2016 National Women's Under-18 Championship

BURKE EARNS SHUTOUT AS HOST TEAM OPENS WITH WIN

WENDY GRAVES

REGINA, Sask. – It was a perfect opening night for Saskatchewan, host team of the 2016 National Women’s Under-18 Championship.

Chantal Burke (Saskatoon, Sask./Regina, SFMAAAHL) stopped all 28 shots she faced and Saskatchewan shut out Team Atlantic 3-0 on Wednesday night.

Jenna MacLean (Wilcox, Sask./Notre Dame, CSSHL), Grace Shirley (Saskatoon, Sask./Saskatoon, SFMAAAHL) and Sophie Shirley (Saskatoon, Sask./Okanagan Hockey Academy, CSSHL) all scored for Saskatchewan.

Sophie Shirley also recorded an assist, as did Brooke Hobson (Prince Albert, Sask./Prince Albert, SFMAAAHL).

Ava Boutilier (Charlottetown, P.E.I./Charlottetown, PEIMAAAHL) made 36 saves in net for Team Atlantic.

In an evenly played first period both teams registered eight shots on net.

Saskatchewan took advantage of its first power play opportunity. A mere eight seconds after Julia Scammell (Murray Siding, N.S./Northern, NSFMHL) was sent off for hooking, MacLean’s shot from the slot went off Boutilier’s glove and in.

Team Atlantic outshot Saskatchewan 15-12 in the second period, and had the better scoring chances. Burke stopped Kristen McKinley (Quispamsis, N.B./Rothesay Netherwood Prep, CAHS) on a partial break a few minutes in, and Josie Chisolm (St. Andrews, N.S./Rothesay Netherwood Prep, CAHS) rang one off the post with just under six minutes to go.

Miranda Hatt (Regina, Sask./Regina, SFMAAAHL) misplaying the puck at her own blue line early in the third allowed Sierra Lee (Ferguson’s Cove, N.S./New Hampton Varsity, USHS) to break in alone, but once again Burke was up to the challenge.

Saskatchewan finally got itself some breathing room as the third period played on. Grace Shirley took a pass from sister Sophie Shirley and, from the slot, found twine.

And with less than two minutes to go, Saskatchewan hit the post, but Sophie Shirley was left unmarked in the face-off circle and fired the rebound into the back of the net.

This was the teams’ first match-up since 2012; the all-time series is now tied at three wins apiece.