The Estevan Power Tech midget AA Panthers has the edge in the final of their league playoffs as they defeated the Regina Capitals 7-3 at the Civic Auditorium on March.12.
Estevan opened up the scoring in the first period when Megan LeBlanc beat the Regina goaltender. Two minutes later, Haley Ronyk lit the lamp to put the Panthers up 2-0.
During the first period coach Chad Chapman said that the two teams were just feeling each other out and after Estevan went on a power play, that’s when they started taking it to the Capitals.
“In the second period, we came out flat, they got two goals back and tied it up,” Chapman said.
The Panthers regained the lead at the end of the period when Brooklyn Dukart put the team up 3-2. Ashley Chapman and Taylor Colbow contributed with the helpers.
In the first half of the final frame, Estevan scored two straight goals to extend their lead to 5-2. Kailey McLellan, from Jenna Kreklewich, scored the first goal, and on the second goal, Dukart earned her second of the game. Mackenzie Ronyk and McLellan had the assists.
The Capitals got a goal in the third, but it wasn`t enough as Estevan scored another two goals at the end of the period. Dukart earned a hat trick on the one goal and Haley Ronyk had her second on the other. Colbow assisted the Dukart goal.
“We took over and we dominated pretty much the whole third period except maybe four or five minutes,” Chapman said.
Chapman was impressed with the composure and leadership his team showed throughout the game.
“When they came back and tied it up, it`s easy to smash the panic button and lose focus on the game plan that we had put together, but having as many veterans on the team that we have, they never panicked,” he said.
The Panthers play game two of the series tonight.
