2007-2008 SPARTANS GIRLS HOCKEY

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Wednesday, February 20

Disappointing end to regular season

It was very disappointing to come out flat against a very strong Alexander Galt team. The last time both teams met it was a 1-1 tie in which every girl really brought their best effort. Today, something was missing. The big guns didn’t show up and the support group wasn’t strong either. Galt took it to the Spartans right away scoring 1:45 into the first frame off a questionable redirect with the foot. This was demoralizing but the girls were still in the game. Unfortunately, late in the first period a total breakdown in the defensive zone resulted in a second Pipers goal. Shortly after, another breakdown resulted in a third goal that completely took the wind out of the sails of the Spartans. However, on most teams there is always that one player who never gives up. On our team that’s Olivia Demerchant (Woodstock, New Brunswick). Olivia was fighting for every puck and back-checking like crazy. It was her perseverance that I thought might allow us back into this game. Right after congratulating her on a great shift, I looked up and Helen White (Newport, Vermont) was banging home a rebound to bring the girls to within two with one period left to go. The speech in between the first and the second was simple. We had to win the one-on-one battles and it was essential that we score next. This advice fell on deaf ears as we lost numerous one-on-one battles and really were sloppy in our own end. Nineteen seconds into the second period a turnover occurred and Lindsay Smith was beat on a rebound. Shortly after, the girls struggled to get the puck out of the zone and they paid for it. The score was now 5-1 and all because of sloppy play and turnovers at the blue lines. The Galt girls added an insurance marker late in the third to leave the final at 6-1. It was a sad day as the girls just didn’t compete. A few had moments of brilliance and both Helen and Olivia were really on their games. It takes all 11 skaters to win against good teams and that’s not who we were today.

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Tuesday, February 19

Girls bounce back with win over BCS

The girls came out flying against the BCS girls team. They scored 8 goals in under 10 minutes to put the game completely out of reach. The second period saw the Spartans really working on preparing for the following day's game against our rivals at Galt . It was really a period to work on passing and setting up in the offensive zone. The score remained 8-0 after two periods of play. The final frame saw much of the same, quality passing, solid breakouts and good sportsmanship. Stanstead added three quick ones at the end of the game to make the final 11-1. Congratulations to Monika Cormier (Moncton, New Brunswick) on an 8-point afternoon. Next stop home game versus the Galt Pipers.

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Saturday, February 16

Humbling experience at Holderness, Spartans lose 6-0

The senior girls travelled to Holderness on Saturday to take on the Holderness Varsity team. It was a real test as the Holderness program had 14 girls, all of whom were recruited to play hockey, and it showed! In warmup you could see that this was going to be a struggle for our girls and that defence would be the key. The game started with Stanstead getting pinned deep in their own end. The Spartans defence did all they could to stay with the fast-skating Holderness attack. It was all they could do to not allow quality shots. Lindsay Smith (Stanstead East, Quebec) was really on her game. The lone goal in the first period was a deflection off a Stanstead defender's stick. After one period of play the score was 1-0 Holderness. The shots were 18-2!!

The next frame was much of the same. Stanstead retreating into a defensive box and trying to limit the damage! It wasn’t easy and eventually fatigue set in. The score was 3-0 after two periods of play with Stanstead now being outshot 32-3. In the final frame, the girls really came out and tried to compete with a much stronger opponent. It was just too much for the Spartans to handle and Holderness opened up the scoring. They scored three unanswered goals to put the final score at 6-0. Did Lindsay Smith have a rough day, you might ask? Absolutely not! The third period saw the Spartans get outshot 23-3, putting the final shots at 55-6. Lindsay Smith stood on her head; the Holderness girls were just that good.

Next stop, BCS at home for a confidence booster after a very humbling experience in New Hampshire!

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February 8-11, 2008

Trip to Boston a huge success

The bus pulled out on Friday, February 8 heading for Boston and a long weekend packed with hockey. The first stop was in Brighton, Massacusetts to take on Dana Hall, an all-girls school in the suburbs of Boston. The arena was located right on the Charles River and only had two walls. It was arguably the coldest rink in North America. The dressing rooms were trailers and you had to walk outside to get onto the ice. It was quite an experience already and we hadn’t even stepped onto the ice yet! The girls came out for warm-up and you could tell they had “bus legs.” Even with a quick run before the game, you could tell it was going to be a slow start.

Thankfully, little Abigail Vanluvender (West Charleston, Vermont) proved me wrong. Three minutes into the first period Vanluvender took a pass from Monika Cormier (Moncton, NewBrunswick) and beat the goalie low stick-side. The scoring continued when two minutes later, Taylor Coté (Canton de Hatley, Quebec) made a nice individual rush and scored to put the Spartans up by two. The first period scoring was closed out by Monika Cormier who took a breakout pass from Abigail Vanluvender and did the rest. The first period saw the Spartans take a comfortable 3-0 lead.

The second period saw much of the same, with the Spartans taking control of the game. Taylor Cote scored her second of the game five minutes in to put the Spartans up by four. Three minutes later Kim McNamara hit Olivia Demerchant (Woodstock, New Brunswick) who, flying into the offensive zone, took the puck wide, wrapped it around the net and roofed it to put the game out of reach. To Dana Hall’s credit, they never gave up and they were rewarded with a goal late in the second period. After two periods of play the Spartans lead 5-1.

The key to the third period was not getting into any bad habits and continuing to move the puck and share the scoring attempts. This caused the third period to flow a little more slowly and a goal wasn’t scored until late in the period. With four minutes remaining, Helen White (Newport, Vermont) made a breakout pass to Monika Cormier who hit Olivia Demerchant, and she did the rest. The scoring was concluded when Monika Cormier took a pass from Taylor Cote and beat the goalie short side. The final score was Spartans 7, Dana Hall 1. It was a good game to play, coming off a long bus ride and really set the tone for the weekend. Next stop, back to the same rink tomorrow for a 10 a.m. game against Newton Country Day School.

