Championship Game

Where else would we be on a Friday night, but at an arena? This time, the Midget Boys' Championship game featuring Gwartz Grubisa Orthodontics (Teal) against Hans Taal/Century 21 (Yellow).Technically, this isn't a road trip, either, but it's the same distance from our house as the Burlington match, so it works. Plus, it's the league championship!

This Midget division is always competitive. The teams are evenly matched. It's been like this since Peewee. Heading into the final week, 5 of the 9 teams were vying to advance to the championship game. In the end, Teal and Yellow won their games to get here.

Mike Savoie, in net for Teal, played an outstanding game. Mike made the saves look pretty routine. While he was down, he continued using his glove, his pads, his stick to rob Century 21 several times. And the puck that rolled through the crease just in front of the goal line helped, too.

At the other end, Jeff Burton was given a workout by Teal. Teal finally broke him in the second period and held the lead until midway through the third. That's when Yellow capitalized on a power play and tied it up.

Schlonies was going end to end and scored the team's first two goals. Marrelli was laid out by an open-ice hit from Reinders. MacGillivray was first to the puck in the offensive zone.
Opratko's sharp pass found Husar. Husar deked the whole team to take it in one-on-one against Burton. Burton saved then smothered the puck.

The officials did a good job to control the game. It was a fair blend of making the calls and letting them play; even though the scoresheet shows a total of 20 penalties.

The benches were complete contrasts. On one side, the coaches were barking instructions to the players continuously. The other bench was being led by the players and the coaches were watching the game smiling. It just goes to show that coaching intensity has nothing to do with making it to The Show.

Into overtime we go. Each team pressed in the overtime period. A wacky deflection on a shot by Sabatino and suddenly it was behind Michael in the net. The Yellow team was crowned champs.
Final score 4 - 3.

It was such a well-played game and both teams had worked so hard, we would have preferred to see it end on a more spectacular shot!

More pics from that game at:
MOHA Championship Game

Round 3 - North Metro Playoffs

OK. It isn't truly a road trip...we played Burlington in this best-of-three-series. There are no set rules for what's a road trip and what's not, but I'm in Burlington 5 times a week. The team has built an online fanbase and they're asking for more.

A strong opening by The Dolphins in the first game, but not enough stamina this first game since Spring Break. In a classic case of the-score-does-not-reflect-the-game Burlington takes Game 1.

Round 3 v Burlington Game 1

Game 2 in Burlington:

Round 3 v Burlington Game 2

The Dolphins outplayed Burlington. We out-shot Burlington. We showed hustle and drive and teamwork. The girls just could not put the puck past the Barracuda goalie. I won't go into several very controversial calls made by the referee - suffice to say that mild-mannered Dan tried and couldn't get tossed from the bench and the game.

Lorraine was careful to criticize the referee's performance and not the ref himself.

One linesman was engaging the fans, which is always a bad sign, and worse, he was commenting to the bench staff that he didn't agree with some of the calls the referee made.

This isn't sour grapes here. I'm known to say that the ref isn't the one who puts the puck into the net, but in this game, the ref did cost a goal.

Burlington wins the game and takes the series. They'll play in the North Metro Championship Weekend. We have a weekend without games.

All photographs courtesy of John Krieger

The Dolphins advance to the OWHA Provincial tournament after Scarborough fell to North York and Leaside.

Weekend Stats

Best to read the games in the order they were played: 5-4-3-2-1.


Total Goals For: 12
Total Goals Against: 8

Distance travelled : 890 km (from home to rinks only, Fri-Mon)
# Radar Traps: 1
# Speeding Tickets: 0

Slide shows of some games have been added.

Five Times the Hockey

Post-season play. It's a weekend of mixed feelings. It'd be great to advance on either the North Metro playoff side, or the Provincial Play-down side, but both? With one tournament still to go in the season, to move forward on both sides might be too much.

The Play-downs are a one-game round robin in a pool of 4 teams. Only the top team advances to the next round. In round two of the Playoffs, we're paired with Cobourg now - a team who finished first in their division and allowed only 12 goals through the regular season. Their first-place finish gave them a bye into the second round of the North Metros.

Leaside, who finished in second place, is in our provincial pool, will not figure in the weekend, as we played them last weekend and won that battle. Leaside is a talented team and a tough opponent. We like playing Leaside, because their team personality is a lot like our own. They play an intense game, and remember that it's a game. No trash-talking. No hits after the whistle. Games against them are good and clean and fair.

The weekend hockey extravaganza begins with a Provincial Play-down match against North York. We wound up tied for 3rd with North York in the regular season. They're a tough team, who finishes. They have a couple stars who can put the puck in the net.

