PANDAS WIN THE BC CUP

(ISN) — The U-18 Pandas won all four of their games to take the annual U-18 C Cup in Duncan this past weekend.

The team was made up of 20 players from all over BC, including Island players, Kelsey Parker (Nanaimo), Maggie Paugh (Nanaimo) and Madison McIntosh (Parksville).

The team was coached by a Vancouver Island (Zone 6) staff including Head Coach Ian Turner (Victoria), Assistant Coach Christina Sharun (Nanaimo), Manager Deb Haggard (Port Alberni) and Trainer Deb Young (Oak Bay).

In their first game the Pandas jumped out to a 2-0 lead five  minutes into the first period with goals from Maggie Paugh (Vancouver Island) and Alex Gowie (Okanagan). Before the first period was over the Wildcats cut lead to one with a marker from Emily Heavenor (Vancouver Island).

The Wildcats continued to pressure and mid-way through the second tied the game at two with a goal from Shelby Roberge (North). With just over two minutes to play in the second the Pandas regained the one lead with a marker from Chelsea Barron (Lower Mainland).

Late in the third period the Pandas put the game out of reach with a goal from Christina Bonacci (Kootenay). The game ended 4-2 in favour of the Pandas.

Their second game put them up against Team Falcons where they skated away with a 2-1 victory. The Pandas came out strong in the first period of play and were rewarded with two  goals in the opening seven  minutes.

Brittany Wakefield (Lower Mainland) scored the first and Rachel Dong (Lower Mainland) with the second. The game remained 2-0 for the Pandas after the second period of play.

The Falcons finally cracked the Panda’s goaltender Alexander Frisk (Lower Mainland) with just over two minutes remaining in the third period; the goal was scored by Shannon Hall (Kootenay). Frisk shut the door in the final minutes of the game to preserve the 2-1 win for her team.

The two victories gave them a bye into the semi-finals where the met Team Eagles and came away with a hard fought 5-4 victory. The Pandas scored two goals in a 30-second span in the first period to take the early 2-0 lead; goal-scorers were Cora Sutton (Okanagan) and Janessa Jenkins (Okanagan).

The Pandas continued to pressure and with 20 seconds remaining in the first period Mary Smith (Kootenay) scored to make it a 3-0 game. The Eagle’s Haneet Parhar (Lower Mainland) was the lone goal scorer in the second period and the score was 3-1 heading into the third period.

The Eagles battled hard early in the third period and were able to tie the game; goal-scorers were Caitlin Botterill (Lower Mainland) and Madison Krassman (Vancouver Island).

The Pandas bounced back and Kaitlyn Zinn (Lower Mainland) and Rachel Dong (Lower Mainland) scored to restore the two  goal lead. The Eagles added one  goal late, but it was too little as they fell 5-4 to the Pandas.

This victory took the Pandas into the gold medal game where the squared off against Team Thunderbirds who were also undefeated. After a scoreless opening period, the Thunderbird’s Brittany Kimber (Lower Mainland) scored mid-way through the second to give her team the lead.

The game remained 1-0 until the 13 minute mark of the third when Ivana Bilic (Lower Mainland) scored for the Pandas to tie the game one (1). The goal from Bilic opened the flood gates as the Pandas scored three more goals en route to their 4-1 victory.

Goal-scorers for the Pandas were Katherine Kovacs (Lower Mainland), Rachel Dong (Lower Mainland) and Kayanna Prazma (North).

The top 120 female Under 18 players were invited to the event, with 46 players being selected to attend the Female Provincial Development Camp, May 19-23, 2010.

This group will be further reduced to the 20 player roster that will represent British Columbia at the 2011 Canada Winter Games being held in Halifax Nova Scotia.

PANDAS 2010 FEMALE U18 BC CUP CHAMPIONS

Team Pandas won the 2010 Female U18 BC Cup Championship with a 4-1 win over Team Thunderbirds at the Island Savings Centre in Duncan on the weekend.

Players from the Island taking part in the six team tournament include:

Wolverine: Bria Sharkey, Kim Penny, Denesha Doman and Tamera Berger;

Thunderbirds: Brianna Hynes in goal, Kate Little, Zoe Battie and Sam Moore;

Eagles: Katrina Hawkins and Madison Krassman;

Pandas: Kelsey Parker, Madison McIntosh and Maggie Paugh;

Falcons: Carly Gill, Alyssa Andres and  Danielle Robb;

Wildcats: Taryn Ashdown, Aicia Archer and Emily  Heavenor.

After a scoreless opening period, the Thunderbird’s Brittany Kimber (Lower Mainland) scored mid-way through the second to give her team the lead.  

The game remained 1-0 until the 13 minute mark of the third when Ivana Bilic (Lower Mainland) scored for the Pandas to tie the game one.  

The goal from Bilic opened the flood gates as the Pandas scored three more goals en route to their 4-1 victory.  

Goal-scorers for the Pandas were Katherine Kovacs (Lower Mainland), Rachel Dong (Lower Mainland) and Kayanna Prazma (North).

3rd Place Game: Team Wolverines 4 vs. Team Eagles 3 OT

The Eagles came out strong in the first period scoring two goals in the final 12 minutes of the period; goal-scorers were Holly Nikirk (Kootenay) and Carling Chown (Kootenay).  

The second was a tight-checking affair with each goaltender making great saves.  

Each team scored late in the period and it was a 3-1 for the Eagles heading into third.  In a 40 second span in the third the Wolverines scored two goals to tie the game.  

