong in net and the defence of Claire Schoenherr, Kate Rudy, Morgan Schott and Megan Haid were fantastic as was the effort and forechecking from all of the forwards.
In game two, it started in a similar fashion with Belmont gaining an early 1-0 lead followed by a second goal to take a 2-0 lead. The Hericanes would not be denied and continued to fight. Chloe Hislop scored a beautiful shorthanded goal followed by the tying goal by Mia Thompson. Halle Murray manned the pipes and was superb making save after save and filling in for an ill Erinn Zyta. The five forwards (Sonya Yusim, Brianne Barker, Taylor Storey, Chloe Hislop and Mia Thompson) should also be commended as they played shorthanded the entire game as it ended in a 2-2 tie setting up for an exciting final game.
In Belmont on Sunday morning, both teams knew what was at stake and both teams played very hard to make it to Championship Weekend. The Hericanes got out to the early lead with Halle Murray out of net and scored on a strong wrist shot into the top corner to take a 1-0 lead. The score looked like it would hold up but Belmont scored an absolute beauty of a goal where a patient Belmont forward scored on Erinn Zyta with 4 minutes left in the third. The next four minutes were back and forth. With just under a minute to go Halle Murray took a shot off the post and the rebound came to Mia Thompson who took a shot that was saved but the second attempt just made it over the pad of the Belmont goalie to take a 2-1 lead. Thompson then scored again with 10 seconds left to seal the deal on an open net to propel the Hericanes to Championship Weekend by a score of 3-1. Belmont played a very valiant game and fought the entire series. Congratulations to the Blazers. What a weekend of games for the Hericanes and now onto Mississauga. A big pat on the back also goes out to Zyta who came back to play a wonderful game in net after being sick on Saturday.