It's the first game back for Rachel, who left the ice in game 2 of the North Metros, to seek medical attention for a possible forearm fracture. While it's not a fracture, it's still a deep bruise. At practice the other day, she was happy to lace up the skates and grab her stick, but couldn't hide her disappointment that her shot just wasn't what it used to be...yet.

She scores The Dolphins' first goal, high on the stick side, to tie the game. Later in the second period, Niamh pokes a rebound across the line, for the go-ahead goal.

In the third period, Liz ties up The Storm's center and Cat breaks loose from North York's defense. She puts one top-shelf for a short-handed goal and a little insurance.

Late in the third, on a power play, down by 2 goals, The Storm pull their goalie for a face-off in our end. It's a 6-on-3. Becca makes several saves, but we just can't clear the puck. With just over a minute to go in the first penalty, they score. The face-off moves to center-ice. Still no goalie in their net. Cat is in the box, called for interference on an earlier face off. Five-on-four.

North York wins the face off. They fire at our net, pick up the rebound and fire again. Becca continues to make the saves. We clear the puck to the boards. The winger passes to Niamh playing near our blue line. She picks up the puck, puts a move on The Storm's defense and carries the puck down the ice. Seconds to go. A North York player is pushing Niamh to the outside. She waits...then plays the sure thing into the empty net to lock it up.

Final score 4-2.

Tags: [Etobicoke Dolphins] [North York Girls Hockey] [OWHA]

Five Times - Four

Twenty-four hours later, we're at Commander Arena in Scarborough for the final Playdown game, this time against Scarborough.

We played The Sharks twice in the regular season and won. Sometimes the final score doesn't really tell you what the games are like. Our games against Scarborough are like that. Scarborough is a team you can never take for granted. They were only eliminated by North York in the Playoffs in overtime, after forcing a third game in that series.

By the math, a win or tie puts our team into the next round of the Provincials. If we walk away without a point, we have to rely on Leaside and North York to beat Scarborough. The team wants to control its own fate. We want to win.

The Sharks come out strong and hungry for a win. They score early. Settling into the game, Niamh evens it up. Her goal, as described by Martin: She has the puck on her forehand and half the net is wide open. She moves it to her backhand and the goalie is sliding across into position. She swings it around to her forehand again and the net is covered. She flips the puck into the air and scores.

Our players control the play inside Scarborough's blue line and Jill pops in the go-ahead goal (assists to Laura and Julie).

We are down by 1 halfway through the third period. Out of a scramble in front of their net, the puck squirts loose and Cat buries the equalizer.

The players fight hard to go ahead. Emily skates it out from our corner. Her wrist-shot is gloved by the Shark goalie. Then there's a shot - wide. A shot - high. The pass out front - the winger's stick is all tied up. A shot from Mindy at the point - blocked before it could reach the net.

With just over a minute to go, down by one, Jessica skates to the bench and the extra attacker hits the ice. The Dolphins fought from behind throughout most of the game. This game was just a minute too short.

Final score Scarborough 4, Dolphins 3.

Photo Credit: John Krieger


Playdown v Scarborough

Tags: [Etobicoke Dolphins] [Scarborough Girls Hockey] [OWHA]

Five Times - Three

Sunday morning finds us at Chris Tonks arena for the first game of the second round of the North Metro Playoffs against Cobourg.

The team will be without Cat for a while. She plays soccer on the U16 Provincial Soccer team and they are flying to Chile for some tournament action.

A lot of hockey still to go over the next 48 hours. Endurance will play a role.

Rachel's playing with gritty determination and a sore wrist. Kim is driving the net. Niamh is digging it hard out of the corners. Jill's ready for the pass out front. Natalie's pushing the puck deep. Kim F. is forcing Cobourg to turn over the puck in the neutral zone. Julie's no match along the boards. Liz is winning the face offs. Laura's keeping the pressure on the Cobourg goalie.

Mindy's taking shots from the point. Maddy's slap shot is finding the net. Danielle is first to the puck. Emily's defending Becca in net. Every shift is great. The players are driven. They don't seem to tire.

The game belongs to the goalkeepers. Both net-minders are making big saves. Look at this GIANT stick save by Becca. At the other end, Kim, behind the net, passes out front to Liz...Denied. Then with just over 2 minutes to go in the game, Rachel receives the puck from Liz and puts it in!

With just 2 losses on the season, falling behind isn't something this Cobourg squad is used to. They fail to score with the extra attacker on the ice.

Final score: 1-0. Etobicoke leads the best-of-3 series.

