By Jim den Hollander
Editor/Publisher
Saukhockey.info
The Lake City Whitecaps collected wins in three of five games at the National Girls Hockey League 14U Tournament played in Ann Arbor, MI played Nov. 17-19 but also ran into a team that can compete with them.
After taking all six games at a previous event in Pennsylvania and posting wins in their first three games in Ann Arbor, the Caps ran into the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes not once, but twice, surrendering a pair of 2-1 decisions in Michigan.
In the first three games, the Whitecaps posted wins against the Boston Advantage, Chicago Hawks and Buffalo Regals.
Following is a quick look at the weekend for the Caps in the order games were played
Boston Advantage 0 @ Lake City Whitecaps 6
Caps eased into the weekend, outshooting the Ads 15-7 and capturing a shutout win.
Eleanor Porter posted the only goal needed 4:28 from the end of the opening period from Mirella Quartuccio and Anjali Ballweg.
Second period goals from Evelyn Bahe, Kinley Irwin and Natalee Gesicki padded the leade, both Bahe and Irwin notching seconds in the final frame.
Assists went to Porter, Ballweg and Quartuccio.
Ivy Hare collected another goose egg in goal with quality instead of quantity as she needed to make just seven stops.
Buffalo Regals 3 @ Lake City Whitecaps 5
The Regals and Caps tangle at the Pennsylvania tournament as well, Caps coming out on top 3-1.
This time around the Whitecaps carried a 2-1 lead out of the first period and extended it to 4-1 before the Regals pulled one back late in the second.
Regals got to within a goal in the third Haley Royster clinched the win inside the final five minutes.
Along with Royster, Caps got goals from Gesicki, Ballweg, Irwin and Bahe with assists for Porter (2), Gesicki, Quartuccio and Royster.
Hare collected another win in goal kicking out six of eight.
Lake City Whitecaps 6 @ Chicago Hawks 0
Hare added to her shutout total again as the Caps kicked off another two-game day with a 6-0 decision against the Hawks. She proved her mettle with this win though as the Caps were outshot in the contest 21-18.
The Caps increased their total each period with a goal in the first, two in the second and three more down the stretch.
Royster and Porter paced the attack with two goals each, others added by Ballweg and Penelope Loeffelholz. Bahe and Ballweg both set up a pair with other assists recorded by Porter, Phoebe Hager and Irwin.
Carolina Jr. Hurricanes 2 @ Lake City Whitecaps 1
After nine straight National Girls Hockey League tournament wins, the Caps were finally solved by the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes.
The Caps owned a 24-21 edge in shots on goal and led the game 1-0 early after Irwin set up Royster.
Allison Sauls tied it a little under five minutes later for the Canes and it was Sauls again with the game winner late in the second period.
Lake City Whitecaps 1 @ Carolina Jr. Hurricanes 2 (so)
The second time around, Caps took the Canes all the way to a shootout before succumbing by the same 2-1 score.
Natalee Gesicki put the Caps up early again with the only goal of the first period with assists for Margaret Colletti and Anjali Ballweg.
Lexi Durant responded for the Canes and goaltenders took over from there, both Hare and Madison Williams stopping 19 of 20 including all 22 shots faced – 13 for Hare and nine for Williams – in the third period.
Teams ultimately went to a shootout where Ballweg scored the lone goal for the Caps, compared to two goals for the Canes, lifting them to the win.
CAPS NOTES – Members of the 14U whitecaps took a break from the tournament to pay a visit to Adrian College where Zoe Lohrei, daughter of former Sauk Prairie Eagles varsity head coach Dave Lohrei goes to school and plays hockey as a junior.
— This weekend the Caps were scheduled to play a pair of home games against Elmbrook, leading into a busy December with another tournament leading it off in the Windy City.
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