Tommies guns fall silent for the season

This is a hard one to write this evening, so many mixed emotions.  On one hand so proud of our entire hockey team for having such a great season but on the other so disappointed with how the final game went.  The Tommies never stopped fighting for even a minute but it wasn't enough to pull out one last victory for our 5th year seniors.

If there was one thing you could point a finger at and say "that did in the Tommies", it was the powerplay.  St. Thomas played one full period when you add it all up with the extra attacker and failed to score.  Perhaps this should come as no surprise, or perhaps it should but the team has not scored a powerplay marker since January 13th versus MTA.  Over a full month of futility, ouch.

The game got off on the wrong foot in the first minute for STU.  Saint Mary's Katilyn Abbass came in on Julia Shaurn and fired the puck off of her before it bounced out to a waiting Rebecca Mosher to pot the only goal of the opening two periods only 20 seconds into the game.

The Huskies - true to their reputation statistically speaking - started to lay the body and enforce a physical presence against the Tommies.  It resulted in a steady stream of SMU players to the penalty box, which in retrospect, didn't seem to bother the Huskies.  After one period STU outshot SMU 9 to 7 and after two periods 20 to 10.

The third period saw the Tommies come out strong and hard but with no success beating Sienna Cooke in the Huskies net.  SMU would get an insurance goal on the powerplay at 5:50 when Brianna Soper sniped a top corner gino past a helpless Julia Sharun.

The Tommies rallied late when Jordan Miller (Blackmore, Marcelline) got STU on the board with 2:25 to play.  There was hope and St. Thomas continued to press but ultimately could not find the equalizer. The Huskies scored into the empty net with 11 seconds remaining to sink any hope of the comeback.

Final shots on goal were 37 to 15 for the Tommies.

It was a successful season overall with the Tommies having more wins than they ever have, being nationally ranked for the first time in team history, and finishing the season higher in the standings than ever before.

Thank you to St. Thomas' all-time leading point producer in Kayla Blackmore, to super D-Woman Courtney Fox, and an incredible keeper in Julia Sharun.  You guys have been amazing and it has been a pleasure to follow you for all these years.  I am so going to miss you.  Such great talents.  All the best in everything you do and I don't need to see a banner to know that each one of you are Champions, you are to me and to many other Tommie fans.

Game Day - Tommies vs. Huskies

Here are a few things you should know about today's playoff game between the SMU Huskies and STU Tommies.

Game time 3PM.  Live on AUSTV at www.austv.ca 

The Tommies were 3 and 1 versus the Huskies in the regular season but all the games were very close. STU won the first match up at Alumni Arena in overtime 2 to 1.  

The next game at the Grant-Harvey Centre STU won 3 - 2. The Tommies had been up 3 to 0 before the Huskies roared back with 2 third period markers to make it close.

The Tommies would find themselves up 2 to 0 going into the third period of their third regular season game before the Huskies scored 3 goals in the final period for a 3 to 2 win.  It was the first loss of a three game losing streak, the longest of the season for STU. 

The final game at the GHC was a 2 - 0 win with Julia Sharun playing lights out to preserve the victory.  

Bottom line, don't take the Huskies mildly, this team is for real.  Just ask Moncton and ST-FX, who's only loss this season was to SMU.

Wants some keys to the game?

Watch the referee. He/she will control the setting this afternoon.  SMU grew in size this year and they like to take liberties when throwing the body.  They had the most PIM's in the league this year by a wide margin and for good reason, they play on the edge. (269 minutes for SMU.  198 for UPEI)  

The Tommies can't get pushed around but they can't retaliate and get out of position either.  Our western Tommies like McTaggart, Miller, and Apperson are going to have to stand their ground and make the right plays while counter acting SMU's rough stuff.

Saint Mary's powerplay was second in the league but was really average, being marginally better than Moncton, UPEI, and MTA.  Penalty kill, the same thing, very good but average in the league.  Here is the rub.  STU's PK and PP absolutely suck.  Our PP is the worst by far and our PK isn't far off from the bottom.  Special teams could burn us badly - if the stats are telling the truth - so keep it 5 on 5 and we will win.

