Battle for First Ends in Stalemate

Battle for First Ends in Stalemate Between Undefeated Teams
Posted on 12/18/2024
Hockey

By Larry Moko

A mid-season battle for first place in the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic girls' high school hockey standings settled nothing on Tuesday.

Both undefeated coming into the contest, the St. Thomas More Knights (3-0) and the Bishop Ryan Celtics (2-0) skated to a 1-1 tie at Chedoke Twin-Pad Arena.

Those are the same two teams that faced each other in the 2023-24 championship game.
"It was a fight from the first drop of the puck right to the dying seconds," Celtics coach Paul Altobelli said. "If we had a few more seconds maybe we could have got lucky."

The Celtics were strong on the puck in More's zone during the final minute, applying the pressure and threatening to notch the game winner.

"We tried to push for zone control and get that last opportunity," Altobelli added. "This seemed like a championship game today. We had to battle for every possession of the puck. They have a lot of good players on that team."

More opened the scoring. In the first minute of the opening period, Alexis Lalli carried the puck from the sideboards to the front of the net before backhanding a shot along the ice.

One minute later, however, Julia Sayej of BR took a pass from Maya Valeri and found the back of the net with a backhander of her own.

"That was really a good hockey game," Knights coach Trevor Young said. "Closely matched."
Both teams had several excellent scoring chances but goaltenders Kylee Boehner of Bishop Ryan and Angelina Berardi of More stood their ground.

"Their goalie played a solid game," Young said, "especially on that breakaway (by Giulia Fanara) in the third period."

Young said the Knights worked hard and the team's second-year players -- like Lalli -- are showing improvement.

"A lot of the girls who were on the team last year have picked up their play and are playing stronger hockey."

The Celtics have captured the last two consecutive Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic league titles.
"I don't like to look too far into the future," Altobelli said. "Every game is a challenge.
"We have a very young team."

The longest-serving player on the BR roster is Grade 12-plus netminder Boehmer.
"I think our team is very strong," she said. "We all know how to work with each other, especially since a lot of the girls are on the same (rep) teams."

Both the boys' and girls' hockey leagues play two fewer regular-season games this season due to the absence of St. Jean de Brébeuf’s entries.

In boys' action Tuesday, Bishop Ryan topped More, 4-1.

Photos by R.F. (Bob) Butrym, RFB Sport Photography

More photos on the HWCDSB Athletics Facebook page here

Hockey

Hockey

Hockey

Hockey