The word on the street was that Newton Country Day had beat Dana Hall 8-0 and had only lost one game all year. The girls were nervous about this but I think it got them focused on the task at hand. The game started with a much quicker pace. It took the girls some time to adjust but thankfully Lindsay Smith (Stanstead East, Quebec) was on her game. Newton Country Day was the first to strike, scoring off a rebound half way through the first to go up 1-0. The Spartans found their stride shortly after but just couldn’t find the back of the net. The first period ended 1-0 Newton Country Day.

The second period saw Stanstead finally get their legs back and they really took control. They were all over the ice and creating great scoring chances. They outshot the opponent 11-4 but couldn’t bury one. They went into the locker room after two periods of play to discuss how they could create some more scoring opportunities. They knew the other goalie was ready to crack and with more pressure it was only a matter of time. The girls switched to an aggressive forecheck and it seemed to work. Four minutes into the third period, Monika Cormier made a beautiful rush beating the defenceman wide and roofing it to tie the game at 1-1. A sigh of relief was had on the bench and you could feel the energy was building. The Spartans were buzzing and creating great scoring chances. With eight minutes remaining, Abigail Vanluvender took a harmless looking shot that created a scramble. Taylor Coté took a whack at it and it was saved. Sara O’Connor (Varennes, Quebec) happened to be in the right place at the right time and banged home the loose puck. The Spartans now with two unanswered goals, led 2-1. The Stanstead defensive core took over, they were blocking shots, breaking up two-on-ones and playing very solid in their own end. The victory was sealed when Monika Cormier stopped a rush and sent Taylor Cote on a breakway, who slid the puck into the empty net. The buzzer went shortly after and the Spartans with three unanswered goals in the third had their first come-from-behind win of the season, 3-1. It was so nice to see a solid effort for three periods and even more rewarding to pull out the win. It was truly a full team effort and everyone should be proud of the end result. After two strong wins, the girls will take a night off to go see some College hockey.

In the evening, the girls were lucky enough to watch the Harvard University Women’s team take on RPI. It was a great experience and really nice for the girls to see how the elite of the sport play. There were two national team players in the game, Sarah Vaillancourt who plays for Team Canada, and Caitlin Cahow who plays for the U.S. The Harvard girls were much stronger and won the game handily. After the game, Sarah Vaillancourt came to sit in the stands with the girls and talked about what it takes to get to that level. She discussed practices, off-ice training as well as her schedule for preparing for the 2010 Olympics. It was a great night and really was a wonderful team building experience. Next Stop, South Hamilton, Massachussetts to play the Pingree School.

We had played a weaker opponent in the first game and a stronger opponent in the second game. We were told by the coach of our previous opponent that this Pingree team would rank somewhere in the middle of the two teams. The game started off slow, with the Spartans really not finding their rhythm. They were making the mistake of playing down to the competition’s level rather than elevating their game. With five minutes remaining in the first frame, Olivia Demerchant took matters into her own hands and scored on a great individual effort. Shortly before the end of the period, Abigail Vanluvender accepted a pass from Taylor Coté, beat the goalie glove-side to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead after one period of play.

The second period saw the Spartans make some phenomenal passing plays but they just couldn’t find the back of the net. Midway through the second frame, Charlene McKinnon (Stanstead, Quebec) took a weird angle shot that somehow went in. The referee was out of position and only saw the end result. Charlene did something that most athletes would never think to do. After the play had continued and the goal was awarded, she went up to the referee and informed him that the puck went under the net and not in it. She didn’t feel comfortable getting credit for the goal that really was never a goal. This impressive act of fair play really made us look like a classy team and reflected incredibly well on our school. The fairy tale ending is that four minutes later, Charlene accepted a pass from Olivia Demerchant and buried it to give the Spartans a 3-0 lead afer two periods of play.

The third period was much of the same. Stanstead making great heads up play and really trapping the Pingree girls deep in their end. Five minutes into the period, Taylor Coté shot the puck and the goalie made a nice save. Thankfully, Helen White was in the right spot to jump on the rebound. Congratulations to Helen on her first goal of the season! The scoring was rounded out for the Spartans when Taylor Coté received a pass from Hailey Nadeau and did the rest. The game looked complete and Lindsay Smith looked like she was on her way to a well-deserved shutout. However, the referee gave a suspect penalty to Olivia Demerchant with 45 seconds to play and now the girls would have to finish the game on the penalty kill. It was very well executed, with Smith freezing the puck with 9 seconds to go. The Pingree coach pulled her goalie and now it was 6 on 4. Stanstead was not committed to defence and the Pingree girls won the faceoff back to the point. A shot was taken and it beat Lindsay blocker-side to spoil the shutout. It was unfortunate as Smith is rarely rewarded for her strong play. Hopefully the girls learned from this and will be more committed to defense at 5-0 than hoping for an empty net goal. Next stop, New Hampton!

After having enjoyed a day off from the outdoor rinks, the girls were back at it in New Hampton. Monday was bitter cold and it didn’t help that the backdrop behind the nets was forest. With no walls, and -15 weather, it was sure to be a test of wills. Thankfully, they agreed to do the ice after each period, giving both teams a chance to warm up! The game was very intense with Stanstead realizing that this was a huge step up from playing the Boston day schools. The New Hampton girls were flying on the ice and it was all Stanstead could do to keep up. Stanstead’s defence was very strong, doing a great job of clearing rebounds and not giving up open shots. Stanstead hung in with New Hampton through two periods of play. It was so nice to see such a commitment to defence, and of course Lindsay Smith stood on her head in nets as always. It looked like Stanstead was going to pull off a very impressive 0-0 tie against a stronger opponent. Unfortunately, New Hampton sealed the victory when a forward crossed the red line, took a slapped shot through a screen that fooled Smith. It would have been great to tie but we were outmatched and the better team won. It is still very nice to say we lost 1-0 to a strong opponent.

