THUNDER BAY, ON — Recapping the results from four different Queens teams and four different tournaments, we begin at home in the Elks Central Canada Tournament where the Peewee Queens competed in the Peewee AA division. After dropping both their Friday games, the Peewee Queens got another rude awakening on Saturday morning getting shown up 7-0 by the KC Sportop Sabres. In their night game against the Kenora Thistles, goals from Joanna Martinsen and Akira Tatebe would lift Thunder Bay out from a two-goal deficit. The 2-2 tie held through regulation and needed to be settled in a shootout which the Queens would force extra shooters in but eventually fall 3-2.
In Quebec City, the Sportop Midget AA Queens finished Friday with a 1-0-1 record and put their undefeated record up against the Markham-Stouffville Stars on Saturday morning. The Stars managed two goals 11 seconds apart in the first but the Queens answered back in the second with a goal from Allyson Lesperance and another late period goal by Venassa Nicholl. Goaltender Aden Johnson shut the door in the third, leading to a 2-2 tie. Still unbeaten, the Sportop Queens took on the Intrepide from Gatineau. Molly Kunnas would get Thunder Bay on the board early until the Queens could extend their lead in the second on a couple goals in just over a minute from Brynne Lambert and Dayna Doucet. Goaltender Makenna Burke went perfect in her shutout bid while Ellen Svane setup Brenna Nicol for one last goal as the Queens skated through Gatineau 4-0. Unfortunately, even though they went 2-0-2, the Queens missed out on qualifying for the quarter-finals due to a single goal tie-breaker.
In Winnipeg, the Topper’s Pizza Midget A Queens vied for the Lieutenant Governor’s Cup going 1-1 in Friday’s games. Saturday morning they met with hometown foe, the Confederation College Thunderhawks who controlled the game going into the third with a 2-0 lead. The Queens fought back though with Caitlin Olinski finishing and scoring on a play from Sidney Crocker and Sarah Grieve tying the game but Con College would find their way to a late goal and eventual game-winner as the Topper’s Queens fell short by a goal. The Queens would then drop their evening game 4-1 to last year’s Alberta Provincial Champs, the Western Predators. With a 1-2-1 record, the Midget As will head home to rest up for their next tournament in two weeks.
And in Fargo, North Dakota the Bantam A Queens played the host Fargo Freeze on Saturday am in the SCHEELS Girl’s International 15U. After relinquishing a goal in the opening minute, the Queens would counter with a goal from Grace Grosjean to tie the game 1-1 after one. After a scoreless second, the Freeze would once again jump out ahead but another quick response would come from Thunder Bay, this time from Sydney Mosa who’d score less than a minute later. The game looked to go to a regulation tie but Fargo slipped a goal past the Queens in the dying seconds to take the win, 3-2. Coming off that tough loss, the Bantam As looked to redeem themselves against Blaine that afternoon. Mylee Zechner got things started in the right direction with an early score. Queens goalie Reese Keating fought off all opposing chances to retain the narrow lead for her team until finally, Grosjean would give her team some breathing room with a goal in the third and Haley Wrigley would also score as the Bantam A Queens shutout Blaine 3-0. While out of contention for a championship, Thunder Bay will get a 4th game against Bismark on Sunday.
