TORONTO – SPORTS – It was a good start for the Thunder Bay Sportop midget AA Queens at the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association provincial championships in Toronto as they opened up with a narrow 2-1 victory over the Mississauga Chiefs in day 1 action Thursday.
A Samantha Strassburger goal 27 seconds into the second period proved to be the game-winner in the Queens’ triumph over Mississauga.
Emily Oleksuk notched an unassisted marker with 53 seconds remaining in the first to put Thunder Bay in front.
Montana Russo then fed Strassburger for the eventual winning tally early in the middle session.
The Chiefs added one in the final frame, but would get no closer as Queens’ netmidner Jayde Turcotte shut the door the rest of the way helping her side open the provincials on a winning note.
The Sportop midget AA’s have two final round robin games Friday as they take on the Barrie Ice Sharks at 3:30 p.m. and the Brantford Ice Cats at 10:15 p.m.
Each of the four other Queens’ teams at the Ontario championships begin play Friday.
The Norcan Tours and Travel midget A Queens commence with a 1 p.m. encounter with the Nepean Wildcats followed by a 9 p.m. match-up with the Kingston Ice Wolves.
As for the First Class Gas bantam AA squad they being by taking on Mississauaga at 10:45 a.m. before wrapping up their day against Kanata – Ottawa at 7:30 p.m.
The Manshield Contruction bantam A Queens begin their quest for OWHA gold Friday vs. the Stratford Aces at 10:30 a.m. and then tangle with the Oakville Hornets at 6:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, the Triad Contracting peewees face-off against the Owen Sound Ice Hawks in their first game at 10:30 a.m. while the Sarnia Lady Sting provide the competition in game 2 for the club at 5:15 p.m.
Game scores can be viewed via the OWHA website at www.owha.on.ca/provincials_2014.asp
Thunder Bay Queens OWHA provincial championships round robin game schedule
Thursday
Midget AA: Sportop Queens 2 Mississauga Chiefs 1
Friday, April 11
Peewee: vs. Owen Sound Ice Hawks 10:30 a.m. (Buckingham)
Bantam A: vs. Stratford Aces 10:30 a.m. (Fletcher)
Bantam AA: vs. Mississauga Chiefs 10:45 a.m. (Tomken)
Midget A: vs. Nepean Wildcats 1 p.m. (Vaughan)
Midget AA: vs. Barrie Sharks 3:30 p.m. (Buckingham)
Peewee: vs. Sarnia Lady Sting 5:15 p.m. (Buckingham)
Bantam A: vs. Oakville Hornets 6:30 p.m. (Fletcher)
Bantam AA: vs. Kanata – Ottawa Senators 7:30 p.m. (Iceland)
Midget A: Kingston Ice Wolves 9 p.m. (Vaughan)
Midget AA: vs. Brantford Ice Cats 10:15 p.m. (Buckingham)
Saturday, April 12
Peewee: vs. North Simcoe Capitals 9:15 a.m. (Buckingham)
Bantam AA: vs. Guelph Jr. Gryphons 9:30 a.m. (Iceland)
Bantam A: vs. Mississauga Chiefs 11:45 a.m. (Fletcher)
Midget A: vs. Durham West Lightning 12 p.m. (Vaughan)
Qualification and quarter-final games T.B.A.
Sunday, April 13
Medal round games T.B.A.