This game capped off a weekend that was filled with success. Four games, three wins and a tight loss! A trip to see the Harvard women’s team play, meeting Sarah Vaillancourt, a night in Boston and the unforgettable Country Buffet. What a great bonding experience and hopefully memories to last a lifetime!

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Wednesday, February 6

Girls come up big against Galt

It is never easy to play in the Bishop’s University arena. There is no atmosphere and never much love for the Spartans. The girls went into the game Wednesday with their heads high and ready to take on a much stronger Galt team. The Spartans were put to the test early as the referee called the first penalty two minutes into the game. Stanstead fought hard and did an excellent job of letting goalie Lindsay Smith (Stanstead East, Quebec) see the puck. The penalties didn’t stop and Stanstead spent much of the first period in the penalty box. It was mayhem but Smith really came to play. All shots were turned away and the game was tied 0-0 after one.

The second period saw much of the same: penalties! The Spartans played an incredible box but the high-powered offense of the Pipers was too much to handle. Brittany Sharman beat her man and scored through a screen to put Galt up 1-0 with five minutes to play. The Spartans didn’t let this affect the game plan and still were committed to solid defence. They were set in their own zone when finally a turn over occurred. Monika Cormier (Moncton, New Brunswick) stepped out of her zone, crossed the red line and took what seemed to be a harmless slapshot on net. As she turned around to change, the puck was misplayed and the Spartans were now tied with the Pipers 1-1. The period ended 1-1 and you could tell this wasn’t sitting well with the host Galt girls.

After a much needed rest the girls came out for the third period knowing that a tie in this period would mean stealing a point on the road and really giving the girls confidence for the upcoming playoffs. Just like most of the game, the girls were sent off early and often for marginal calls. Out of a 12-minute period, Stanstead spent eight of it on the penalty kill. The 1:40 was played on five-on-three. Lindsay Smith was simply outstanding turning away everything that came her way. As the final buzzer went, a huge sigh of relief was had by all the Stanstead girls and they went and pounced on their goalie. Lindsay Smith turned away 49 shots and really was unbelievable. All the girls should be proud of their commitment to their defensive zone. When you play textbook defence you can play with anyone.

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Stanstead Invitational Tournament – Feb. 1-2

Mother nature spoiled the weekend but not all was lost

What was to be a very competitive four-team tournament turned into a three-team, one-day round-robin. Friday, Alexander Galt was cancelled due to snow and so they could not travel to the tournament. College Notre-Dame was en route when the bus broke down. This resulted in Friday night being an exhibition game between the Vermont Selects and The Stanstead Spartans. There were national anthems, music, fans and an announcer. It was a great way to start off the weekend and make a positive out of a negative.

The game began with The Selects coming out full steam ahead. Stanstead played solid defence, allowing only outside shots from low percentage scoring areas. Lindsay Smith (Stanstead, Quebec) made some big stops in close and the game remained tied until late in the first frame. Molly Higgins beat a Stanstead defender wide and roofed it over Smith’s shoulder to put Vermont up 1-0 after one period of play.

In the second period, Stanstead found a second gear. The girls were moving their feet and really took charge. Their hard work paid off when Olivia Demerchant Woodstock, NewBrunswick) got away and beat the goalie stick-side to tie the game at 1-1. The Vermont Selects rebounded and really picked it up. Thankfully Lindsay Smith was on her game and turned away everything that was sent her way. The girls went into the locker room after two periods of play tied 1-1. The final frame was an absolute battle, the puck was back and forth and the girls were relentless. With 6 minutes remaining a Vermont defenceman kept the puck in at the blue line and beat Smith through a screen to put the Selects up 2-1. Stanstead did everything they could to get the equalizer but it was too little too late and the damage was done.

The final was 2-1 but it was yet another great game against a strong Vermont Selects team. It was a tough loss to take but the girls were in the game and there is always tomorrow morning to try and get some revenge!

Saturday morning saw the Spartans in a re-match against the Vermont Selects. It was fast paced from the start with both teams flying. It’s impressive as it was a 9 a.m. start. Stanstead was first to strike when Taylor Coté (Canton Hatley, Quebec) took a pass from Monika Cormier (Moncton, New Bunswick) and beat the goalie low stick-side. The bench erupted and you could feel the momentum was with Stanstead.

The score stayed 1-0 after one period of play. The Spartans never let up and it paid off. Taylor Coté scored her second of the game to give the Spartans a comfortable 2-0 lead. The Vermont girls never game up either and shortly after they were able to pull to within one by beating Lindsay Smith with a screened long shot. The Spartans didn’t fall back but rather took charge. Monika Cormier rushed the puck and made a nice move to beat the Selects goalie and put the Spartans up 3-1 after two periods of play.

Stanstead was not used to playing a good team and having the lead so protecting it was something new. The third period saw a lot of pressure being applied by the Selects and Stanstead really had to push it to keep the puck out of the net. With six minutes remaining a Vermont defencemen stepped over the blue line and beat Lindsay Smith over her shoulder. The game was now 3-2 and things became very tense. Stanstead fought hard but the Selects attack was too strong. The same Vermont defencemen kept the puck in the zone and beat Smith again through a screen. The game was tied 3-3. This is how things ended and it was a weird feeling in the room after the game. We had tied a team we had lost to on previous occasions but we had the game and let it slip away. It did, however, give us a chance to still win the trophy. Everything now was a number game as the team with the fewest goals against in the result of tie would be the tournament winner. College Notre-Dame and Vermont played shortly after and this would let Stanstead know what they had to do in the afternoon versus College Notre-Dame.

College Notre-Dame came with a weak team due to some illnesses and a few girls that had league games. The Vermont Selects won handily 10-2. It was now up to Stanstead to allow fewer goals to seal the victory and the tournament hardware. The game was very slow-paced and sloppy. It seemed like the girls were moving slower than molasses but certain individual plays resulted in goals. The one positive from this game is that Lindsay Smith played solid and turned away all shots to give the Spartans a 5-0 victory and crowned them champions of the mini-tournament.