SMU has a hard time scoring.  Keep them to the outside and keep them off the powerplay.  The Tommies have to roll their lines 5 on 5 and the top two lines have to produce.  The third line needs to contribute a goal and bring the toughness and the fourth line has to play even.  I don't have to tell you what Sharun has to do and as sure as the sun will rise, so will Julia.  

Here are the team stats from the AUS so you can make your own decisions. 

GO TOMMIES GO

Tommies defeat UdeM in Game 1

(SACKVILLE, N.B.) - The St. Thomas Tommies used strong offence from their top line to steer them to a hard fought 3-2 victory over the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues in the opening game of the 2013 Subway AUS women's hockey championship on Thursday afternoon.

Kayla Blackmore and Jordan Miller each recorded a goal and an assist, with Blackmore's game-winning marker coming with just under two minutes remaining in the second period.

Moncton opened the scoring at 4:18 of the first when Amelie Lariviere's shot fooled Julia Sharun high glove side, but Saint Thomas wasted no time responding, with two quick goals.

Blackmore tied up the Moncton defence in front of the Aigles Bleues' net, allowing Miller to be left all alone for the Tommies' first goal, which came only 1:15 after Lariviere's goal.

Just 1:11 after the Miller goal, Katie Brewster [actually it was Kelty Apperson, with D. Miller and Brewster assisting] scored an almost identical goal to give the Tommies the lead. Moncton would tie the game up again on a rebound shot in close from Elisa Savoie in the second period, but were unable to put much additional pressure on Sharun and the Tommies throughout the remaining 22 minutes. 

Sharun stopped 12 shots for the win, but only one save was needed on a long 5-on-3 advantage that Moncton had midway through the third. Some spectacular penalty-killing by Saint Thomas allowed them to maintain their lead and kill the clock en route to the win.

Kayla Blackmore was named the Subway Player of the Game for the Tommies, while Jenna Van Belois was selected as the Moncton player of the game, making 24 saves in goal.

Saint Thomas, by virtue of the regulation win, earns 3 points in the round robin standings, and will get the day off Friday before facing the Saint Mary's Huskies on Saturday afternoon.

Moncton will play Saint Mary's Friday afternoon at 3:00pm to try and extend their season to Sunday's championship final.
Source: Mount Allison Sports Information

Tommie's end season with win

The St. Thomas Tommies ended the  2012-13 season the same way they started it, with a win against UdeM.  Graduating seniors Kayla Blackmore, Courtney Fox, and Julia Sharun had strong games and rookie Kenya Marcelline had a four point night to propell STU onto a 4 - 1 victory.

Kayla Blackmore scores the game's first goal.
Photo Courtesy Dylan Buell

Blackmore got things rolling for STU in the first period taking a centering feed from Kenya Marcelline for an early lead at 5:59. Jordan Miller picked up the second assist with the hard work down low.  It was the only goal of the period in which U de M out shot STU 7 to 5.

The second STU goal at 4:57 of the second frame was a pretty give and go between Blackmore and Marcelline where Kayla finished with a top shelf goal past Emily Bouchard in the Moncton net.   Stephanie Gates would pad the Tommie's lead at 13:24.  Marcelline would get the puck to McTaggart down low, who would come out from behind the net to get a shot before Gates buried the rebound for a 3 -  0 lead. 

Courtney Fox had 1 assist tonight for STU
Photo Courtesy Dylan Buell

Kenya Marcelline would put the game out of reach at 10:05 burying a great pass from Blackmore and Jordan Miller. U de M would break Sharun's shut out bid with 1:20 to play on the power play as Felicia Anctil wired a wrist shot for Moncton's only goal.  

Final score was 4 to 1 with STU out shooting  UdeM 27 - 21.  Players of the game were the three seniors Blackmore, Fox, and Sharun. 

With their fifth win in a row STU heads to the playoffs next weekend in Sackville with a team record 16 wins and second place finish.  Their opponents in next weekend's tournament have not been decided.

