The joy on the faces of the Blackhawks’ players said everything.
The team had just claimed gold after beating Fairview 3-2 to win the A final of the Edson Midget Female tournament.
It was a thrilling climax after the girls had come within three minutes of defeat, before Sheena Kremp sent the game into overtime.
“I am glad to be part of it,” said delighted coach Lee Abernathy. “The way they celebrated the victory is why it’s great to be a coach, just to see the excitement on their faces and the feeling of pride that goes along with it.”
Blackhawks started the tournament with a 2-1 victory over Vermillion on Saturday morning.
Despite controlling much of the play, the Blackhawks drilled a lot of the shots right at the Vermillion goaltender’s chest.
Morgan Melzer finally found a way through, putting the Barrhead team 1-0, with assists by Sam Dodds and Jamie Chomay.
With the game tied in the third Shonda Rossman scored the winner from Cora Rosychuk. Her goal caught the eye of Vermillion coaches who picked her as MVP.
In the afternoon, the Blackhawks beat Jasper 5-2. Mudd Melzer scored a brace, while Rossman, Dodds and Ashleigh Yelland chipped in with one apiece.
Rossman added two assists, while Rosychuk, Leigha Schmaus, Chomay and Dodds also provided assists. Melzer was named MVP by the Jasper coaches.
The two victories carried the Blackhawks to the A final against Fairview.
Rossman opened the scoring with Sheena Kremp getting the assist, but by the end of the first period Fairview had tied the game 1-1.
Towards the end of the second, the Blackhawks ran into penalty trouble and had to survive with two players down for two minutes.
Somehow they held on, only for Fairview to go up 2-1 with 13:35 remaining.
Kremp tied the game up with just under three minutes left, with Janelle Roach and Rossman getting the assists to send the game into overtime.
“With the Fairview goalie unaware of where the puck was and the ref yelling ‘its loose’ Sheena Kremp jumped on the opportunity to score the winning goal,” said Abernathy.
Melzer was once again named MVP.
“The girls played pretty well as a whole this weekend,” said Abernathy. “We had solid goaltending when we needed it and controlled most of the play.
“Our penalty killers played excellent as they did all weekend and have all year. I like that we didn’t get down on the bench when Fairview scored to go up 2-1 and instead we got pumped up and played with some passion and grit.”
Abernathy said the girls deserved the tournament championship.