It was bittersweet as we did win but only three teams could make it. The girls fought hard in the Friday night game and the morning game which put them in a position to win the trophy. They made the best of a bad situation and should be proud of their accomplishment. Congratulations to Lindsay Smith and Taylor Coté for being named tournament MVPs.

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Wednesday, January 30

Stanstead wins 8-0 at home against BCS

It was a game where everyone was able to work on puck handling, passing and control. The girls played a complete game and really were classy on the ice. Congratulations to Charlene McKinnon (Stanstead, Quebec) on her hat-trick as well as to Hailey Hadeau (Newport, Vermont) on her second of the season. It was nice to gain some confidence before the big tournament this weekend!

Tuesday, January 22

Big win followed by buffet

The Spartans travelled to Greenfield Park on Tuesday to take on the Centennial Regional Chargers. On a high from their great performance on the weekend, the girls seemed ready to give the same effort. The game started with Stanstead taking the early lead off a nice passing play from Sara O’Connor (Varennes, Quebec) to Taylor Cote (Canton Hatley, Quebec) for the score. The first period saw many chances by the Spartans. However they weren’t able to capitalize. It hurt them as the Chargers capitalized on a poor clearing attempt to tie the game at 1-1. With only 13 seconds left in the first period, the Chargers scored off a fluke shot that pin-balled off three people and found the back of the net. The first period ended with Stanstead trailing 2-1.

There was no way with the effort the girls were putting in that they should be down in this game. Too many cute plays and one too many turnovers put the team down by one. The Spartans came out flying in the second and took over control of the game. Simple passes and controlling the neutral zone play allowed them to really take it to the Chargers. Early in the second frame, Taylor Cote took a pass from Terrilyn Gull (Ouje-Bougamou, Quebec) and scored her second of the game. Monika Cormier (Moncton, New Brunswick) followed that up with a nice individual effort to put the Spartans back in the lead 3-2. Three minutes later, Hailey Nadeau (Newport, Vermont) made a beautiful cross-ice pass to Monika Cormier who hit a one-timer that was saved but was jammed home by Abigail VanLuvender (West Charleston, Vermont) and Taylor Cote. Credit for the goal went to Abigail Vanluvender and the Spartans now lead 4-2. The period ended 4-2 and Stanstead looked to be in total control of the game.

The third period saw much of the same as the line of Charlene McKinnon (Stanstead, Quebec), Olivia Demerchant (Woodstock, New Brunswick) and Terrilyn Gull were all over the opponent. They picked off passes, forechecked hard and kept the play in the opposition end for most of the third period. An insurance marker was scored with 3:30 to play in the third period to put the game out of reach. Monika Cormier made a breakout pass to Abigail Vanluvender who sent Taylor Cote streaking up the wing. Monika followed the play and Taylor sent Monika in on a mini-breakaway. Cormier finished the play off by tucking in under the goalie's pad and also completing one of the nicest passing sequences on the season.

Today’s game was a great display of teamwork and sticking to the plan. Everyone played hard and with that came a well-deserved win. The trip ended with a rewarding Chinese buffet dinner in Brossard. Congratulations on a great team effort! Next stop Winter Carnival!!!

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Sunday, January 20

Spartans lose game but come out winners

After a team meeting and a new plan, the girls came ready to take on a strong Vermont Selects team. The team was made up of the best 13-year-olds from across the State of Vermont. To make matters worse, the Spartans had eight skaters and a goalie. However, this new group of girls were out to prove they could overcome anything thrown their way. With a week that saw a girl leaving, two girls away and two girls blatantly not showing up for the game it really didn’t look promising.

In the early going the Spartans played scared and panicked. They gave way too much respect to this young team. It hurt them as the Selects scored two quick goals to go up 2-0. It wasn’t until the second period when a beautiful pass from Sara O’Connor (Varennes, Quebec) found Taylor Cote (Canton de Hatley, Quebec) who did the rest. Stanstead was now within one and ready for the challenge. Lindsay Smith (Stanstead East, Quebec) rebounded from two early goals to turn away all of the Selects second- and third-period efforts. The defensive core was solid at clearing the front of the net and making the simple play. The forwards won the 1-on-1 battles and nearly capitalized on a few turnovers. Olivia Demerchant (Woodstock, New Brunswick) was robbed with 10 seconds to play to keep the game at 2-1.

The Selects were winners on the scoreboard but the real winners were Char, Olivia, Abby, Hailey, Taylor, Terrilyn, Sara, Moka and Swissy -- the troopers who in the face of adversity realized what it meant to be a team. I wish every coach could experience the feeling I felt in defeat. Special congratulations to Sara O’Connor who raised her game to a level never seen before!

O'Connor

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Wednesday, January 17

Disgraced at Galt

The girls travelled to Bishop’s University to take on league rivals Alexander Galt. The rink is dark, dull and we always play terribly. Another setback was the loss of forward Karley Donaldson who had decided to return home. The girls were rattled and it showed in the game. It was a total waste of time from start to finish. The only positive was that the periods were only 12 minutes long and there weren’t very many whistles! The Pipers taught us a lesson, walking away with the game 8-0. The Spartans will have to look deep inside and decide whether they want to coast through the rest of the season or make a late-season statement. Here’s to hoping they choose the latter!

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Tuesday, January 16

Everyone contributes at BCS

The girls travelled to BCS Tuesday to play a group of girls who are really just learning the game. It is always a nice time to play our whole roster and get everyone involved. It was good to see people setting up players who haven’t had the opportunity to score as much as others. Maripily Roel (Torreon, Mexico) scored her second of the season. The cheers were so loud that you would have thought we'd won the Stanley Cup. The game ended 13-1 and everyone had a chance to gain some confidence with the puck. Next stop league rivals, the Galt Pipers.

