Apr 11, 2016 | cshanks | 1458 views
Lindsay PW B Lynx Finish 5th at Provincials
The Lindsay PW B Lynx wrapped up a tremendously successful season with a 5th place finish at the OWHA Provincial Championships Weekend. The coaching staff was extremely proud of the girls and their efforts and accomplishments. Not just this past weekend, but the entire season. They are a great team, improved tremendously and were a joy to coach. They ended the season with a 43-9-6 record. Thanks from the coaching staff to all the girls and families for a great season. Games results below:
Game 1 - Lindsay 4 - Niagara 1
The Lynx started off the tournament fast. They came out to play and knew a win was needed if they wanted to qualify out of their pool. The Lynx controlled the play early but couldn't find the back of the net until late in the first and with just 17 seconds to go in the period Mya Mattiussi scored the game winner by banging home a rebound off of a won face-off by Kayla Golden and shot from the point from Emma Shanks (Shanks and Golden got the assists). Late in the 2nd period, and with the Lynx on the Powerplay and the face-off in their own zone, a set play created another Mattiussi goal. Golden again won the draw back to Shanks who banked a pass off the far boards and Mya used her speed to get a breakaway and wrip a shot low blocker for a 2-0 lead with just 2 seconds left in the period (Shanks and Golden again got the assists). Another early powerplay in the 3rd period saw the Lynx extend their lead to 3-0 as the line of Julia Staniland, Nixon Francis and Taryn Lindquist had a great forecheck to pressure the puck and Lindquist eventually found the puck and banged home a rebound (assists to Francis and Hannah Vallier on the play). The line of Maddy Donnelly, Taylor Allen and Laura Brown then got in on the act with another great forecheck. This time Donnelly picked up the puck behind the Niagara net and circled out where she got off a hard and low shot which went in on the short side (lone assist to Taylor Allen). Goalie Emma Francois' shutout bid was denied as with 21 seconds left Niagara got on the board but overall the Lynx played a great game in getting off on the right foot. Kudos to Julia Sudsbury who went hard into the boards and bruised her knee but gutted it out for her team and finished the game.
Game 2 - Lindsay 3 - Bluewater 0
In game 2 Lindsay took on their nemesis from the LL Championship Weekend in Bluewater who had beaten them twice, including in the bronze medal game. This game would probably determine the winner of their pool and the right to qualify directly to the QF game. And the Lynx responded to the bell as just 37 seconds into the game Mya Mattiussi got what would prove to be the game winner on a beautiful rush up the ice. She took a great pass out from the boards from Gracie Cunday in her own end, used her speed through the neutral zone, beat the defender at the blueline and fired a shot top corner for a 1-0 lead (assists to Cunday and Emma Shanks). Just 2 minutes later the Lynx would go up 2-0 on an early powerplay as Kayla Golden used a great power move to walk out from behind the net and go top shelf. Gracie Cunday made a great pass on the play to pick up the lone assist. Bluewater pushed back in the 2nd period but goalie Emma Francois made some great saves and the D of Julia Sudsbury, Emma Lees, Hannah Vallier and Emma Shanks limited any Bluewater scoring. The 3rd period was much like the 2nd with limited scoring chances. The girls were asked to play a 1-2-2 system and it worked as Bluewater struggled to get through the neutral zone. The line of Julia Staniland, Nixon Francis and Taryn Lindquist made several great backchecks to ensure no scoring took place. With just 9 seconds left in the game Kayla Golden would finish off the scoring with an empty net goal with assists going to Maddy Donnelly and Hannah Vallier. Emma Francois picked up her 29th shutout of the year.
Game 3 - Twin Centres 2 - Lindsay 0
In a game that meant nothing to Lindsay and everything to Twin Centres it showed as the Lynx came out flat. Twin Centres needed to win to advance while the Lynx had already wrapped up their pool. The Hericanes were aggressive and physical and took it to Lindsay early. However goalie Emma Francois stood tall and kept the game tied at 0-0 through 2 periods of play. Late in the 1st period the Lynx had a scary moment as Gracie Cunday was pushed into the boards and she stayed down. After having to leave the ice and feared gone for the game Gracie showed what heart is all about and returned to the game late in the 2nd to give the Lynx a spark to start the 3rd. However the Lynx couldn't convert on some good chances and the Hericanes would eventually get 2 to win 2-0.
QF Game 4 - Sault Ste. Marie 3 - Lindsay 2 (OT)
This game was a do or die game for both teams as the winner would advance to the SF's and the other was done for the year. The Lynx scored first 7 minutes in as Kayla Golden scored on a shot from the high slot with a great assist from the corner from Gracie Cunday (assists to Cunday and Hannah Vallier). The 2nd period was a struggle for the girls as they could not get the puck out for extended periods due to the Soo's forechecking. Sault Ste. Marie would eventually get 2 in the period to take a 2-1 lead into the 3rd. The girls sensed they had to pick up their play and they dominated the 3rd period with scoring chance after scoring chance. Emma Lees got things started with a strong rush up the ice right off the start but her shot would go just wide. The line of Golden, Cunday and Mattiussi had chance after chance and on one shift the Soo goalie stoned Golden on 2 point blank shots and a third by Cunday. Mid-way through the 3rd period the Lynx got the equalizer as Julia Sudsbury made a great pinch to get the puck low to Maddy Donnelly who made a nice pass out from behind the net to set up Laura Brown who made no mistake in tying the score (assists to Donnelly and Sudsbury). The Lynx kept the pressure up in looking for the late winner but good chances by Emma Shanks, Julia Staniland and Nixon Francis were all turned away. The game would go to OT and on the first shift goalie Emma Francois was forced to make a big save to keep the game going. A few shifts later Taryn Lindquist made a good pass out from her end to send Taylor Allen up the wing where she found Maddy Donnelly alone in the high slot and Maddy almost ended it but the Soo goalie managed to keep it out. Mid-way through the OT period the Soo were able to gather the puck in the neutral zone and go in the right wing and get a good shot off which goalie Emma was able to turn away but the rebound went straight to a Soo player who was able to bang home the rebound to win the game and knock out the Lynx.
The Lynx had a great year and the girls should be proud of their season and accomplishments. Qualifying for the OWHA and LL Championship Weekends, winning a tournament Gold and 2 Silvers and having a record of 43-9-6 is quite a season. The team wants to thank our parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings and friends for supporting us all year. Special thanks to the Smiths Falls Cubs for their support this weekend and congratulations on your well deserved Gold Medal (if it couldn't be us we are glad it is you). Thanks to our 2 special SUPER fans of the year; Bud and Lila! And thanks to the girls for making us all proud and giving us memorable and enjoyable hockey.
And congratulations to the Bantam B Lynx on your OWHA Gold Medal, awesome accomplishment! GO LYNX GO!!