2012 Esso Cup

THUNDER BAY QUEENS CLOSER TO RECLAIMING ESSO CUP THRONE WITH FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN

by Geordie Carragher

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Even though they were undefeated through three games, the only question mark surrounding the Thunder Bay Queens (Ontario) was their lack of production on the power-play, which had been almost dormant.

It’s certainly awake now. Thunder Bay scored four of its goals on the power-play Wednesday to beat Halifax Metro Boston Pizza (Atlantic) 5-2 and remain atop the Esso Cup standings at 4-0.

Media Gallery | Buy photos at HockeyCanadaImages.ca

A pair of veterans from the 2010 Esso Cup championship team, Brianna Iazzolino (Thunder Bay, Ont.) and that year’s tournament MVP Kaitlyn Tougas (Thunder Bay, Ont.) led the way for the Queens with two points apiece, along with Kaley Tienhaara (Thunder Bay, Ont.), who had a goal and an assist in the second period.

Discipline also played a key role in the game’s outcome. With Halifax Metro serving a tripping penalty early in the first, the Atlantic reps barely had the chance to kill it off before Queens captain Michela Cava (Thunder Bay, Ont.) fooled Halifax goaltender Rebecca Weagle (Lunenburg, N.S.) with a nice shot just five seconds into the power-play, putting Thunder Bay up 1-0. Thunder Bay struck again midway through the period, as Jessica Gazzola (Thunder Bay, Ont.) scored her eighth of the tournament by following up on her own rebound from in close to put it past the Halifax Metro goal line. Thunder Bay continued to apply pressure through the remainder of the first, but Weagle helped hold of the Queens with several key saves.

Halifax Metro clawed its way back into the game midway through the second, as Amanda Volcko (Halifax, N.S.) scored her third goal of the tournament, converting a pass from Breanna Lanceleve (Sackville, N.S.) to cut the deficit to 2-1. However, Thunder Bay would hit the kill switch late in the second, as Tienhaara scored her first of the tournament on the power-play with 1:18 remaining, to restore the two-goal cushion. Iazzolino scored another power-play goal 56 seconds later to make it 4-1 after 40 minutes.

Lanceleve scored midway through the third for Halifax Metro, narrowing the gap to 4-2, but a goal from Bronwyn Bolduc (Thunder Bay, Ont.) with three minutes left made it 5-1, and put the game out of reach for the Atlantic team. Megan Leikkari (Thunder Bay, Ont.) didn’t see a lot of action in the Thunder Bay net, but she was near perfect when she had to be, stopping 16 shots total, while Weagle made an impressive 35 saves for Halifax Metro.

The Thunder Bay Queens will look to complete an undefeated preliminary round Thursday when they take on the Pembina Valley Hawks (West) at 4 p.m. AT, while Halifax Metro Boston Pizza will look to get back in the win column when they play the Edmonton Thunder (Pacific) at 12 p.m. AT on Thursday.

Check out and order photos from the 2012 Esso Cup online by going to www.HockeyCanadaImages.ca

Penalties:
   02:33 ATL 4 Carly Gray (Tripping)
   05:42 ONT 8 Michela Cava (Hooking)
   07:20 ATL 19 Chantal Beauchamp (Tripping)
   11:10 ATL 6 Taylor Donovan (Checking to the Head)
   16:49 ONT 4 Brianna Iazzolino (Bodychecking)

Penalties:
   09:21 ONT 9 Kaitlyn Tougas (Tripping)
   13:07 ATL 9 Danielle Eustace (Bodychecking)
   18:20 ATL 9 Danielle Eustace (Interference)
   19:24 ATL 14 Laura Polak (Tripping)

Penalties:
   04:45 ONT 10 Michaela Coulter (Hooking)
   19:02 ONT 17 Samantha Strassburger (Slashing)