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January 10-13

Rollercoaster ride in Nova Scotia

The trip to the King's-Edgehill Tournament in Nova Scotia started with a departure from campus at 1:30 p.m. The next stop was at the home of forward Olivia Demerchant in Woodstock, New Brunswick. Three movies and two stops later we arrived at 10:30 p.m. It should have been up to bed and on the road at 7 a.m. but when you travel with young girls, be ready for tomfoolery. At 2 a.m. everyone finally settled down only to wake up a few hours later and run out the door with a box full of muffins and 12 sets of baggy eyes. We were making great time until we overshot the exit then passed it again on the way back up the highway. We got lost in the town -- wait that’s generous -- the countryside we were playing in. We finally arrived at the arena three minutes before game time and luckily they were still cleaning the ice.

With no warmup and no sleep the girls went on the ice running on pure adrenaline. The first of two games was against Avon View High School. The Spartans came out flying and never looked back. Monika Cormier (Moncton, New Brunswick) opened the scoring early in the first period. Assists went to Shaylyn Goodleaf (Khanawake, Quebec) and Charlene McKinnon (Stanstead, Quebec). Later in the frame, Taylor Cote (Canton de Hatley, Quebec) took a pass from Monika while streaking down the wing. Taylor cut to the middle and beat the goalie to put the Spartans up 2-0 after one period of play.

The second period saw much of the same, domination by the Spartans. Taylor Cote got her second of the game off a beautiful pass from Karley Donaldson (Perth, Ontario). A lot of pressure was thrown at the opposing goalie but she stood her ground. The score was 3-0 Stanstead after two periods.

The third period was when all the pressure became too much for the Avonview girls. Karley Donaldson put on a show scoring a natural hat trick. The first of three was assisted by Taylor Cote, the second by Charlene McKinnon and Hailey Nadeau (Newport, Vermont) and the third by Abigail Vanluvender (West Charleston, Vermont). It was nice to see the team finally putting the puck in the net and controlling a game from start to finish. Congrats to Lindsay Smith (Stanstead East, Quebec) on the shutout!

The second game vs North Nova was the total opposite of the first. Three hours of sleep, 12 hours of bus rides and one too many American Pie movies finally took its toll. The girls came out against a much weaker opponent and flat out didn’t try. This game will not get a full write up as it is a game we decided as a team to erase from our memories. We lost 3-2 and consequently put our chances of making the semi-finals at risk. It was essential that we sleep well and come ready to attempt to beat a much stronger King’s-Edgehill team. A win against KES in the morning put us through and a loss sent us packing.

Sunday morning was an interesting morning. The girls woke up after an early curfew with the look that they were ready to attempt the miracle. They were focused and quiet. Once at the rink the focus was on and when the coaches went in the room you could feel the intensity. When the girls took to the ice to take on King’s-Edgehill School they were finally ready to play hockey. The game started with Stanstead laying on the pressure and pinning KES in their own zone for the first five minutes. The KES girls were running around trying to figure out who this new group of girls from Stanstead were. The fist period ended in a 0-0 tie. The goal for the next period was to tie the period and let the game be decided in the final frame. Unfortunately the strength and depth of the KES team finally came through and it was all Stanstead could do to sustain the pressure. The second frame ended with the Spartans trailing 2-0. It was all or nothing going into the third. The girls left it all on the ice. Everyone put the crest on the front before the name on the back and really played to exhaustion. The KES made some big saves and two 5 on 3 for the KES girls in the last 7 minutes made it nearly impossible for Stanstead to comeback. The game was lost 2-0 but the rebound from a disastrous second game is what we have to focus on. The tournament was done but a lesson was learned. Preparation is the only way to be successful.

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Wednesday, January 9

Spartans lose 5-3 against the Wildcats

The Stanstead Spartans girls hockey team hosted the Kimball Union Wildcats Wednesday afternoon in what was to be a game between two evenly matched programs. The game started with the playing of both national anthems and this set the tone. The Wildats came out flying and took the early lead 3:57 into the first period. The Spartans were on their heels for most of the first period. Late in the frame Karley Donaldson (Perth, Ontario) caught a break and went in on a solo effort to tie the game at 1-1. The girls were on a high and were now into the game. Unfortunately the high was cut short when Kimball Union took a 2-1 lead late in the frame off a poorly cleared rebound.

The second period started with Stanstead again on their heels. Kimball Union who already scored on one power play were again a man up and capitalized putting them up 3-1. Kimball Union looked in total control of the game. However, Monika Cormier (Moncton, New Brunswick) had other plans and went on an end-to-end rush finishing the play and pulling the Spartans to within one. Kimball Union was not phased and again were awarded a powerplay which they capitalized on, putting them back up by two. At the end of the second period the score was 4-2 Wildcats.

Stanstead knew that they had to look deep within in order to have the wind to stay with a much more deep Kimball Union team in the third period. The Spartans fought hard but ran out of gas and took some lazy penalties. On their ninth powerplay of the game, Kimball Union scored to go up 5-2 and also took full control of the game. To their credit, the Spartans fought hard and it paid off when Taylor Cote (Canton de Hatley, Quebec) took a pass from Abigail Vanluvender (West Charleston, Vermont), cut to the middle and scored over the goalie's shoulder. It was too little too late; the Spartans lost to the visiting Kimball Union Wildcats 5-3.

With a more consistent effort and a little love from home referees, this would have been a closer game. The team leaves for Windsor, Nova Scotia tomorrow to compete in the King’s Edgehill Tournament.

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January 4, 5, 6

Thrilling win and a definite learning experience in Maine

The girls hockey team came back from Christmas break ready to play and it showed when they went down to Tilton, NH to take on the Tilton School. The girls got out to an early lead off a goal by Grade 7 Abigail Vanluvender (West Charleston, Vermont) to put them up 1-0. There were many more chances to score for both teams but the goalies came up big and the score remained 1-0 Spartans after one period of play.

