Rockets blast past Kootenay Wildcats
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By Bruce Fuhr
The Nelson Daily Sports
The Kootenay Wildcats proved they can play at the same level as the elite teams in the B.C. Female Midget AAA Hockey League.
The Wildcats just can’t beat those elite teams.
Thompson/Okanagan Rockets reeled off a pair of Female Midget AAA League wins during the weekend in Nelson, edging Kootenay 4-0 Saturday and 5-3 Sunday.
The loss was the fourth in a row for Kootenay, which is currently clinging to fourth spot in the BCFMHL.
“Our next games (this weekend) are crucial if we want to avoid traveling to Prince George to play the Cougars,” said head coach Mario DiBella. “We play Prince George and have to beat them so we can host the first round of the playoffs.”
Saturday, a few-minute siesta during the second period allowed the Rockets to score three quick goals to grab a 3-0 lead after 40 minutes.
Kootenay dominated the start of the third but were denied by Rockets’ starting netminder Shelby Tse.
“That’s been a problem all season is scoring goals,” DiBella lamented. “We played very well in the third but (Thompson/Okanagan) has a good goalie the we just couldn’t beat.”
Kelsey Freudenberger, with a pair, and Bre Frasca, scored in a span of five minutes to give the visitors all the goals needed for the win.
Emily Gervais scored into an empty net to complete the scoring.
Kootenay out shot the Rockets 28-15 and 12-4 in the third period.
Sunday the Rockets exploded for three second period goals to break open a close 2-2 game after one frame.
Freudenberger, with her second of the game, Jeanna Jenkins and Frasca gave Thompson/Okanagan the lead for good.
Daley Oddy of Cranbrook score twice in the first period to keep the Wildcats closes. Shea Weighill of Nakusp scored the final tally for Kootenay.
The Cats, 7-12-2, have little time to feel sorry as Prince George visits the Heritage City for a pair of games Saturday and Sunday.
Saturday the teams meet at 3:30 a.m. in the Civic Arena. Sunday, puck drops at 7:45 a.m. in the NDCC Arena.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
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