Feb 6/16 vs Eastman Selects

On Saturday, Feb 6th, the Hawks ventured to St Adolphe for an evening tilt against the Eastman Selects. With this being the fourth last game of the regular season, every game is important and the points that accompany them. The Hawks are looking to secure second spot in the MFMHL standing and a victory in this game would get them one step closer to making that a reality. 

From the first drop of the puck, the Hawks were on a mission, and they would not take the foot off the gas. Very aggressive forechecking and excellent team play forced the play deep in the Eastman zone and it would stay there the majority of the opening frame. Pembina Valley would get on the board first, when Captain Jenai Buchanan skated in from the side boards and forced her way to the high slot. There she took a quick shot that jumped off the goalie's pads and right onto the stick of Hannah Petrie, who was parked at the front of the net. An easy tap in put the Hawks up, 1-0 at 10:58. That would be the only score of the first period, while the shots on net registered 20-4 in favour of the visiting PV squad. In the second period, it would be more of the same. The shots in the second were 17-7, with one of those 17 shots beating the Selects goaltender. After Chelsea took a feed at the blue line, she pushed her way to the goal, where she managed to get a couple of good whacks at it. Just before the goalie was able to cover it, Katie reached and poked it through the pads to make it a two goal lead. The game was marked by some great passing and some superb pressure by the forwards as well as some terrific work by the defense, not only on the defensive side of the puck, but also keeping the puck in the offensive zone. Taylor didn't face many shots, but when she was called upon, she camly turned aside each chance. Going into the third, the Hawks didn't want to sit on their two goal lead, but that's exactly what would happen. The forecheck let up and became ineffective, and with the few powerplay opportunities that the Hawks were afforded, they had trouble even gaining control of the puck. The flurry of attacks that were so evident in first two frames, were non-existent in the third. The shots would register at an even 6-6, but again it would be the Hawks that would manage a goal, when Kenzie took control of the puck in her own end, and passed it over to  Hutch. Hutch looked up and feathered a pass up to Sage. Sage moved into the neutral zone, saw an opening and took a chance on the open net, depositing her team leading 32nd goal of the season, with 7.7 seconds left in the game. Final shots on goal were a dominating 43-17, while Taylor earned her fourth shutout of the season. 

The Hawks face the Westman Wildcats tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 in Pilot Mound.