The Estevan Power Tech midget AA Panthers proved why they’re the South Saskatchewan Female Hockey League’s top seed in the opening game of their first round playoff series.
The Panthers beat the eighth seeded Notre Dame Hounds 4-0 at Affinity Place on Saturday, but the score could easily have been double that if not for the efforts of Hounds call-up goalie Sam Brenner. Estevan controlled the play in the Notre Dame zone from the start with most of the Hounds’ clearing attempts failing to make it past their own blue line.
Panthers left wing Makenna Morrison found the back of the Hounds net off a blocked transition attempt and subsequent Estevan net drive 4:41 into the first period before right wing Tasia Trobert made the score 2-0 with just under three minutes to play in the opening frame by popping a rebound over a down-and-out Brenner.
Michaella Matthies brought the score to 3-0 on the Panthers 37th shot of the game 19:01 into the second period by potting a short-side backhand into the top corner off a drive along the goal line. The Panthers led the Hounds 38-10 in shots by the end of the middle frame.
“We played a really good team game,” said Morrison. “We passed around the puck well and just played good together.”
The Hounds forward tandem of Felicia Sewap and Brynn MacLean came to life in the third period notching two top-of-crease chances off centering passes in the first 10 minutes of the frame, but strong play by Panthers goalie Morgan Fayle and solid defence courtesy of rearguards Ashton Magotiaux and Starla Mann ensured the shutout would remain intact. Trobert then put the game further out of reach with her second of the match at the 11:52 mark.
The Panthers win followed a 14-2 pasting of the Hounds at Wilcox’s Duncan McNeil Arena on Thursday in the first game of the teams’ opening round series of the Saskatchewan Hockey Association playoffs. The two clubs meet again in the best-of-two total-point provincial series at Affinity Place on Wednesday, while the second game of the best-of-three league series will be this Sunday in Wilcox.
“We’ll just continue to play a team game,” said Morrison, “and go to the net.”
