LLOYDMINSTER -- The Saskatoon Stars got off to exactly the start they were hoping for at the Esso Cup Female U18 AAA Hockey Championship on Sunday afternoon.
Quite literally, at that.
Facing the Ontario champion North York Storm, the Stars scored four unanswered goals in the first period and would go on to a 5-4 victory in the opening game of the six-team tournament currently underway in Lloydminster.
It didn’t take long for the Saskatchewan champs to get things going, either, as after North York took a penalty in the game’s opening minutes, Kolbee Ashe scored Saskatoon’s first goal of the event only 3:53 into the proceedings.
A mere 30 seconds after that goal, it was 2-0 thanks to a goal from Peyton Birnie, and the Stars just kept up the pressure from there -- eventually outshooting the Storm 23-10 in the period.
That would result in Mickenzie Petford making it a three-goal lead with 11:26 gone in the frame, and Sadie Green would add Saskatoon’s fourth goal with two seconds left on the clock.
As it turns out, the Stars would need all those goals and more, as the reigning Esso Cup silver medalists weren’t about to go away quietly.
Demi Lazarou got one back for the Storm with the only goal of the second period 21 seconds into the frame, and a third period surge would see North York come close to tying the game late.
Lily Paisley -- who finished with four points in the contest -- made it 4-2 at 8:11 of the third, and after Ashe scored her second of the game just over three minutes later, Paisley struck again with five minutes to play to once again make it a two-goal game.
A late Stars penalty would give the Storm a chance to get back within one, and Olivia Van Sickle would score with 1:59 left in regulation to make for a tense finish.
Saskatoon would hold the fort, though, and come away with the big opening game win.
Adriana Bashnick finished with 31 saves to earn the victory in goal for the Stars, Jamie Sanford had 19 stops in the first for North York and Ryleigh Maxwell turned aside 14 in the final two periods.
The round robin continues for Saskatoon on Monday as they face the Quebec champion Etoiles de Laurentides-Lanaudiere at 11 a.m., followed by the Pacific champion Edmonton Jr, Oilers at 3 p.m. Tuesday, host Lloydminster Steelers at 7 p.m. Wednesday and the Atlantic champion Eastern Stars at 3 p.m. Thursday.
The top four teams after the preliminary round advance to the semifinals on Friday, with the losers playing for bronze at 1 p.m. on Saturday, followed by the winners going for gold at 5 p.m.
You can follow along with all the scores at www.hockeycanada.ca.
