Northern Manitoba’s under-15 girls hockey team has advanced in provincial playoffs after a huge three-game upset.
The Norman AAA Wild have reached the Manitoba U15 AAA Female Hockey League (MFHL U15) semifinals after knocking off the province’s second-ranked team.
At the end of the regular season, the Wild had an 8-20 record, finishing seventh of eight teams in the MFHL U15. That seeding would put the Wild up against the Central Plains Capitals, who finished second in the standings with a 19-9 record, tied with the Brandon Wheat Kings squad for the top record in the league. The Wild had scored 85 goals through the season - the Capitals had scored 173. On top of that, the Capitals boasted both the league’s top forward and MVP - Madeline McKay, who had scored a whopping 127 points in just 28 games - and top defender - Faith Legault, who played steady defence while still chipping in a point per game on average.
The playoff matchup would take the form of a best-of-three series played Feb. 24-26 at the BDO Centre in Portage la Prairie. The winner would advance in the playoffs - the loser’s season would be over.
In Game 1 Feb. 24, Central Plains scored early and often on a Wild team suffering from an acute case of bus legs, winning 8-0. Goalie Bailey Schwartz - one of the team’s seven players from either Flin Flon or Creighton - faced a whopping 59 shots.
The next day, after a good night’s sleep and adjustments, the Wild fought back in Game 2. While the Capitals opened up a 3-1 lead by the end of the first period, the Wild pulled within one by the end of the second period, then pulled ahead late with two goals in the third, pulling off a 5-4 victory. Schwartz made 35 saves in the win, while Thompson’s Attica Sobering scored twice. Samantha Dallas added a goal from the Flin Flon contingent, while Mila Playford added an assist.
That win would set up a decisive Game 3 Feb. 26, with the teams’ season on the line. While the Capitals got out to early first-period leads in both previous games, it was the Wild’s turn to get up early, heading into the first intermission up 1-0. The Wild would pull further ahead with two goals in the second period and while the Capitals would add two goals of their own, the Wild held on for a 3-2 upset, knocking off the second-seeded team in the province.
Schwartz made 38 saves on 40 shots to earn her second win in as many days, while Thompson’s Lauren Nychyporuk added two of the Wild’s goals - Playford added the other, while area players Hailey Biberdorf and Emma Long each had an assist.
The Wild will now advance to play the Brandon Wheat Kings, the top team in Manitoba, in another best-of-three series. The Wheat Kings will host all games, first with a matchup at Westman Place March 10 for Game 1, then Game 2 March 11 at J&G Arena. Game 3 - if needed - will take place March 12, also at J&G Arena. The winner of the series will advance to the provincial final, facing the Pembina Valley Hawks, who advanced to the final by winning their series last weekend.
