The Estevan Power Tech female midget AA Panthers defeated the Regina Capitals 4-3 on March 18 to become league champions.
Regina led 2-0 after the first period. Throughout the period, coach Chad Chapman noticed that the team was a little bit tight and anxious.
During the first intermission, Chapman reminded the team not to panic, and that they could overcome the two-goal deficit.
“We had a pretty good conversation about what it was going to take for us to come back and win. Some of the older players on the team stepped up and made a few comments, and very positive comments, about how and what we need to do,” he said.
Early in the second, Ashton Magotiaux lit the lamp and put the Panthers on the board. Mackenzie Ronyk and Kamryn Friars had the assists.
Shortly after the Magotiaux goal, Regina extended their lead to 3-1. Once the Capitals scored that goal, Chapman noticed his team playing with a pinch of desperation, which led to a Kailey McLellan goal. Ronyk and Magotiaux contributed with the helpers.
With 33 seconds remaining in the period, captain Taylor Colbow tied the game at 3-3.
Going into the final period, Chapman said that the Panthers were confident they were going to complete the comeback attempt.
Megan LeBlanc and Ronyk connected to score the game-winning goal in the second half of the period.
After that goal, the Panthers played great hockey to maintain their lead, Chapman said.
“We just shut it down and took the play in their zone, as much as possible, and were smart in our own zone. We had great goaltending, great defensive play and everybody worked their butts off to make it happen,” he said.
Chapman was impressed with the resiliency his team showed throughout the game.
“On the road, down by two … and the ability to look past that obstacle, and be determined and not panic and have the comeback, it makes it that much sweeter,” he said.
The main key to the Panthers winning the championship, was sticking to what they’ve been doing all year, which was just looking at things, shift-by-shift, and focusing on the task at hand, Chapman said.
“The whole team, every player, did that amazingly well. They stayed positive and stayed determined that we were going to win that game no matter what,” he said.
He also mentioned that the team had worked really hard all season to get to where they are today.
“I’m so proud of the group, we worked our butts off all year to get to this point, and to be able to come through with it, is an awesome feeling.”
