With just fifty seconds left in the Canadian Ringette Championship bronze medal game, the Central Alberta U16AA Sting turned the tide in the most memorable way.
Playing four-on-two, the Sting tied the game at four late against the Calgary Pace, then two minutes into overtime won the game and clinched bronze in Leduc at ringette nationals last weekend.
“We have some designed plays that we do with that and it kind of worked out that a backhand went through and we scored to make it 4-4,” head coach Shawn Wagar said.
”In overtime we basically said to the girls we’re going to play here to win. We’re not going to hang back. Luckily a girl from Calgary was breaking out of the zone and two of my wing girls checked her and popped the ring out to my centre and she went in and put it low to the post. It was exciting.”
Carly Cherniak had a goal in regulation before she scored the overtime winner. Saxon Anderson also scored twice and Madison Pluister also had a goal in the bronze medal victory. Mckenna Smalley got the win in net.
The Sting went 8-1 on the weekend en route to the top three finish at nationals, something Wagar said he wasn’t really expecting heading into the tournament. Their only loss was a 8-2 semi-final defeat that was handed out by eventual champion New Bruinswick squad.
“It was a neat accomplishment. We’re a small association,” Wagar said. “So for us to finish top three in the country was pretty neat. We were playing well, I think to medal was really good. I’d have been happy with top 10, so the girls exceeded expectations. Thy’re a group that worked hard.”
They started the tournament defeating BC TORL 10-3, Team Saskatchewan 6-5, Edmonton Elite 9-2, Team Ontario 5-3, Sherwood Park 10-3, Team Manitoba 5-0.
The Sting earned a bye into the quarter finals, where they beat Quebec BLL 7-2. Goal scorers for Sting were Anderson, Cherniak, Kianna Doyle, Hanna Gill, Hannah Morrison, Rachel Vandervlis, Colby Wagar.
Doyle was named a second team all-star at the tournament.
The 16AA Sting ringette girls will be off to Finland for an invitational tournament to conclude the season.
The Central Alberta U19AA Sting won the consolation final at the Canadian Ringette Championship.
They finished round robin with a 4-3 record.
The Sting defeated team Saskatchewan 7-4, Quebec Rive Sud 6-5, Manitoba Magic 4-2, and Team PEI 8-1.
In the quarter finals, Sting came out on top 7-2 over Team BC. Scoring for the Sting were Shae-Lyn Baxter and Brenna Parent with 2 each and singles from Brianna Abell, Emily LeMasurier and Hailee Pluister. Baylee Schulhauser earned the win in net.
They defeated the Manitoba Magic 5-3 in the semifinal. Scorers were Abell, Baxter, Madison Caine,Sydney Cherniak and Parent. Rebecca Forrester was the winning goaltender.
In the consolation final, they captured the title 3-1 over Team Quebec. Scorers were MacKenzie Lindholm, Parent and Makenna Tonery. Forrester was solid in net for the victory.