It took them a couple games to their hockey act together at the Mandi Schwartz Memorial Tournament in Wilcox, Sask., but once they did, there was no stopping the Northern Capitals.
They reeled off three straight wins, including a 3-2 overtime triumph over the Lloydminster Steelers Sunday morning.
Hailey Armstrong scored her second goal of the game 30 seconds into overtime to give the Capitals one more win to celebrate in 2021. Maria Ayre also scored for the Prince George-based Capitals, who play in the B.C. Elite Hockey League’s U18 triple A female division. Ayre’s goal tied the game 1-1 in the first period after Kenlee Hines scored for the Steelers. Armstrong’s first goal of the game and fourth of the tournament, 3:59 into the third period, put the Caps ahead 2-1. But Lloydminster’s Caybri Dejong scored the tying goal, 7:21 into the third.
Sierra Eagles made 29 saves as her team outshot the Steelers 39-31.
The Northern Capitals finished the tournament with a 3-2 record. They lost their Thursday opener 6-0 to the host Notre Dame Hounds, dropped 2-0 decision later that day to the Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs. The visitors from B.C. found the win column Friday with a 4-1 win over Rink Academy. Armstrong fired a hat trick in that game.
On Saturday, the Northern Capitals were tied with the Saskatoon Stars after two periods on goals from captain Ella Boon and Lindsay Goncalves. Camryn Ward gave the Caps the lead, 12:53 into the third period, and Brooklyn Hutchings added an empty-netter to seal a 4-2 victory.
Coached by Mario Desjardins, the Caps return to BCEHL action Jan. 15 in Richmond, where they begin a two-game set against the Greater Vancouver Comets.
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Ben Delisi wasn’t in a giving mood.
On Sunday at Kin 1, the U17 Cariboo Cougars goaltender stopped all 23 shots he faced in a 4-0 BC Elite Hockey League win against the Okanagan Rockets.
At the other end of the rink, Logan Hauk scored two goals for the Cats, both in the second period. In the third, Anthony Duhamel (power play) and Cole Malo added to the Cariboo total. Defensively, the Cougars held the Rockets to just five shots in the third period.
The Cats also beat the Rockets on Saturday. That one ended 4-2 in favour of the home side. Garrett Feeney (power play), Isaiah Bagri, Seth Habsburg and Parker White were the Cariboo marksmen, while Hauk chipped in with three assists. In the nets, Brady MacKay picked up the victory.
The wins were big ones for the sixth-place Cougars (10-7-0-1), as they pulled even in points with the fifth-place Rockets (10-7-1-0).
The Cats will be back in action this coming weekend when they host the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds. Games are scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. (Kin 1) and Sunday at 12:45 p.m. (CN Centre).
The Thunderbirds are currently fourth in the 10-team division with a record of 11-4-1-1.
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It’s not the way the Cariboo Cougars wanted to go into the Christmas break.
The U18 Cougars were in Kelowna this weekend for a pair of BC Elite Hockey League games against the Okanagan Rockets. The Cats dropped both contests, 7-2 on Saturday and 6-1 on Sunday.
On Saturday, Decker Mujcin and Chase Pacheco scored the goals for the Cougars. On Sunday, Jace Norman was the only Cariboo shooter who found the back of the Rockets’ net.
The Cougars entered the doubleheader on a four-game winning streak. With the losses, they saw their record slip to 9-9-1-1. They’re in fifth place in the 10-team division, one point ahead of the Rockets (8-7-1-2).
The Cougars are now off until Jan. 8-9, when they’ll host the eighth-place South Island Royals (6-12-0-2).
