Kristina Misener
Special Reporter
BARRIE – Atom Thunder Girls Hockey team returned home with the Silver hardware from the Barrie Sharkfest hockey tournament held on the weekend.
Typically, this Atom team competes in a ‘B’ division within its regular league. However the team agreed to move up to the “BB” level for the tourney.
Thunder competed in a five-team pool with Etobicoke Dolphins, North Simcoe Capitals, Sudbury Lady Wolves, and Toronto Leaside Wildcats.
The first game of the tourney opened with Thunder taking on the Etobicoke Dolphins. Thunder competed with a vengeance and over-powered the Dophins with Julia Swant scoring 2 goals, Emily George netting 1. Alexis (Lou) Russell saved 13 shots. Thunder took 17 shots on the Dolphins net. The game ended in a 3-2 victory for the Thunder.
Game Two competitors for the Thunder were the hometown favourites, the Barrie Sharks. A fast-paced game saw Thunders’ Swant score then the Sharks come back with three goals to take the game. Shots on net were 17-16 with Emma White in net.
Thunder were 1-1-0 heading into Game Three, which was a deciding game for the semi-finals, against North Simcoe Capitals. Knowing what was at stake the team rallied and Swant started the scoring for Thunder, then Emma Misener with a quick shot off the circle followed by Swant sealing the deal with the 3rd goal. Thunder was victorious with a 3-0 win over the Capitals and moved onto the semi-finals.
Early Sunday morning in semi-final action, the Thunder faced the Etobicoke Dolphins. After three periods of play, it was a tied game at 0.
It was a team game, as the players played back and forth for the complete game. Emma White stood firm beween her posts to save over eight shots on net. The Thunder had nine shots on the Dolphins.
Fans rallied and cheered in the stands as the teams went into overtime for a sudden death win. The four-on-four action didn’t see any goals scored.
It was exciting as the game went to a shoot-out with Swant, Misener and George going out to take the shots. Thunder is going for the win, Swant scores, but a Dolphin had also scored. Thunder player Emma McGrath was called to center ice. She took the shot and scored, taking the win with a 2-1 shoot out.
Thunder head into the championship game against the North Simcoe Capitals, a team Thunder had a shutout with in Game 3.
There was complete end-to-end action as the skaters went back and forth for both teams.
Swant scores from a pass from Patrick, but the Capitals rallied and took a 2-1 lead late in the game to win. Alexis (Lou) Russell saved over 10 shots on net and held tight for her team.
The Capitals took home the gold, but the Thunder took home the Silver.
Emma McGrath earned Most Valuable Player for the tournament.
