2012 Esso Cup

EDMONTON THUNDER EARNS A SECOND ESSO CUP BRONZE WITH WIN OVER HALIFAX METRO

by Jarrett Arsenault

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The Edmonton Thunder struck thrice in the third, with Brett Campbell (Edmonton, Alta.) scoring two of those goals and assisting the other, to boost the Pacific representatives to a second bronze medal Saturday, with a 4-1 win over Atlantic reps Halifax Metro Boston Pizza at the CARI Complex.

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Both teams came out strong in the first, but in the end Edmonton dominated, demonstrating why they’ve appeared in all four Esso Cup tournaments since its inception, with a particularly impressive third period.

Edmonton won the first draw, but Halifax Metro put the pressure on hard to get the first shot on goal. The puck flew up-and-down the ice in the first, with both teams successfully killing off penalties in the first 20 minutes. Edmonton was able to gain control off the draw in Halifax Metro’s end with four seconds left in the period, when Jessica Healey (Edmonton, Alta.) fed Mikaeli Cavell (Edmonton, Alta.), who snuck it over to Jessica Sekulic (Edmonton, Alta.). Sekulic scored with 1.9 seconds left of play in the period.

But Halifax burst out of the gates in the second to score a goal just eight seconds into the period, with Amanda Volcko (Halifax, N.S.) assisting Laura Polak (Bedford, N.S.) to tie it up at one-apiece. Edmonton managed a few good power-play chances, but Halifax Metro’s defencemen stood strong in their zone and were able to hold off the Thunder throughout the middle frame. The east coasters were also solid up front, with its offence letting two more shots off than Edmonton during the second.

Halifax Metro continued to pepper the Edmonton net early in the third, but with time running out on the clock and a medal on the line, the Thunder started rumbling, and Rachel Johnson (Edmonton, Alta.) scored with a flick of the wrist during a scramble out front to regain the lead at 1:44 in the period.

Campbell assisted that early third period goal, and then followed up with two of her own, using some quick stick work to blow it past the Halifax goal line at 10:13, with help from Amy Boucher (Edmonton, Alta.) and Healey, to make it 3-1. Campbell’s second goal – and Edmonton’s final goal of the 2012 Esso Cup -  came on a power-play at 6:15 in the period, for the 4-1 final.

Halifax Metro capped off the season with an appearance in the medal round at its very first Esso Cup, while Edmonton skated away with its third medal in four years at Canada’s National Female Midget Championship.

Penalties:
   01:40 PAC 14 Sydney Thomlison (Cross Checking)
   05:16 ATL 19 Chantal Beauchamp (Interference)
   06:03 ATL 7 Rachel Carr (Cross Checking)
   06:20 PAC 16 Mikaeli Cavell (Bodychecking)
   09:44 PAC 17 Rachel Johnson (Tripping)

Penalties:
   09:31 ATL 10 Maria Morley (Bodychecking)
   11:33 ATL 2 Alyssa Palmer-Dixon (Bodychecking)

Penalties:
   07:33 PAC 6 Kelsie Lang (Bodychecking)
   14:34 ATL 19 Chantal Beauchamp (Bodychecking)