Queens 4 Broncos 0
Breanna Martin has all the ingredients to be a top power forward in the Alberta Colleges Women’s Hockey League.
The Red Deer native has the size, strength and scoring ability that caught the attention of RDC Queens head coach Kelly Coulter when Martin was coming out of midget AAA with the Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs.
On Saturday she showed that ability with a brilliant goal that helped propel the Queens to a 4-0 victory over the Olds Broncos at the Centrium.
“That’s a power forward goal,” said Coulter. “She made a great move to get around their defenceman and then picked the top corner, that’s what we saw in midget. That’s how good she can be. If she did that every night there’s no reason why she couldn’t play at the next level.”
Martin scored her third goal of the season at 5:58 of the second period when she chipped the puck past a defender, broke in alone on the left side and beat netminder Catalina Hartland high to the blocker side.
“Kelly said to look at her blocker side as she has a great glove,” said Martin, who also picked up her second assist of the season on the Queens opening goal by Ashley Graf.
Martin has been playing on a line with Graf and Jade Petrie.
“I’ve been playing with a fifth-year player (Graf) and a fourth-year player (Petrie) and they’ve helped me a lot. In fact the whole team has been really supportive,” said Martin, who admitted she was a bit tight coming into the season. “It was a bit intimidating for sure, but as the year wore on I’m more comfortable.”
The Queens started a bit slow and didn’t get a shot on goal for close to seven minutes.
“We’re trying to get everyone some ice time to start and it takes away from the flow of the game,” said Coulter. “Maybe we have to shorten the bench earlier. It’s something we have to address.”
Goaltender Jen West made some big saves early, then wasn’t pressured much the rest of the way. In fact she recorded her second shutout of the season, making 14 saves — none in the third period.
The Queens special teams were strong, killing off five penalties, and scoring once shorthanded and once on the power play.
Cassidy Anderson scored shorthanded at 9:54 of the second period and Emily Swier came out of the penalty box, stole the puck and scored a power play marker at 10:46.
The RDC dominance, which included 47 shots on Hartland, was even more impressive considering they were missing four defencemen.
Landry Derdell and Kirsten Baumgardt were injured and Kailey Butz and Julia Wing have left the team.
“They decided they no longer wanted to be part of the Queens … it’s their choice and we only wish them the best in their future endeavours,” said Coulter. “As for Kirsten she got a little whiplash on Thursday (at Olds) and Landry was landed against MacEwan and we wanted to give them some rest.”
As a result forwards Keinyn Nordell and Kirsten Brown saw duty on the blueline and didn’t look out of place.
“Keinyn and Kirsten have played some defence and they did a bang-up job,” said Coulter.
The Queen face SAIT in a home-and-home series — Thursday at the Centrium and Saturday at SAIT — to finish off their regular season.
The Queens, 14-5-3, are first, three points up on MacEwan, 14-8-0, and five ahead of NAIT, 12-6-2. If the Queens sweep SAIT they finish first.