THUNDER BAY QUEENS HOCKEY
Media Release: Saturday, November 16, 2019
Bantam AA Queens Make Semis at All AmericanMINNEAPOLIS, MN — The Bantam AA Queens are playing in the Super Rink in Minneapolis for this year's All American Girls Hockey Tournament, competing in the U15A “White” division.
Friday afternoon, the Queens kicked things off against the North Wright County Riverhawks and ran into a hot goalie as, despite outshooting the Riverhawks 24-13, the Queens only managed a single goal when Joanna Martinsen scored on a pass from Ella Manilla. Fortunately, it was all the scoring they’d need since the Queens' own goalie, Abby Wills, was a brick wall at the other end of the rink, shutting out NWC in a 1-0 win.
Game two on Friday evening had much of the same elements as game one as the Queens outshot Osseo-Maple Grove (OMG) by a margin of 25-14 but this time, netminder Presley Brohm had some run support to work with. Taylor Barenz grabbed the early lead after a great feed from Riah Compardo, firing a point shot through a screen, past the goalie and into the back of the net. Joanna Martinsen would make it 2-0 off a set face-off play on which Compardo and Katie Lacosse drew assists. OMG looked to get back into the game on a second period powerplay but Compardo would get her 3rd assist of the game setting up Martinsen’s second goal of the game, this time shorthanded. Brohm kept the Queens shutout streak going, saving all 14 shots she saw for the shutout.
On Saturday morning, the Queens must’ve slept well because they jumped all over Blaine in the first period. Joanna Martinsen opened the scoring with her 3rd goal of the weekend putting home a Riah Compardo rebound. Paige Broughton would make it 2-0 finishing off a great 3-way passing play between Ella Manilla and Akira Tatebe. Katie Lacosse made it 3-0 on the powerplay, winning a clean face-off back and tipping in a point shot created off the cycle between Taylee Marks and Taylor Barenz. Avery Olenik would score her first of two goals in the game, finishing off a textbook middle drive pass from a great pass from Bridget Cameron. Taylor Barenz drew the other assist. Olenik would then bang home a rebound created from a relentless forecheck from Rhae Thomas and a Sammy Cicigoi point shot.
Thomas made it 6-0, again using her greet speed on the forecheck to create another turnover and bury a wrap around. Taylee Marks drew the lone assist. Blaine would get a couple goals back but it was all a formality as Martinsen finished off the scoring in a 7-2 route.
With their undefeated record, the Bantam AAs were placed into a semifinal playoff round against Eden Praire. Joanna Martinsen opened the scoring by batting home a rebound for the lone goal in a tight checking first period. Assists went to Riah Compardo and Caryss Kehl. The Queens blew the game open in the second period scoring three times to take a 4-0 lead into the intermission. Ella Manilla started it with a great deke on a breakaway with assists going to Sammy Cicigoi and Akira Tatebe. Tatebescored next on a goal mouth scramble with Cicigoi and Compardo getting the helpers. Compardo would finish the scoring by burying the last two goals of the game with assists going to Makara Magbanua, Arianna Veneziano, and Joanna Martinsen. 5-1 final. Shots favoured the Queens 27-11.
With that victory, the Bantam AAs find themselves in the Championship final on Sunday at 11:30am against the same team they played in their first game, the North Wright County Riverhawks.
Thunder Bay Queens are a member of Thunder Bay Women’s Hockey Association