Julia Sharun was strong in net tonight only allowing
one goal on twenty-one shots.
Photo Courtesy Dylan Buell

Tommies clinch 2nd with win over Mounties

For the second game in a row, the St. Thomas Tommies pull out a much needed win with a 1 - 0 victory.  Tonight on the road over the Mount Allison Mounties.  A late third period goal by rookie Kenya Marcelline was the only puck to dent the twine and Kristin Wolfe picked up her second shut out of the season versus the Mounties.

The first and second periods were scoreless affairs, if not for the goalies, definitely because of the goal posts as STU and MTA combined for six doses of iron.  Shots after two periods were 13 to 13.

In the final period Mount Allison and St. Thomas traded powerplay chances with one each.  In what proved to be a wise decision, Coach Murphy called a late time out with 1:53 to play.  He must of said something good because 39 seconds later the Tommies would pot the winner.

Kenya Marcelline would score her third goal of the year, none larger than this one, at 18:43 to lift the Tommies to the one goal victory.  Kayla Blackmore was credited with the only assist.

Kristin Wolfe would make the goal stand up as the winner, stopping all 21 shots fired her way.  STU shot 22 at MTA's Kate O'Brien, with number 22 (Marcelline's number) being the deadliest.

With the win STU clinches second position in the AUS and will return home for their final home game this Saturday night against Moncton.  Come out to the game and help the Tommies support Mental Health Awareness.

Tommies trump Panthers

Our fifth year veterans were the difference tonight as the St. Thomas Tommies defeated the UPEI Panthers 1 - 0 in a rare Monday night AUS game.   Captain Kayla Blackmore scored the game winning goal and Julia Sharun made it stand up picking up her fifth shutout of the season to help STU solidify second place in the AUS.

In a battle of goaltenders between STU's Julia Sharun and UPEI's Marie Deschenes, the only goal was scored shorthanded at 13:33 of the first period.  Dani Miller blocked a shot close to the Tommies blue line and pushed the puck forward to centre ice where Kayla Blackmore won a foot race and went in all alone and deposited a backhander for a 1 - 0 Tommies lead.  Shots favoured UPEI 8 to 7 in the period.

UPEI was shorthanded for 8 of the 20 minutes in the second period but Deschene held the fort for the Panthers.  Shots were 12 to 5 for STU.

The third period was scoreless, as Julia Sharun preserved the big four point night for STU.  Final shots were 33 to 22 for the Tommies.  STU's powerplay was 0 for 9 but their penalty kill was 4 for 4 plus scored the winning goal.

The Tommies will look to clinch their second place spot on Wednesday night when they travel to Sackville to take on the MT A Mounties.  Game time is 8 PM.

2012-13 season comes to an end with loss to Panthers

The UPEI Panthers scored one goal in the first period, one goal in the second period, and three in the third to defeat the Tommies 5 to 1 tonight in Charlottetown.  Robert Zandbeek scored STU's only goal mid way through the third to make it 3 to 1 at the time but that was as close as the Tommies could get.  

Jon Groenheyde was a rock in the STU net facing 34 shots on the night.  At least 3 of the Panther's goals were odd man rushes where the goalie had no chance at all.  On at least three occasions, probably more, Groenheyde made unbelievable saves to keep STU close.   BOX SCORE

Without question, STU's MVP for this year will be Jon Groenheyde.  When every other player would have quit, Jon played through it and put in unbelievable effort even after the score was well out of reach. It was a real treat to watch him play this year.  Kudos to @JonnyG3141 

Storylines.......

Lou Chabot's #26 hanging in the rafters at GHC. 

Today the Tommies Men's Hockey team faced off against UdeM in a game that had a few different storylines in it.

First, today was the annual Lou Chabot memorial game, this was the nineteenth.  A game in which the Tommies celebrate the life of a fallen teammate that passed away at the young age of 22. Lou's mother was at the rink today in town from Ottawa for the game and the ceremonial puck drop. The winners of the Lou Chabot award are Matt Eagles #36, Alex Labonte #4, and Chris Morehouse #18. This leads us into the second story of the day.

