The Sooke Bantam Girls were busy over the holiday season taking part in the Oceanside Icebreakers female tournament Dec. 27-28, where they demonstrated outstanding teamwork and skills.
Their first game was against unknown Tri-Port who won the tournament last year and who were determined to repeat again. This was a close game with Tri-port opening the score in the last four minutes of the second period but, Hailey Dimock turned up the heat 30 seconds into the third period by snapping one past the Tri-port goal tender on a beautiful pass from Desiree Cumming. Both Hailey Dimock and Desiree Cumming teamed up again to put the Sooke Bantam Girls ahead 2-1 with six minutes left in the game. Morgan Couture AP’d from the Peewees demonstrated excellent back-checking and fore-checking throughout the game added Sooke’s third goal one minute later. But Tri-Port turned up the heat and scored on a scramble in front of the Sooke’s goalie Michelle Lacombe with four minutes left in the game. This turned into a nail bitter as Sooke’s Captain Hailey Dimock was sent to the penalty box for tripping with two min 12 seconds left in the game, giving a powerful Tri-Port team a man advantage and with two minutes remaining in the game pulled their goalie for an extra attacker. Tri-port barraged Sooke with multiple shots but was held off by a determined Sooke team who went on to win the game 3-2. MVP for the game was #7 Hailey Dimock.
The Sooke girls played their next game just one hour and 45 minutes later against Cowichan Valley. These two teams have faced each other twice in the regular season and both games were nail bitters and split evenly, one game each. Hailey Dimock started the scoring off late in the first period assisted by Alison Sudlow. This game was turning into a battle of the goalies as both were playing at the top of their games and frustrating both teams. Zoe Tremblay who was AP’d from the peewee’s showed her skills and ability to play with the bantam girls and was pivotal in shutting down Cowichan Valley’s offence and making key plays for the offence. Hailey Dimock once again scored late in the second period with a superb pass from Morgan Couture. Halfway through the third period, Cowichan Valley put one past the Sooke goal tender and started turning up the heat. But with four minutes left in the third period, Kaitlin Mckelvey put the fire out with a beautiful goal assisted by Alyssa Lloyd and Jasmine Kumar, giving Sooke the win 3-1. MVP for the Game was Sooke’s goal tender #1 Michelle Lacombe.
The next morning Sooke faced Oceanside who were in a three-way tie for second place and looking for a spot in the finals. It was a close first period with only one goal scored, that by Hailey Dimock assisted by Desiree Cumming and Hailey Bryant. In the second period, Sooke started to turn up the heat by scoring two more goals. The second goal in the game came from Alyssa Lloyd assisted by Zoe Tremblay. Sooke’s third goal was scored by Alyssa Lloyd unassisted. Sooke came on strong in the third period with four more goals. Hailey Dimock scored her second in the game assisted by Kailee Purnell and Alison Sudlow. Alyssa Lloyd got her hat trick half way through the third with Hailey Dimock following suit with her third goal two minutes later assisted by Jasmine Kumar. Sooke Kaitlin Mckelvey finished off Sooke’s scoring with eight minutes left in the game. Oceanside put one past Sooke withthree minutes left in the game ending a shut out bid. Sooke won 7-1 over Oceanside. MVP for the game was #11 Alyssa Lloyd.
The Gold medal game took place six hours later against a determined Tri-Port team. This game was a true test of skill and endurance with both teams showing excellent fortitude. This once again turned into a battle of the goal tenders. Both teams had excellent scoring opportunities and formidable defensive abilities. Sooke started the scoring off early in the first period with a goal from Kailee Purnell assisted by Hailey Dimock and Desiree Cumming. Tri-Port came back to even the score in the second period and the teams moved into the third period even. With eight minutes left in the third period, Tri-Port pulled ahead with their second goal, but Kailee Purnell evened it up with six minutes left in the third. Her second goal of the game assisted by Alison Sudlow and Hailey Dimock. Both teams were playing a fantastic game with both offence and defence, showing true grit and determination to win this hard fought game that had sea-sawed back and forth. The third period ended in a tie and they moved into a five minute sudden death round. Once again, both goalies demonstrated phenomenal goaltending ending the 5 minute sudden death with no goals.
The game would now move into a five girl shoot out to determine the game. Julie Lafontaine, Sooke Bantam girls coach, now choose her girls carefully and as home team elected to shoot last. Tri-Port sent there best forward to face Sooke’s Goal tender, Michelle Lacombe. The first shooter for Tri-Port was handled easily, then Sooke’s Kailee Purnell, who had scored all of Sooke’s goals in the game, was first up and put one behind the goaltender to put Sooke up 1-0. Tri-Port sent their next up and was shut down handily. Sooke’s Jaime Lafontaine was next up and put it off the goal post.
Tri-Port’s third shooter was stopped and Sooke’s Alyssa Lloyd put the puck off the opposite post. Tri-Port’s fourth shooter was stopped cold and Alison Sudlow followed the trend and put another puck off the post. It was do or die for Tri-Port and their last shooter slipped one barely by our goal tender, tying the shot out 1-1, with one Sooke shooter to go. Sooke Captain Hailey Dimock was up, but was unsuccessful in putting it past the Tri-Port goalie. The game now moved into Sudden Death Shootout, the tension was palpable in the arena with the family and fans cheering wildly. Tri-Port was up first and was once again stopped cold, Hailey Bryant went out for Sooke, but was stymied by the goalie.
Tri-Port again was shut down and then Victoria Sutherland took the puck and put a beautiful backhand high into the Tri-Port goal, giving the Sooke Bantam Girls gold. Final score 3-2, Sooke. MVP for the game was #1 Michelle Lacombe
Del Lacombe