Tags: [Etobicoke Dolphins] [Cobourg Girls Hockey] [North Metro Girls Hockey]

Photo credit: John Krieger

Five Times - Two

The series against Cobourg continues Sunday night, this time in Cobourg at Jack Hannen Arena.

Our players are focused. The talk in the dressing room is all about the game. They want to put Cobourg away tonight. It's do-or-die for the Cobourg team. A loss tonight means their season is over. Neither team is going to lie down.

Cobourg is a fast squad. Rarely will you find their players out of position. They execute the fundamentals with precision. I wouldn't stand in there with the Cobourg forwards bearing down.
Fans are treated to a repeat of the morning's game. Great work at both ends. The Dolphins are outshot by Cobourg, but still forcing the turnovers, taking chances and keeping pressure on the Cobourg goalie. Becca is rock-solid between the pipes.

The hometown fans are calling to the refs for a penalty again. Given the seating arrangement at this arena, I can't give them my over-the-shoulder "What, are you crazy?" look. They'll never understand how much they've been spared.

Funny though, the Cobourg fans complain about their home referees as much as they complained about the Toronto referees earlier. As the emotions in the home stands escalate, this loud fan gets a little quieter. When a Cobourg player has her knees in Liz's helmet, the home fans say that is just how the game is played. When a Cobourg player is on the bottom of a pile of bodies, they're calling for a penalty against our goalie! Perspective is everything.

Both teams are getting away with contact, interference, and some hooking is ignored. In that respect, the refereeing is balanced.

Just over 5 minutes to go in the game and the puck takes a bounce in front of Becca and slips into the net. Later, on a line change, the puck sneaks across the line.

Final score 2-0. Series tied.

Photo credit: John Krieger


Round 2 v Cobourg

Tags: [Etobicoke Dolphins] [Cobourg Girls Hockey] [OWHA]

Five Times - One

Less than 24 hours later and The Dolphins have made the journey to Cobourg Memorial Arena. The Cougars, Cobourg's Jr. A team, call this place home. The 60-year old building is a local Heritage Site. The wooden floors are admired...they'll help the fans make some noise.

Stadium seating allows the fans to sit on opposite sides of the rink. One Dolphins player commented that it looked like half the town was out to cheer on the home team. Across the way, the 13 of us sat. Two residents of Clarington, Joe and Victoria, have literally become Dolphins fans overnight. Barb's in her usual spot at the corner. Hugh's behind the net. A couple parents sit at the windows in the lobby that overlook the ice surface. Kevin's missing from his usual post along the boards.

Tension is high as Cobourg wins the opening face-off and puts the puck deep into our end. The players break the puck out cleanly and dump it into Cobourg's end. A quick line change and the forwards are fore-checking and force the turnover. Shots are taken.
Tenacious Kim Selke gives the Dolphins the early lead midway through the first period. Rachel scores her third goal of this 5-game marathon and the Dolphins lead 2-0 at the end of the first. Shots on goal favor Etobicoke 10-4 after the first period.

In the second period, Cobourg gets themselves into penalty-trouble. The fans are proud of our players for not retaliating against the Cobourg players. It can't be easy to hold back.

We have a two-man advantage when Emily's shot from the point finds the top corner. Did it go straight to the corner or get redirected? There's no instant-replay cameras to refer to. Either way, the goal counts.

Cobourg's forcing their offense which allows our forwards to break away with the puck. Natalie, Laura, Jill, Niamh, Julie, Kim F, Liz....they all have some chances.
On defense, Danielle and Emily are using their long reach to poke check and break up plays. Maddy and Mindy are cutting off the paths of the charging Cobourg forwards and clearing the puck to the boards. In net, Becca is flawless.

In the third period, shorthanded, Julie receives the puck at our blue line and accelerates down the ice with it. She leaves one defenseman at our blue line and flies past the other. She has the puck on her forehand and is ready to release her shot when she is dragged down by a Cobourg player who has hustled back. The ref signals penalty for the trip then crosses his hands above his head to award a penalty-shot.


Julie's been working on a new move with her penalty shot at the end of most practices. It's silent inside the arena. We wait to see if she's got some Gordon Bombay triple deke in mind to beat the Cobourg goalie. Julie didn't put it away this time, but you can't beat that kind of excitement.

Adding some more insurance, Rachel scores again. The final minutes play out. The game ends. Final score 4-0. The Dolphins take the series! Congratulations players and coaches!

The team looks forward to a well-earned hiatus over Spring Break. Cross your fingers that the opponent in the third round is just a little closer to home.

Tags: [Etobicoke Dolphins] [North Metro Girls Hockey]

[The Mighty Ducks]

Game photographs: John Krieger