The Northern Capitals clipped the host Vernon Seed Orchard Sharks 5-4 in Sunday’s final of a four-team Bantam female hockey tournament at Civic Arena.
The Caps, who draw players from Houston, Smithers and Burns Lake, got 2+2 from Taylor Beck (Top Offensive Player). Beck scored 30 seconds in on a breakaway to set the tone for a great end-to-end game.
Cailee Bauml responded for the Sharks five minutes later by powering her way past the defence on a breakaway and finding the far side. Taylor Vandale and Cathou Bauml earned assists.
The game went back and forth the rest of the way. Brittany Jackson (2+1) and Hannah Scherck (1+2) and Taylor DaSilva (2A) were the Sharks’ best line throughout the final, turning pucks over and creating scoring chances.
The Sharks’ defence of Taylor Cousins, Selena Bridge-Hanson, Chelsea McCaig, Nikala Debalinhard, Hannah Swift and Bauml was solid. The Caps outshot the Sharks by a wide margin with Sharks’ goalie Bailey Berndt (Top Defensive Player) making countless big saves.
Said Sharks’ head coach Rob Bauml: “The tournament was a resounding success and hopefully this will help us to build a bigger, better girls program for next year. All of the teams here were made up of experienced and beginner girls and they all had a great time.”
The Kelowna Avs defeated the Dawson Creek Canucks 4-3, in overtime, for third place.
In preliminary play Saturday, Beck pocketed 4+2 as the Caps iced the Sharks 7-2. Jackson, on a rebound of a Cousins’ shot, and Vandale, from Bauml, scored for Vernon.
The Seed Orchard gang upended Dawson Creek 3-1 on goals by Hannah Swift, on a spectacular solo rush, Jackson off a rebound and Bauml on a boomer after Lexes Adams (Sharks’ game MVP) made a great play in the defensive zone.
The forward line of Molly Crandlemire, Bauml and Brooke Berube dominated the game.
Talon Benefits Ajax fifth in Kamloops
Meanwhile, the Talon Benefits Ajax went undefeated in the 12-team Kamloops Midget Rec Tournament but settled for fifth place after a 2-1 win over the Kamloops Rhinos Sunday.
After a sweet Layne Greene pass down low, Brenden Zupp threw a slick pass out front to a streaking Grayson Willan (game MVP) who buried a hard wrister. Kamloops equalized early in the third period with a tic-tac-toe play that Ajax goalie Tyler Yawney had no chance on.
Zupp scored on a rocket backhander bar-down for the winner with 24 seconds left.
“The boys had a lot of fun and came out for the pre-game warm up with mini hockey sticks, surprising the parents and coaches,” said Ajax head coach Darren Zupp.
Brad Jones turned the hat trick and one assist as the Ajax stopped Abbotsford 5-3 in their opener. Dallas Zupp had 1+2, while Brenden Zupp had the other Ajax goal. Clay Coles was strong in goal, while Sean Greene earned MVP on defence.
The Talon Benefits crew got two goals each from the Zupp brothers in a 4-1 win Saturday morning over the Kamloops Warriors. Game MVP Yawney stopped 29 shots, while Gavin Opp played a great two-way game and had one assist.
On Saturday night, the Ajax skated to a 2-2 tie with Kamloops #3, getting goals from Jones and Brenden Zupp. Tireless Layne Greene earned MVP for his stellar defensive showing.