Second story of the are graduating players who played their last home game as Tommies, Matt Eagles #36, Alex Labonte#4 and Chris Morehouse #18.

The Third Story, Matt Eagles, one of the graduating Tommies and former Captain of the team who was forced to stop playing due to medical reasons was dressed for today's game wearing number 22, but it was pretty easy to tell who it was, he was smiling ear to ear during the warm-up, he was smiling ear to ear during the pre-game ceremony, even smiling in the third period when defenseman Nick Brown took a Checking From Behind penalty and was given a 2 minute penalty and a 10 minute misconduct, in which Eagles served the 2 minute infraction.

The first period started with the Tommies opening up the scoring 27 seconds into the game,  Alex Labonte had the first goal assisted by Chris Morehouse and Jonathan Bonneau. UdeM lead the Tommies on shots on goal 13-10. STU held UdeM scoreless through the first period.

The second period started with UdeM scoring their first marker of the game just over a minute into the period and adding another just over 5 minutes in. UdeM lead the shots on goal 11-5.  At the end of the second period UdeM was up 2-1.

The third period started with the Tommies adding another goal at 2:55 off the stick of Alex Labonte's the goal was assisted by Yuri Cheremetiev and Stephen Sanza. This tied the game up, unfortunately this was as close the Tommies were able to get to winning the game. UdeM started to pour on the offence after this adding another four goals in the period, the last two goals in which one was scored on an empty net where Matt Hobbs was doing everything he could to keep the puck out of the net and the last one which was scored with under one second left in the game. UdeM had 10 shots on goal to STU's 7.

The final score of the game was 6-2, this marks the Tommies last home game of the season, they are on the road next weekend against UPEI on February 8, 2013 at 7pm.

Good-luck to the graduating Tommies in your future endeavours! You three have made Tommies hockey exciting to watch over the last few years.


Murph


WyldeMurph on Twitter

It's All About The Positives!!!

Most of you would think I would start with the score of the game?? Maybe the shots on goal?? How about short bench?? Nope not going to start my post with any of these items.

I'm going to start my post with how the Tommies came out of the gate looking like a team that wanted a to show the Squirrels they were not to be messed with. The Tommies looked to set the pace of the game by playing dump and chase, which slowed the pace of the game but narrowed the playing field.

The Tommies hung in the entire first period holding the V-Reds off the score board and keeping the shots on goal to. A manageable level 9-5. Also I'm going to mention that the first period was penalty free for both squads.

The second period started with the Squirrels putting lots of pressure on Tommies goal keeper Jonathan Groenheyde, they had 15 shots on goal to 1 from the Tommies. The period also started with the game's first penalty with UNB going to the box for roughing, this opened the flood gates for the steady path to the sin bin for the Squirrels. At the end of the second period the the V-Reds lead the game 1-0. This is another positive for the Tommies, holding the V-Reds to one goal.

The third period started with the Tree Rats scoring early and adding four more in, in the period. Felix Poulin scored the Tommies first goal of the game very late in the period which snapped the scoreless streak against the Reds, at 119 minutes. The goal which was a beauty of a backhand by Poulin was assisted by Randy Cameron and Stephen Sanza. Also another positive, the guys didn't give up and kept driving to the net. At the end of the third period UNB had 10 shots to STU's four.

The final score of the game was 5-1 for UNB, the final shots on goal were 34 to 10, the penalties were certainly in the Tommies favour with UNB having 8 penalties totalling 16 minutes (including an un-sportsmanlike call for Cam Braes for Diving and a double minor for Nick MacNeill for Roughing) to the Tommies 5 penalties totalling 10 minutes.

The Tommies were only missing Colin Martin and Christian Morin from the line-up, the Squirrels started two guys that normally watch from the stands in Chad Denny and Stefan Salituro.

The Tommies have one more home game this season against the UdeM Aigles Bleu on Sunday at 2pm at the G/H Centre for the annual Lou Chabot game. C'mon out and support your STU Tommies.

Murph

WyldeMurph on Twitter