Kate Stuart knows it's a longshot for her to play goal for Team B.C. in the Canada Winter Games.
But she left no question she's an integral ingredient in the Chilliwack Bruins' quest to win the Prince George Investors Group Tier 1 bantam triple-A hockey tournament.
As the only female on a team of boys, the 14-year-old from Chilliwack showed she belongs playing the top boys teams in the province and was the difference-maker in Chilliwack's 3-2 win over the host Farr Fabricating Cougars Friday afternoon.
Nursing a two-goal lead in the third period, Stuart seemed to get better with age when her team started showing signs of wilting in the face of determined Cougar attack. Stuart was powerless to prevent Corey Cunningham from scoring on a behind-the-net setup from Alex Nimmo 7:15 into the third period, but was rock steady the rest of the way.
The Cougars handled the Bruins quite easily in November, beating them 7-2 at the Delta tournament. Stuart said the difference Friday was the Bruins' commitment to playing defence and their determination to clear their own zone.
"It was really stressful in the end there, the last couple minutes, being up by only one goal, but we pulled it off as a team," said Stuart.
Stuart is fourth on the depth chart for goaltenders on the under-18 female hockey team that will represent B.C. at Canada Games, but she's equal on the depth chart with Bruins' goalie, Aiden Kirkpatrick. During the season, they split the playing time 50-50.
"This is my first game playing in Prince George -- I practiced with the U-18 team a couple of times and if they have injuries there's a chance [of playing in the Canada Games], said Stuart, who has played rep hockey on boys teams for the last three seasons.
"It's a lot faster playing with boys and shots come a lot harder. In girls hockey the plays take longer to develop, but with guys the transitions are quicker. I noticed a change in their pace in the third period and whenever I let out a rebound they were right on it."
The Bruins jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from Dylan Ohlsen and Jason Bowen. The Cougars showed better signs of life in the second period and Matthew Marotta got them on the scoreboard, however Bruins Jackson O'Brien also found the net behind Cats' goalie Seth Lapre to restore the two-goal lead. The Cougars got Lapre to the bench for the extra skater with a minute left and had a handful of great scoring chances but Stuart stood up to the test.
"Our goaltending has been awesome all year, they always find a way to find pucks and they don't get rattled," said Bruins head coach Craig Lehr. "Kate is a stellar goaltender, without her we don't win that game."
Matthew Macsemniuk has had a hot hand at scoring for the Cougars and was their most dangerous shooter Friday but was held off the scoresheet.
"It took us probably till the third period to get going but we made it close at the end," said the 14-year-old Macsemniuk. "Chilliwack is a pretty big team and they hit hard but I think if we had played our game we would have come out with the win. [Stuart] played good, but I don't think we put enough shots on her to rattle her in the first period, most of our shots came in the third."
In the early game at the Elksentre, Macsemniuk tracked down a high breakaway pass from linemate Chase Schurack and scored with nine seconds left to beat the Kamloops Junior Blazers 5-4. Goals from Macsemniuk, Schurack, Braeden Young, and Craig MacDonald staked the Cougars to a 4-1 lead in the third period. But in the final 10 minutes Sam Fuoco, Jackson Marshall and Tyson Gayfer scored for Kamloops to tie it up. Alex Johnson also connected for the Blazers.
The Cougars had just three hours between games but assistant coach Tyler Brough said that's no excuse for his team's slow start against Chilliwack.
"It was a quick turnaround but it's bantam hockey and the kids are used to it," said Brough. "We weren't ready to start the game. It was not a fatigue thing, we weren't mentally ready and it showed."
The Cougars face Edmonton in their next game this morning at 8:30 at Kin 3, then play Kelowna at 6:45 p.m. at Kin 1.
Meanwhile, at the Brink Forest Products tier 2 bantam tournament at Kin 2 , the Prince George Players Bench Cougars dropped a 3-2 decision to Salmon Arm in their tournament-opener Friday. The Cougars went on to face Terrace in a game at the Coliseum Friday night.
The Tier 1 championship game is set for Sunday at 11:30 a.m. at Kin 1, followed by the Tier 2 final at the same rink at 2:15 p.m.
