Two Big Wins Vault U18 A Mavericks Into First Place

Led by strong goaltending, adjustments to fit their opponents and scrappiness along the boards has resulted in a pair of key victories for the Moose Jaw Carpet One U18 A Mavericks.

The victories, over the Milestone Flyers 4 - 2 on Thursday night and the Balcarres Barracudas 5 - 4 on Friday night, has leapfrogged the Mavericks to first place in the the Saskatchewan Female Hockey League’s U18 A south division.

The two games were previously predicted by Mavericks head coach Jeff Wilson as key tests of the team’s mettle.

Mavericks goaltender Charlotte McKee makes a key save - MJ Independent photo

“I was pretty happy to come out with a win against a first place team. When I talked last week I think you remember I said this week was going to decide where we sit in the standings. Where we fit as a team,” Wilson said about Friday evening’s 5 - 4 victory over the Balcarres Barracudas.

Thursday evening’s 4 - 2 victory over the Milestone Flyers who had not lost a game and defeating the Balcarres Barracudas on Friday night was a sense of pride for the coach.

“That puts us in first place at this point in the season and you couldn’t ask for anymore than that.”

Asked about the Barracudas ability to break quickly up ice and their talent with quick hands he said it was something the Mavs had to overcome.

Mavericks Ava Nichol makes a slight stumble attempting to clear the puck in front of goaltender Charlotte McKee - MJ Independent photo

“They get it out fast. They get it deep quickly and they have a good forecheck and in between periods we worked hard to break that forecheck. The last half of the third period saw that. We were able to get the puck out a lot quicker, a lot easier, get it deep and the last 10 minutes we took it to them more than we had all game,” he said.

“You have to adjust during a game. Every team out here is a little bit different and you make adjustments during the game. And hopefully they work out.”

The Mavs had made adjustments on Thursday night in Milestone to contend with a bigger and fast skating Flyers team.

Strong goaltending from Charlotte McKee as well as adjusting to stay with the Flyers and Barracudas led to the victories, he said.

“We were able to break the puck out of our end. And then the forecheck. Our forecheck really didn’t show up for the first two periods…that forecheck was dominant in the end when we really needed it,” Wilson said.

The Mavericks try to break out of their zone - MJ Independent photo

He said the strong tandem goaltending over Thursday and Friday evenings held the team in the game to allow for the wins.

It is how the team has been working all year when one part of the team has problems other sides step up to move the team along Wilson said.

“It was a total solid team effort.”

On Thursday evening in the 4 - 2 victory over the Milestone Flyers it was the same formula for the Mavericks.

Balcarres Barracudas goaltender Abby Degelman makes a big save on Mavericks Kenzie Hazell - MJ Independent photo

“Milestone is a fast team. They are a good hard skating team. They outplayed us for most of the night they were a few times we took the puck to them,” Wilson said.

Mavericks’ program goaltending veteran Sara Umana shone on Thursday evening.

“Sara Umana our goalie she stood on her head. She kept us in the game. And when we got chances we took advantage of them,” he said.

“We battle all of the time. And when a chance comes up we take it.”

The teams were headed for their second tied game in as many outings when Miley Kleckner scored with 28 seconds left in the game on an assist by Cadence De Graauw.

The game would be wrapped up in the Mavericks’ favour when Jayden Babich scored an unassisted goal with 12 seconds left into an empty net.

Balcarres Barracudas Leah Petrichuk is closely checked by one of the Mavericks - MJ Independent photo

Wilson said the team will continue to work on the same things.

“We will continue to work on the forecheck. We get slack on at it at times so we have to focus on our forecheck,” he said, adding “this team backs each other up. When one facet of the game is not going well someone picks it up and makes up for it. It’s really a good team effort for these girls.”

The Mavericks next home game is Sunday January 18th at 1 pm at the Barkman Arena in Caronport versus the Weyburn TS&M Gold Wings.