Atom LL team leading the WOGHL with a 7-1 record
The St. Thomas Panther Girls Atom LL team has taken the Western Ontario Girls Hockey League by storm.
Entering the season with 10 first year players, it was considered to be a rebuilding year. But since making the semifinals in the Barrie Sharkfest tournament in November and winning their own Panthers on the Prowl tournament in December, the team has developed a hard-working aggressive skating identity.
With a 4-1 record heading into this week's action, the Panthers travelled to Embro to play the Zorra Fusion.
Zorra jumped out to a 1-0 lead before goals by Alexa Congdon and Amy Conrad pushed the Panthers to a 2-1 win. Shelby Vanderkooy contributed with 2 assists in the contest, while Kayla Lentz and Zoe Meth had a strong game for the Panthers.
The Panthers then headed west down the highway to play the much improved West Lorne Comets.
The Panthers' speed and aggressive forechecking proved to be too much for the Comets as St. Thomas went on to a 5-0 win.
They were led by Vanderkooy and Mackenzie Costa with 3 points each while Congdon and Conrad chipped in a point each. Defencemen Aviva Fournie, Kaila Novak and Julia Conrad had solid games while goalie Rianne Neill made a crucial breakaway save with the Panthers up 2-0, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
This set up Sunday's battle for first place in Exeter against the undefeated South Huron Sabres.
South Huron jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead before Vanderkooy tied it up at 1-1. The Sabres went ahead 2-1 before Heather Dennis,on a goal mouth scramble, tapped in the tying goal. This made for an aggressive hard fought third period where Vanderkooy broke the tie sending the Panthers to the 3-2 victory.
Vanderkooy finished the contest with 3 points while Dennis added a goal and Renne Lammiman and Costa chipped in with an assist. Hannah McIntyre, Audrey Sheridan and Zoe Meth had their best games of the year while Vanessa Johnson continued to frustrate the opposition with her feisty aggressive style of play.
This left the Panthers alone atop the WOGHL with a 7-1 record. The Panthers are in action again Saturday at 2 p.m. when they host the third place Petrolia Oilers at Memorial arena.