Let’s be honest; it was a bit of a shock to see a yellow helmet warming up with the opposition on Saturday night when we showed up for our game against the Breakers. Kayla Novelli used to be on our side and still is but due to her work schedule, isn’t able to play full time with the Whalers this year which means she is often up for grabs when other teams need players. So she played for the Breakers. Regardless of the fact that blue isn’t really her colour, she played with class and poise. The Breakers didn’t only show up with a strong line up of players, they came on strong as soon as the puck dropped. For the Whalers, many of whom are still learning the game, this can be very nerve-racking. The pace is faster, the skills are better, the shots are harder and the plays on the board are tougher. But what better way to improve and work on your game. OK sometimes, it’s better to let them take the puck than to risk loosing your head but for the most part, the game was played fair and clean. Alright there were a few questionable moments from both sides but who says girls can’t play a little rough!
Rookie goalie Katrin Bizier (Vancouver Island InsuranCentres) had her fair share of action. She made her first save within the first couple of minutes of the game and once again, it was a glove save that took your breath away. She looked so natural. There were a couple of goals in the first period that she would like to take back but overall, she kept getting better and better with each period and definitely made a difference in the final score with some some phenomenal saves.
Emily Murray tallied the lone goal for the Whalers on a shot from the point while Josée Bureau and Jan Dafoe (Canadian Western Bank) had a few close ones but were unable to put it pass the Breakers goalie who had a great game. Sky Zimmerman (Brian McLean) and Kasubuchi raised their physical game to match the demand and were pretty spectacular winning their fair share of one on one battles on the boards. Final score 6-1.
Despite the fact she almost got frost bite on her face from a close encounter with the ice, Captain Tera Kasubuchi (Whistle Stop Pub) was satisfied with the team’s performance “we continued our great success for 2011, although the score did not reflect how closely matched we were. I think Katrin only had a few shots in the third period. We keep working on all areas of our game in practices, and that it is really starting to show at game pace. I think with everybody showing better commitment to practices, intersquads and games has allowed us to create some good chemistry. We are starting to learn the importance of our actions when we do not have the puck or when we carry the puck. We are starting to anticipate the play, instead of re-acting to the play.”.
“Our team plays well as a team. We have a range of experience levels and a lot of us are very competitive even if we are still learning the game. Loosing is always a bit hard but it is so nice to see everyone stay calm and composed, something I had to learn! No one ever loses their temper . We remain positive with each other. That’s what makes our team such a fun team to play with” says Bureau after the game.
The Whalers are on the road this weekend playing the Port Alberni on Sunday.
A bouquet of flowers to the Ecofish Research Ltd for their wonderful support.
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