Wiky girls win shootout drama

April 16, 2013
Wiky girls win shootout drama
Thurs, March 14th 2013 —— Wikwemikong in white celebrate their shoot-out victory against Batchewan in the Pewee girls championship Thursday afternoon in the Hershey Centre. Wikwemikong won in a shoot-out 2-1. (photo by James MacDonald)

By James MacDonald

There are few more dramatic events in sport than a hockey shootout.

And when the one-on-one, shooter-on-goalie drama decides a tournament championship – as it did in this year’s Little NHL Peewee Girls “A” final – the tension is even more intense.

It took eight tries before a Wikwemikong shooter was able to shift the Batchewana Attack goalie right, then left, and tuck the puck past her pads for a 2-1 victory in the only shootout verdict of this year’s ten “A” final championship games.

Coach Lawrence Enosse attributed his team’s dramatic win on the last day of the 42nd annual Little NHL tournament to their work ethic.

“We were a hard working team and the girls believed that hard work can beat talent, so they worked really, really hard for this.”

He said his Wiky girls got stronger with each game they played.

“A lot of the girls live in the community, we had some of the girls live off the reserve, and they really came together (this week). We had a bit of a slow start, but as we progressed, we got better and we got stronger.

The Wikwemikong Peewee “A’ champs were one of 23 teams entered in four girls divisions, the most ever at a Little NHL event.

Number 4, Megan Petena-Fox, scored her team’s opening goal, but the teams couldn’t break a 1-1 deadlock until the shootout.

This article originally posted April 16, 2013.