2016 National Women's Under-18 Championship

WATTS, TAIT PACE ONTARIO RED TO SECOND WIN

WENDY GRAVES

REGINA, Sask. – Emma Maltais (Burlington, Ont./Oakville, PWHL) and Camryn Tait (Stouffville, Ont./Toronto, PWHL) each had a pair of goals, and Ontario Red defeated Team Atlantic 6-1 for its second win in as many games at the 2016 National Women’s Under-18 Championship.

Daryl Watts (Toronto, Ont./Mississauga, PWHL) and Kristy Pidgeon (Ingleside, Ont./Nepean, PWHL) also scored for Ontario Red.

Loryn Porter (North Bay, Ont./Mississauga, PWHL) earned her first win of the week in net.

Ontario Red outshot Team Atlantic 54-25

Maggie Connors (St. John’s, N.L./Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, USHS) had the lone goal for Team Atlantic; Kelsey Shute (Harbour Grace, N.L./TriPen AAA Midget, NLMAAA) took the loss in goal.

It was actually Team Atlantic getting out of the gate early in this one. Only 1:37 into the game, Ontario Red was unable to clear the puck from its zone, and Connors drove in from the side boards and deked Porter for the opening goal.

The game turned thanks to a three-goal second period from Ontario Red. A one-timer by Maltais in the high slot – off a nice pass from Maria Dominico (North Bay, Ont./North Bay, LLFHL) – got the team on the board on the power play.

Two minutes later Pidgeon banged in a rebound at the top of the crease.

A second power play goal, this one with less than a minute to go in the period, added to the team’s momentum. Sarah Fillier (Georgetown, Ont./Oakville, PWHL) fed Watts in the low slot, from where she slid the puck past Shute.

Ontario Red added three more in the third. Lexie Adzija (St. Thomas, Ont./Oakville, PWHL) drove down the wing, then toward the net; her shot was stopped, but Tait was there to put the rebound into the open cage.

It was Tait again, 45 seconds later, keeping the puck on a two-on-one with Coralie Larose (Embrun, Ont./Nepean, PWHL) to put Ontario Red up four.

And with less than two minutes to play in regulation, Maltais finished off a cross-crease pass from Watts.

With the win, Ontario Red is now 9-0 all time against Team Atlantic at the U18 nationals.