2009 Esso Cup

DURNIN’S PAIR LEAD WILDCATS TO NATIONAL TITLE

by Derek Kelly Neumeier

The Westman Wildcats are the first ever national female Midget champions after defeating the Scarborough Sharks 5-2 on Saturday afternoon in the gold medal game of the inaugural Esso Cup.

Both teams played with all their heart in the final game of the tournament but the Manitoba champion and now national champion Wildcats proved to be the stronger of the two, playing their best game yet as they controlled
the majority of the momentum and edged the Sharks 41-30 in shots.

Jenna-Marie Durnin led the way offensively for Westman, scoring two goals and adding one assist. Brandi Pollock and also added to the scoresheet, picking up a goal and two assists.

The gold medal contest started out evenly with both teams coming out hard and exchanging scoring chances. Durnin capitalized first for the Wildcats, snapping a quick wrist shot from the left circle that rang off the far post and in past Sharks goaltender Marissa Kozovski at 8:21.

Scarborough came back strong, as forward Caitlin Mancini took a pass in the slot from behind the net and beat Westman netminder Tara Lacquette, tying the game at 1-1.

The second period started off with a bang. After the Sharks were whistled for a penalty a mere seven seconds into the middle frame the Wildcats’ Amy Lee capitalized immediately, scoring 29 seconds later and only 36 seconds
into the period.

The Sharks were again quick to respond, as Erin Weston skated down the left wing and fired a cannon of a shot that blew past Lacquette 18 seconds after Lee’s marker, the second goal within the first minute of the period.

Instead of keeping the pressure applied the Sharks instead got into penalty trouble, making three trips to the sin bin in the next two minutes. This proved to be the turning point of the game as Westman took all of the momentum and never looked back, taking full control of what had previously been an evenly-matched game.

They grabbed their third lead of the game midway through the second once again thanks to Durnin, as a shot from linemate Brittany Phillips pinballed through a sea of bodies before landing on her stick. She made no mistake on the chance, scoring at 10:07 to give the Wildcats a 3-2 lead.

Scarborough tried to mount a comeback in the third but was unable to get the flow of the game back in their favour. Westman proved to be too much to handle as it scored two more goals in the third, wrapping up the gold medal.