Late Saturday afternoon I saw a thrilling match at the Husky Tournament at
Matthews Arena.  The Concordia Stinger's brilliant skating and lovely passing
outgunned the New Hampshire Wildcat's checking game 4-0.  What made it a treat
was the excellent form of both teams.
 
The game had a cautious start to it as both squads respected the ability of
the other.  UNH generated some early pressure.  Their "stuff-it-in" tactics
went close several times, but Concordia's defense, lead by goalie Jessica
Audet, held firm.  Soon the Stingers started to make some heads-up passes.
Next the Concordia team speed cranked up and they were off into their own
marvelous zone.  At that point, even the talented Wildcats could only watch.
It was tremendous hockey by the Montreal club.  Anne Rodrique (Genevieve
Fagnan, Mai-Lan Le) scored the only goal of the period for Concordia when she
swept in an excellent pass from the point.  The goal was made by the
extraordinary fore-checking effort of Le.  She managed to strip the puck from
two UNH players with some super digging.  Le then changed the point of attack
by whipping the puck around the boards to the opposite point for the resulting
play.  Lovely goal!
 
In the second, New Hampshire came out strong and fast.  The patient Stingers
held it together and then struck back.  Lisa-Marie Breton (Corinne Swirsky)
made it 2-0 Concordia when a UNH defender tried to play superstar and instead
produced a turnover.  The Stingers went further in front when Le (Kari
Colpitts) hit turbo and tapped the puck in at the far post.  Colpitts laid on
the lovely dish, as Le burned up the ice to finish the 1-2.  Lovely goal!
Defender Delaney Collins (Swirsky) concluded the scoring with a power play
goal.  The key was that Swirksy waited and held onto the puck before giving
Delaney the perfect pass to drill high glove side.
 
There was no scoring in the final interval.  The Wildcats changed their goalie
and mounted some solid pressure.  Both teams played some fast tempo, up and
down hockey.  It was the kind of a game where you could sit back and think how
lucky you were to see such fine play.
 
UNH is a very talented team.  Their passing let them down today.  The puck was
seldom on the tape.  The Wildcat fore-checking scheme was not able to create
the pressure, it usually does, against the quick Stingers.  The back-checking
game did extremely well, and except for a time in the first period when
Concordia zoned, New Hampshire was always looking dangerous.  UNH was led by
the surging moves of Brandy Fisher.  The senior captain put on a show as she
went for goals.  Samantha Holmes and Melisa Heitzman both played exceptionally
well.  Holmes back-checking saved the Wildcats on several occasions.  Heitzman
swung forward and generated some interesting counterattacks.  On the blue
line, fresher Brandi Kerns read and reacted well to the incoming attackers.
Nicki Luongo played a steady, smart game on defense and kept things tidy at
the back.  Overall, with the resilience UNH showed against Concordia, the
Wildcats will be in the honors this season.
 
Concordia is super.  They have a drive that let's them execute their wonderful
attack with elan.  At the same time, the Stingers have the composure to wait
for the right moment, and then strike with clarity, purpose and power.  It is
a lovely blend.  Audet played an excellent match in goal, snuffing out chances
with ease.  Defender Collins has a massive ranging ability that allows her to
stop plays and swing onto the attack.  Her passes are killer.  Up front, all
the lines move so well and make the short sweet passes that cut apart the
opposition.  The line of Breton, Swirsky and Tara Campbell was always a
threat.  The plays they created were superb.  The line of Monelle Herbert,
Sara Matheson and Karen Kendall also made some delightful plays.  The line of
Colpitts, Rodrique and Le was incredible.  They ripped up the ice with style.
The woman of the match was Le.  Her digging, quickness of thought and action
and skating were divine.  Le was fabulous.  Overall, Concordia rejuvenated
my love for hockey with their sublime game.
 
 
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 good shooting
 hungerf
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