The second period started off with the girls putting a lot of pressure on the Tilton defence and caused a lot of turnovers. The hard work paid off when Karley Donaldson (Perth, Ontario) slipped through the defence and scored to put the Spartans up 2-0 and it stayed that way through two periods of play. The third period saw the Spartans come out flat and Tilton took advantage. Lindsay Smith stood on her head for the first half of the period but couldn’t keep Tilton off the scoresheet. With nine minutes left Tilton scored off a rebound the pull to within 1. With 5:30 left, Tilton again scored off a rebound and you could feel the dejection on the ice. What looked like a sure win was now a 2-2 tie. Fortunately, the girls found it in themselves to fight back and with 42 seconds to play, Abigail Vanluvender notched her second of the game by being in the right place and the right time. That was all the girls needed to hold off and start the New Year off with a bang! Next stop Hebron, Maine!

The Hebron team had very strong players and depth. It was all Stanstead could do to stay in the game. The girls fought hard and managed to tie the third period 1-1. The girls now know that there is a lot of work ahead to get themselves to the level of a very strong Hebron team. The final score was 5-1 Hebron but the score is not indicative of the strong effort put forth by the team. With a little more depth, Stanstead would really have had a better chance in this one. Next stop Kents Hill, Maine!

The trip to Maine ended with a game against Kents Hill. Like Stanstead they are a small boarding school. However, they have been building there girls program for quite some time. It was evident that the Stanstead girls were not at the level of Kents Hill and it showed on the final box score. Although the team suffered a 7-0 loss, the positive was that we worked on our defensive zone coverage and it was a great workout for goalie Lindsay Smith who made 44 saves in the game. The trip to Maine was definitely an eye-opener and a good experience for both the players and the coaches. We now know where we want to be in a few years!

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Wednesday, November 28

Stanstead wins in the Fiesta Bowl at BCS

A beginner group from BCS took to the ice to play the Spartans. The Spartans came out victorious 8-1 on the scoreboard but more importantly they were all winners when it came to sportsmanship and team play. It was a learning experience for both teams as BCS was learning the game and Stanstead was learning a lesson in humility. The girls used this experience to improve passing and skating skills and it gave an opportunity for some of the less experienced players to get some well-deserved ice time. Two Spartans made their hockey debuts at BCS yesterday. Maria Roel (Torreon, Mexico) and Camilla Maillard (Mexico City, Mexico) suited up and faired very well in their first hockey game. Maria Roel had a goal and an assist and Camilla came very close to scoring her first. Congratulations to Hailey Nadeau for scoring her first goal as a Stanstead Spartan and to Maria for her first goal as a hockey player! It was a difficult game for everyone but a lot of character was shown attempting to distribute the scoring and getting everyone involved. Congratulations to everyone for putting the team ahead of padding the stats. Congratulations to BCS on their first goal of season!

- Coach Spirk

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Monday, November 26

Stanstead wins third in row against Queen of Angels

The girls hockey team traveled to Dorval Arena on Monday to take on Queen of Angels Academy. It was a late start as there was trouble finding a referee. This may have benefited the Spartans as they were able to get a proper warm-up after a long trip from Stanstead to Dorval.

The girls came out a little lacklustre in the opening frame, failing to move their feet or attack the opposition. The first period did end on a positive note when Shaylyn Goodleaf ( Khanawake, Quebec) banged in a pass from behind the net from Olivia DeMerchant ( Woodstock, New Brunswick).

The second period was much better for the Spartans. They played strong defence and really didn’t give the QAA girls many opportunities to get off quality shots. Late in the second period, Taylor Coté (Canton de Hatley, Quebec) stepped over the blue line, cut to the middle and rang one off the cross bar and in to put the Spartans up 2-0.

In the final frame Stanstead did what they had to do to keep QAA off the scoresheet and give Lindsay Smith ( Stanstead East, Quebec) her first and very well-deserved shutout of the season. Congratulations to Lindsay as she is in a thankless position and often doesn’t get the recognition she deserves. This was a big win for the team as we lost to this same QAA last year 2-1. It also kept the winning streak going and pushes the record to 6-3. Congratulations to everyone on a hard fought game and especially to Shaylyn Goodleaf for scoring her first goal as a Spartan.

- Coach Spirk

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November 23-24

Spartans get back-to-back wins on weekend

This past weekend the Spartans hosted the Centennial Regional Chargers from Greenfield Park, Quebec. It was a two-game mini-series with the first game being played Friday at 4:15 p.m. and the second game being played Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

In the first contest the Spartans weren’t sure what to expect. Last year the Chargers beat the Spartans 5-1 and 4-1 both at Centennial Regional. The Spartans decided to approach the game with caution, playing a neutral zone trap while creating scoring chances off turnovers. It was an effective strategy as Centennial was unable to create much offence in the opening minutes. Even with the defensive structure, Stanstead fell victim to a bad turnover and the Centennial girls capitalized taking a 1-0 lead 5:22 into the first.

Stanstead stuck with the plan and it paid off. A pass was intercepted and Stanstead kept the puck deep in the Chargers zone. Olivia DeMerchant ( Woodstock, New Brunswick) fought off a checker and made a nice pass back to Sheryll Bush ( Khanawake, Quebec), who sent a wrist shot that had eyes through two defenders and the goalie, finally coming to rest in the back of the net. The shot got through so much obstruction that not even Sheryll could believe it went in.

Two minutes later, Taylor Coté (Canton de Hatley, Quebec) went on a rush down the right side and pulled the patent “Coté cut” and unleashed a wrist shot that beat the keeper glove side. After an exciting start, Stanstead lead the game 2-1 after one period of play.

The key to the second period was winning the one-on-one battle. The girls came out flying in the second and really took control of the game. Taylor Coté scored her second of the game 4:14 in off a nice individual effort. Five minutes later, Monika Cormier ( Moncton, New Brunswick) finished off a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing play. Abby Vanluvender ( West Charleston, Vermont) kept the puck in at the blue line, sent a cross ice pass to Karley Donaldson ( Perth, Ontario) who found Cormier on the back door to put the Spartans up 4-1. Before the end of the second frame, Monika Cormier stepped over the blue line and beat the goalie stick side on a beautiful slap shot.

