2011 Esso Cup

CONNELL, JOHNSON LEAD EDMONTON TO FIRST SEMIFINAL VICTORY FOR THUNDER

ST. ALBERT, Alta. – Following a slow first and a second period that started off the same, CaitlinConnell(Edmonton, Alta.) made it perfectly clear that another Esso Cup semfinal loss was unacceptable fortheEdmonton Thunder (Pacific), the only team in St. Albert to have made it to all three National FemaleMidgetChampionship’s since its inception. She contributed three points, including two goals, to lead theThunder toa 4-1 semifinal win over the Kodiaks du Lac St-Louis (Québec).

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Edmonton finally started putting pressure on the Lac St-Louis net in the latter half of the second,withConnell kicking off the lead at 16:19 in the period, with help from Rachel Johnson (Edmonton, Alta.)andSasha Lutz (Edmonton, Alta.). Johnson added another less than a minute later, with Connell and MikaeliCavell(Edmonton, Alta.) assisting to make it 2-0 going into intermission.

Connell is one of five Edmonton Thunder players who finished in fourth with the team in 2009 inCalgary,Alta., and one of 14 players to return to the Esso Cup after taking the bronze medal last year inRegina,Sask. Both Cavell and Johnson also competed at the 2010 Esso Cup.

Kirsten Reeves (Edmonton, Alta.), who also ended up with bronze at last year’s Esso Cup, added anothertothe scoreboard five minutes into the third to make it 3-0 for the Pacific representatives.

The Thunder may have made the mistake of feeling too comfortable with their lead late in the game,however,as a penalty gave Lac St-Louis a man advantage, and a chance to make an offensive move. A bouncingpuck outfront rebounded off a Lac St-Louis Kodiak and into Edmonton’s net to make it 3-1.

But those determined returnees to the Esso Cup weren’t about to allow a Kodiaks comeback, withJohnsonassisting Connell on a powerplay to finalize the score at 4-1 and seal that long-awaited spot in theEsso Cupgold medal game.

The Edmonton Thunder will take on the Notre Dame Hounds (West), who are making a second straightappearanceat the Esso Cup, at 6 p.m. MT on Saturday inside Servus Place, while the Kodiaks du Lac St-Louisare upagainst the Toronto Aeros (Ontario) for bronze at 2 p.m.

Penalties:
   02:41 QUE 6 Karine Pellerin-Therien (Hooking)
   09:42 QUE 99 Samantha Tayler (Hooking)
   15:31 QUE 87 Olivia Bishop (Tripping)
   19:48 QUE 13 Sierra Hannough (Hooking)

Penalties:
   00:14 PAC 8 Samantha Schulz (Hooking)
   03:20 PAC 7 Stephanie Zvonkovic (Tripping)
   09:07 QUE 99 Samantha Tayler (High Sticking)
   13:15 QUE 17 Vickie Lemire (Bodychecking)
   17:52 QUE 87 Olivia Bishop (Bodychecking)

Penalties:
   07:03 PAC 8 Samantha Schulz (Bodychecking)
   13:36 QUE 87 Olivia Bishop (Bodychecking)