Reply To: Diary of a Season 2024-25

Started with ex games vs. White and Red then the Fire Starter tournament. Next the Kelowna tournament where we played 6 games in 4 days and won the championship. Our 31 game season started and we played each Southern division team 4 times and Northern division once. We flew through the first half winning most games and then had a lull after the Christmas break then got it going again at the start of the playoffs. Totally dominated first game vs. Okotoks but couldn't score and lost game one then took game two and tree. We were 2-2 vs Red during the season but played great defense and great goaltending and won both games 2-1 to advance to Provincials.

Five stop time 60' games in four days is really hard. We lost to Red Deer 3-1 in game one then played a second game vs. Edmonton and though we controlled the game we had trouble finishing but hung on to win by a goal. Some players were really tired and not playing well so we had to shorten the bench Next day we played Grande Prairie who are big and have some of the top F and D in the league. We beat them 4-1 in a game they really had trouble against our Torpedo forecheck. Last game of round robin was vs. Lloydminster with winner going to gold medal final. They struggle solving the Torpedo and the games was evenly played but they gave up 5 breakaways that we didn't convert and ended up losing by a goal.

Grande Prairie again in Bronze medal game. They figured out the Torpedo and broke out up the middle and it worked because we were forechecking two deep instead of the second T covering the centre. They were flying the zone and getting behind our D. I got Cassie to meet with the D to explain how to deal with them stretching and we shut that down. Period two we went back to our 2-1-2 with a pinch on wide rim and started paying better and got the lead going into third. They really pushed in third but we scored to get up by one then got lucky with a stretch pass to McMillan as she came out of the penalty box and buried it to give us a two gaol lead. They got one but we held them off for the win and the Bronze.

I really enjoyed coaching these girls and having supportive parents, which makes coming to the rink fun.

I want to thank our coaches, Jim, Emily, Cassie, Mila, Kaylin and AT Kayley, Cam for doing the stats and our great managers Shelley and Grace.

I head to Victoria Tuesday to play in an old guys tournament and see what real flowers look like. We plan to have our Transitions camp July 2 to 6 at Flames arena again this summer. It will be for girls who are going to play U15 next season.