The Spartans came out in the third focused on playing solid defence and getting everyone involved. The Spartans lost the third period 1-0 but won the game 5-2. It was a solid game, and congratulations must go to Sheryll Bush on scoring her first as a Stanstead Spartan.

After the game, both teams went up to the school and had pizza and drinks. It was a nice time shared by all and an opportunity to make some new hockey connections. The Chargers’ coaches and players were very generous and offered a gift of thanks to both Stanstead coaches. It was a great evening and Centennial showed tremendous class even in a losing cause.

Saturday afternoon the game began with the playing of the national anthem as well as a gift presentation from the Centennial girls to the Spartans. It was a nice way to start the final of two games. The contest began with Stanstead taking charge right off the puck drop. The girls were skating well and it paid off, as Karley Donaldson scored a beauty off a pass from Monika Cormier to put the Spartans up 1-0. After this point, I don’t know if the pizza kicked in or the girls fell asleep but the play went downhill fast. There was no defensive shape, hardly two passes in a row and zero offence. The Spartans finished off the period up 1-0 but really it should have been worse. Thanks to key saves by goalie Lindsay Smith, the Spartans kept their one-goal lead.

The second period saw much of the same, a flat and unfocused group that really didn’t show up ready to play. It was tough to watch as a talented group played like they had never practiced before. The result was a goal off a totally disorganized Spartans defence that tied the game at 1-1.

The Spartans went into the locker room after two periods of play searching for answers. When they came out they decided they were going to play hockey again and that’s what they did. The Spartans sent an aggressive fore check and this seemed to create more scoring opportunities. Opportunities were all that were created as the girls couldn’t solve net minder Brandae Swailes. With five minutes to play in the contest, Monika Cormier took it upon herself to make things happen. Monika made a key stop on a two-on-two and stepped up the other way. She beat the Chargers’ defender wide and went top corner over the goalies shoulder to put the Spartans up 2-1. With a minute remaining the Chargers pulled their goalie to attempt to tie the game. Karley Donaldson sealed the deal by intercepting a pass, crossing the red line and dumping the puck into the empty net. With less than a minutes remaining, Taylor Coté accepted a beautiful pass from Karley Donaldson and scored to make the final 4-1.

Donaldson, Cormier

- Coach Spirk

Wednesday, November 21

Galt steals win from Spartans

The girls hosted rivals Alexander Galt on Wednesday in the first of four league games between the two teams. Stanstead’s last memory of Galt was a 7-0 thumping in the playoff championship game. It was a long off-season but the Spartans did some rebuilding and felt confident that they were prepared to challenge a strong Galt team.

The game started with back and forth action. Big saves were made by both Lindsay Smith (Stanstead East, Quebec) and Katie Booth from Galt. Stanstead took the lead late in the first period when Taylor Coté (Canton de Hatley, Quebec) came streaking down the right wing, cut into the middle to score off a beautiful wrist shot in the top corner. After one period of the play the Spartans had their first lead in three years against the Pipers.

The second period saw much of the same back and forth action, with Lindsay Smith making some monster saves to keep the lead at 1-0. Midway through the period Taylor Coté stepped over the blue line and fooled the Galt netminder with a low stick side shot. Stanstead battled hard until the end of the period and went into the locker after two periods of play with the 2-0 lead.

I am not sure what the Galt coaches said to their girls but they came out of the locker room a new team. They were all over the Spartans and it was all the girls could do to keep the puck out of the back of the net. Galt senior forward Melissa McIver was too much to handle and scored three unanswered goals in the third period to give the Alexander Galt Pipers the 3-2 victory.

It was a very disappointing loss as the Spartans were well on there way to a big victory over a very strong team. Defensive breakdowns and missed assignments were the difference. It has to be a learning experience for everyone that you must take care of your own end before you can go and score.

- Coach Spirk

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November 8-11

Girls finish with 3-1 record on Connecticut road trip

The girls hockey team travelled to different parts of Connecticut over the long weekend to compete in four exhibition games. Thursday the girls played their second game of the season at Yale University against the U19 Guilford High School team. The game started with a gift exchange as well as both starting lineups being announced. Stanstead got out to the early led when Abigale Vanluvender ( West Charleston, Vt.) scored her first goal as a Spartan 12 seconds into the game. The goal set the tone for the rest of the contest with Stanstead pouring it on from start to finish.

Later in the first frame Charlene McKinnon (Stanstead, Que.) got her first goal of the season and put the Spartans up 2-0 after one period of play. The second period saw much of the same with goals coming from Monika Cormier (Moncton, NB) who stepped in from the point and let a slapshot go top corner and Taylor Coté (Canton Hatley, Que.) who came streaking in down the left wing and potted the fourth of the game to put Stanstead up 4-0 after two periods of play.

The third period saw much of the same with Charlene McKinnon scoring her second of the game and Taylor Coté adding two more to give her a hat trick on the day. The only disappointment was having Lindsay Smith’s shutout broken with five minutes to play. It was a very well played game by the Spartans who weren’t really challenged.

Friday the girls were hosted by the U19 Hamden High School team. Both teams were treated with the announcement of the starting lineups as well as the playing of both national anthems. It was a great way to start the game and the girls looked ready to get it going. The game started off slow as the girls were tired from a busy day in New York City. It wasn’t until the last five minutes of the first period that Stanstead opened the scoring. Monika Cormier stepped into the play and fired a screened shot from the point to give the girls a 1-0 lead after a period of play.

After a tongue-lashing from the coach, the girls responding by coming out flying in the second period. Karley Donaldson ( Perth, Ont.) scored two beautiful goals in under a minute to secure a 3-0 lead. The Hamden girls didn’t give up and scored a goal midway through the second to bring the lead to within two. Late in the second frame, Taylor Coté scored her first to leave the Hamden girls trailing 4-1 after two periods of play.

