2012 Esso Cup

CAVEL, GAZZOLA SCORE TWO APIECE TO GIVE QUEENS CHANCE TO RECLAIM ESSO CUP CROWN

by Jarrett Arsenault

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The Thunder Bay Queens (Ontario) are one step away from climbing back onto their perch at the top of female Midget hockey in Canada.

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After missing out on the Esso Cup last season, the 2010 Esso Cup champions came back this season determined to reclaim their throne, and the proof was in the second period during Friday’s late seminal, when the Queens scored all of their goals in less than 15 minutes for a 4-2 final over Halifax Metro Boston Pizza (Atlantic).

Thunder Bay came out firing from the start, with Halifax Metro netminder Stefannie Moak (Sackville, N.S.) showing her prowess between the posts by stopping all 18 pucks she faced in the period and the Atlantic reps only able to stop four shots in the opening 20 minutes.

But the Queens really came out with a bang in the second, despite two quick goals from the opposition.
Alyssa Palmer-Dixon (Bedford, N.S.) put Halifax Metro up 1-0 at 2:18 in the period, and Breanna Lanceleve (Sackville, N.S.) added another less than two minutes later to make it 2-0, but those were the only goals that Thunder Bay would allow.

The Queens replied with one of their own from Jessica Gazzola (Thunder Bay, Ont.) at 6:18 and a short-handed marker from Michela Cava (Thunder Bay, Ont.) at 10:42 to tie it up at two-piece. Gazzola scored a short-handed goal of her own at 11:22, and Cava added another at 19:23, to make it 4-2 by the end of the middle frame.

And that’s all Thunder Bay needed, to claim the game, and a spot back in gold medal contention. The Thunder Bay Queens face off against the Pembina Valley Hawks (West) at 5 p.m. AT on Saturday for 2012 Esso Cup bragging rights. Catch all the action from Charlottetown on TSN!

Game Information
Game Number	17	Round	Semifinal
Arena	CARI Complex	City, Country	Charlottetown, P.E.I.
Month / Day / Year	04/27/2012	Time	06:00 PM AT
Attendance		Game Status	Final

Box Score	1	2	3	Total
Halifax Metro Boston Pizza (ATL)	0	2	0	2
Thunder Bay Queens (ONT)	0	4	0	4

Goals/Penalties

First Period

Goals:
None

Penalties:
   12:34 ONT 8 Michela Cava (Checking to the Head)
   12:34 ONT 8 Michela Cava (Checking to the Head)
   16:57 ATL 8 Sarah Gagnier (Inter. on Goaltender)
   18:29 ONT 18 Jessica Gazzola (Slashing)
   19:01 ATL 14 Laura Polak (Tripping)

Second Period

Goals:
   02:18 ATL 2 Alyssa Palmer-Dixon
   04:32 ATL 5 Breanna Lanceleve (17 Amanda Volcko)
   06:18 ONT 18 Jessica Gazzola (12 Kaley Tienhaara)
   10:42 ONT 8 Michela Cava (9 Kaitlyn Tougas, 10 Michaela Coulter) SH
   11:22 ONT 18 Jessica Gazzola (4 Brianna Iazzolino) SH
   19:23 ONT 8 Michela Cava (4 Brianna Iazzolino)

Penalties:
09:56 ONT 17 Samantha Strassburger (Tripping)
14:33 ONT 18 Jessica Gazzola (Tripping)

Third Period

Goals:
None

Penalties:
   07:30 ATL 55 Victoria MacIntosh (Hooking)
   11:13 ONT 9 Kaitlyn Tougas (Tripping)
   16:09 ONT 10 Michaela Coulter (Hooking)
   19:35 ONT 18 Jessica Gazzola (Tripping)

Goaltenders

Halifax Metro Boston Pizza

35 Stefannie Moak

On 1/00:00

Off 3/19:35

Thunder Bay Queens

35 Megan Leikkari

On 1/00:00

Off 3/20:00