The first goal was scored by Sibohan Hewitt-Kendra (Lower Mainland) and the second by Tamera Berger (Vancouver Island).  

The game remained tied after 60 minutes of play, so a five-minute sudden death overtime was needed.  Neither team was able to score in the overtime, so a shoot-out would determine the winner.

Maggie Ross (Okanagan) was the hero for the Wolverines scoring the decisive goal in the shoot-out.  

5th Place Game: Team Falcons 2 vs. Team Wildcats 5

The Falcons and Wildcats kicked off the first game on the final day of the event with an exciting game.  

Emily Heavenor (Vancouver Island) opened the scoring for the Wildcats, but this was quickly answered by the Falcon’s Sierra Rai (Lower Mainland).  

The Wildcats regained their lead in the second period with goals from Nicole Saxvic (Lower Mainland) and Breanna Frasca (North).  

The Wildcats continued to pressure in the third period and made it a 4-1 game when Frasca scored her second goal of the game.  

The team exchanged goals late and the final score was 5-2 for the Wildcats.

The top 120 female Under 18 players have been invited to the event, with 46 players being selected to attend the Female Provincial Development Camp, May 19-23, 2010.

2010 FEMALE U18 BC CUP UNDER WAY IN DUNCAN

Nineteen Vancouver Island hockey players have been selected to take part in the Female U18 BC Cup held starting today at the Island Savings Centre in Duncan.

The top 120 female Under 18 players form around the province have been invited to the event, with 46 players being selected to attend the Female Provincial Development Camp, May 19-23, 2010.

Today’s event included an orientation meeting for all players and team staff, fitness testing and an on-ice practice for Team Thunderbirds and Team Wolverines.

Opening ceremonies and the first game of the event, Team Thunderbirds vs. Team Wolverines, will take place Thursday. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.

The players were selected and ranked at six district tryout camps.  BC Hockey has created six “evenly distributed” teams based on the rankings from the camps.

Players from the Island include:

Wolverine: Bria Sharkey, Kim Penny, Denesha Doman and Tamera Berger;

Thunderbirds: Brianna Hynes in goal, Kate Little, Zoe Battie and Sam Moore;

Eagles: Katrina Hawkins and Madison Krassman;

Pandas: Kelsey Parker, Madison McIntosh and Maggie Paugh;

Falcons: Carly Gill, Alyssa Andres and  Danielle Robb; and

Wildcats: Taryn Ashdown, Aicia Archer, and Emily  Heavenor.

At the 2007 BC Cup, the female program adopted the Jamboree style format that the Male U17 program had been using.

TEAM BC FINISHES EIGHTH AT WOMEN’S UNDER 18 NATIONALS

By Sean Orr

Team BC capped off a disappointing week with a 4-2 loss to Team Saskatchewan resulting in an eighth place finish at the 2009 Women’s National Under 18 Hockey Championship in Surrey.

U-18 Team BC includes Ashlynn Mooreof Poirt McNeil and Mary Claire Geneau, Kayla Natarelli and Marie Vondrecek of Victoria.

Team Ontario Red took on Team Ontario Blue in the gold medal game yesterday afternoon.  Team Ontario Red toppled Team Ontario Blue 5-1 en route to their sixth consecutive gold medal.

In the eighth place matchup Team BC took a 2-1 lead over Team Saskatchewan  into the second intermission.  Team Saskatchewan’s came to life scoring  three unanswered goals in the final frame to win the game 4-2.

TEAM BC FALLS TO TEAM ALBERTA 4-2

Team BC, with four Islanders in skates, lost its first game at the 2009 Women’s National Under 18 Hockey Championship in Surrey to Team Alberta 4-2 Wednesday.

Following a scoreless first period, Akane Hosoyamada’s scored the first goal of the night less than a minute into the second period.  She followed-up with her second goal of the game late in the second period.

BC responded before the period was over with Breanna Frasca scoring Team BC’s first goal of the night, putting the score at 2-1 going into the second intermission.

At 6:41 of the third period Brittany Laing scored to tie the game at two, but Alberta’s Brittany Styner and Rachel Walsh responded with goals of their own to give Team Alberta the 4-2 win.

Team BC (0-1) will take on Team Quebec (0-1) tonight.

The team includes Ashlynn Mooreof Port McNeil and Mary Claire Geneau, Kayla Natarelli and Marie Vondrecek of Victoria.

FOUR ISLANDERS IN 2009 WOMEN’S NATIONAL UNDER 18 NATIONALS

Four Vancouver Island players will be on the ice ton ight as Team BC launches its quest for gold at the 2009 Women’s National Under 18 Championship in Surrey.

Team BC, which includes Ashlynn Moore of Poirt McNeil and Mary Claire Geneau, Kayla Natarelli and Marie Vondrecek of Victoria, take on Team Alberta at 8 p.m. in the South Surrey Arena.

The team, led by head coach Pat Thibeault  of North Vancouver who was also BC Hockey’s Coach of the Year for the 2008-2009 season, will look to improve upon its sixth place finish at the 2008 Championship in Napanee, Ontario.

The teams have been split into two pools, with each team to play three preliminary round games. The top two teams from both groups will move on to the semifinals, with the gold medal game set to air on Hockey Canada’s official broadcaster TSN2/RDS on Sunday

The BC Hockey U18 level is the final step in the BC Hockey Female High Performance program and the athletes in attendance at the camp represent the best BC has to offer in that age group.