All the off-ice training proved to be beneficial as the Hamden girls couldn’t stay with the Spartans in the final frame. Olivia DeMerchant ( Woodstock, NB) scored her first of the season to put the game away. Taylor Coté scored two late ones to give her two hat tricks in as many games. It was a slow start but a strong finish. Lindsay Smith was strong in nets making 35 saves on the day. The Hamden team was extremely classy. They hosted us for pizza and drinks after the game and also gave each girl a pin to remember the experience.

Saturday the girls had an afternoon game against a very strong Silver Selects team from Simsbury, CT. They are coached by ex-NHLer Scott Daniels. Right from the warm-up we could see that this was a different team than the two U19 teams we played. They came at us full steam ahead and it was all we could do to weather the storm. Lindsay Smith was outstanding in nets making 34 saves, all of which were scoring chances from in close.

The Sliver Selects proved to be too much for the Spartans to handle and after a period of play the girls trailed 2-0. We reassessed our game plan and concentrate on sound defence in the second period. We were very successful in this and the girls were able to keep the Selects off the scoreboard for the entire second frame.

In the final period, the Silver Selects proved to be too much for the Spartans and they scored three unanswered goals. The game finished with a disappointing 5-0 score in favour of the Silver Selects. It was a lesson learned that you can’t make stupid mistakes or good teams will capitalize and you have to win the one on one battles or you can’t be successful.

Sunday we traveled to Stamford, CT to play a U-14I team from Darien. The girls knew they had to come out stronger in order to have a chance at victory against a good Darien Ice Breakers team. The game started off with Stanstead playing a defensive system, hoping to score on turnovers and mistakes. It worked well, as the first period saw limited scoring chances in which the girls played excellent defence. Early in the second period the Ice Breakers took the lead off of a defensive break down. This forced the Spartans to change their strategy and go on the attack. The forecheck was outstanding, causing many turnovers, none of which the girls could capitalize on.

The Spartans outshot the Ice Breakers 15-8 in a very exciting second period. However, they couldn’t put the puck in the net. I don’t know what happened between the second and third period but the girls came out flying. The Darien girls were back on their heels and before they knew it, Taylor Coté had tied the game off a nice pass from Olivia DeMerchant.

On this team, when it rains it pours… 22 seconds later, Taylor Coté was in the right place at the right time and finished off a scoring chance created by the impressive stick-handling of Karley Donaldson. The coffin looked to be nailed shut when Karley scored a beauty halfway through the final frame to put the girls up 3-1. The Ice Breakers weren’t ready to call it a day. With 4:32 remaining, Stanstead got caught on a bad line change and the Ice Breakers took advantage. An odd man rush resulted in Lindsay Smith making the first save but not being able to make the second, and now with 4:30 left, the Ice Breakers were within a goal.

The last four minutes were extremely stressful and saw many great scoring chances turned away by both goalies. All was put to rest when Taylor Coté scored her third of the game with 27 seconds remaining to give the Spartans the victory 4-2.

This was by far the best game the girls have played all year and was a great way to end off the weekend.

The weekend saw many exciting moments, a lot of firsts and most of all a lot of good times. There were three big wins that overpowered the one disappointing loss. Charlene McKinnon, Abigale VanLuvender, Olivia DeMerchant, Karley Donaldson and Taylor Coté all had their first goals of the season. Also a first was three hat tricks in three games for Taylor Coté, something that may be a first for girls hockey at Stanstead College. It was the first time the girls played a full 45 minutes as a team in the 4-2 victory on Sunday and it was a first victory for manager Maria Roel as a member of a hockey team.

The weekend wasn’t all hockey, there were many great memories off the ice that I’m sure will stick with everyone for the season. We came together as a team and from the youngest to the oldest we became a family. A big reason this all happened was the countless hours that coach Dugie Ross put in behind the wheel to get us from place to place. Without him we would never be able to do all that we do. I leave you all with the top 10 highlight moments of the trip.

TOP 10 MOMENTS OF THE CONNECTICUT TRIP (in no particular order)

10) Abby’s dancing

9) Hispanic boyfriends at Burger King

8) Coach getting a manicure

7) Karley NEVER being on time

6) Crank that with the entire Hamden and Stanstead team

5) Pictures with the College hockey boys behind the rink

4) Pillow fight

3) Linda introducing the girls to gambling

2) Making signs for absolutely no reason and missing the boys’ game because of it!

1) Winning 3 out of 4 games and outscoring the opposition 18-4!!

- Coach Spirk

Saturday, November 3

Girls lose season opener

The girls hockey team opened their season at home against a very strong Bantam AA team from the Lac St-Louis region of Montreal. The game started with a lot of intensity from both sides and you could see that the girls were ready to play. Goalie Lindsay Smith (Grade 11, Stanstead East, Que.) stood on her head to keep the game tied 0-0 after the first period.

Shortly into the second Stanstead’s fatigue began to show and the Lac St-Louis Selects scored two quick ones to put the girls back on their heels. It was a very discouraging blow. However, the Spartans rallied and fought hard to weather the storm. Later in the period the Selects struck again and the Spartans were now down 3-0. At this point the team made a decision to not give up but simply get back to playing simple hockey. The forecheck was great and scoring chances were created.

It was late in the second period when Stanstead got its first goal of the season. Monika Cormier (Grade 10, Moncton, NB) stepped in from the point and let a hard low shot go that beat the goalie stick side and brought Stanstead back to within 2. The girls went into the locker room after two periods of play down 3-1.

The start of the third period saw Stanstead having to do much of what they had done all night: defend against a quicker team. Smith made some spectacular saves and really gave the Spartans a chance to win the game. The fatigue and the fact that the girls had only practiced twice as a team proved to be too much in the end and a late goal was given up to leave the final score at 4-1.

It was a great learning experience for all the girls and we now know what we have to do to attain success. Player-of-the-game Lindsay Smith was outstanding in nets for the Spartans! Also, a big congratulations to Monika Cormier on scoring her first goal as a Spartan.

Good job girls, keep up the hard work!

- Coach Spirk

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