(28Feb99)  Sunday evening at Varsity Arena, the defending Canadian National
champion Concordia Stingers won their second title with a 2-0 victory over the
Pandas of Alberta.  It was a disappointing contest as neither team played up
to their potential.
 
The match began and remained tense.  Alberta came out with some early
pressure, but soon Concordia hemmed them into their own zone.  The Pandas
still sprung their breaking plays on occasion, but were obviously concerned
about the skills of the Stingers.  There was no scoring in the first.
 
At the start of the second, Corinne Swirsky (Kari Colpitts, Annie Boucher)
gave Concordia a 1-0 lead when she banged home a centering pass on a power
play.  Alberta was dropping back an extra defender which gave the Stingers
more layers to go through.  Meanwhile, Concordia was sneaking into the Panda's
angular passing lanes and intercepting the quick passes and so shutting down
the run and gun.
 
As the final frame began, Deana Huyghebaert's blast from the face-off circle
was accidentally redirected into the net by an Alberta defender, to give
Concordia a 2-0 lead.  The own goal was caused by the swarming Swirsky who was
lurking right by the Panda defender.  Alberta continued to do an excellent job
of marking the Stingers, but it robbed them of their one weapon.  Concordia
closed out the match to repeat as champions.
 
Alberta was the delight of the Canadian Nationals.  They were a great advert
for western hockey with their fabulous run and gun style.  The Pandas kept it
simple and went for goals as a team.  In the final, their defensive cover was
first-class.  I was very impressed with the line of Mandy Kinjerski, Lori
Shupak and Maria McKenzie.  They were buzzing around at both ends of the ice.
Leah Kinney hustled and supported her mates exceptionally well.  Stacey
McCullough played big in goal and gave the Stingers little room to shoot.  The
Alberta woman of the match was Erin van de Wetering.  She reads and reacts
perfectly to the flow of the game.  Van de Wetering intercepted numerous
passes and turned them into Alberta breaks.  Overall, well done Pandas!
 
Concordia looked nervous in the final and did not produce their best hockey.
They did mount the most pressure, but the Stingers lovely passing and movement
was off.  Jessika Audet made some timely saves early and late in the contest.
She is a splendid standup netminder.  Laura MacKenzie pursed the incoming
attackers well.  Huyghebaert shielded off many Panda breaks.  The line of Anne
Rodrigue, Karen Kendall and Monelle Hebert were skating great and made
Alberta's job impossible.  Catherine Bertrand had an excellent game back and
fore-checking.  Her ability to go from attack to defense and back to attack
again is remarkable.  The Concordia woman of the match was Swirsky.  This
kid's touch is tremendous.  Swirsky is a wonderful talent and a treat to
watch.  Overall, the Stingers were the best team at the tourney, and they
proved it.
 
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 good shooting
 hungerf
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