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Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey Champions

March 15, 2017 by  
Filed under Provincial and Territorial News

It was a battle of high school hockey powerhouses — and Tuesday’s winner-take-all tilt served up a fitting ending to the season.

The No. 2-ranked Vincent Massey Trojans upset the No. 1-seeded Shaftesbury Titans 3-0 in the deciding game of the “A” division championship at the MTS Iceplex. It’s the first title for the team in 21 years of competition.

Vincent Massey goalie Taylor McDermott came up with a clutch performance, stopping all 22 shots that came her way.

“I have honestly never been more nervous in my life. But at the same time I was super excited,” said McDermott, a Grade 12 student who is in her third and final season with the team. “Senior year, I couldn’t ask for a better way to go out. I’ll never forget this moment.”

Trojans forward Jaeden Borgford opened the scoring early in the second period, finding herself all alone in front of the Shaftesbury net. She made no mistake in going upstairs to beat Titans goalie Rachel Parson.

“It was huge momentum for us. I told the team going in we’ve got to get the first goal. And from there we just kept going and kept playing hard,” said McDermott.

Shaftesbury forward Haley Proteau had a golden chance to tie the game midway through the middle frame but hit the goalpost on a breakaway. She drew a penalty in the process, but the Titans were unable to come up with the equalizer.

Vincent Massey went up 2-0 less than five minutes into the third period on a weird play.  A Shaftesbury clearing attempt appeared to hit one of their own players and deflect into their own net. The goal was credited to forward Ashley Hantscher.

Kennedy Tachinski added an insurance goal with just nine minutes remaining, putting away a rebound for a 3-0 lead.

“We were really focused on just getting the first goal. We knew if we did, that would put a little more pressure on them and they would be pushing a little more. We followed up that first goal, never changed our game plan. They played really hard,” said Vincent Massey head coach Colin Wolfe.

Shaftesbury posted the best regular-season record, finishing first overall with an impressive 18-2-2 mark. Right behind them was Vincent Massey with a 14-6-2 record.

Both teams had rolled through the playoffs to get to the finals, going a combined 8-1 in their first two series.

Vincent Massey took the best-of-three opener by a 2-1 score. But Shaftesbury kept their season alive on Monday, winning 2-1 and forcing the deciding game.

The Trojans have eight seniors from their team who will now have a fantastic lasting memory as they graduate in the spring.

“Our depth was our strength. Our leadership was amazing. That’s what made us come back 24 hours later and get the job done,” said Wolfe. “We’re going to enjoy this for sure.”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

JASON HALSTEAD / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS</p><p>The Vincent Massey Trojans celebrate after defeating the Shaftesbury Titans 3-0 Tuesday night to complete a 2-1 series victory and claim the WWHSHL ‘A’ Division championship.</p>


 

Trojan women win their first hockey title

The Vincent Massey Collegiate women’s hockey team won the school’s first league championship on March 14 against the Shaftesbury Titans.
PHOTO BY JASON HALSTEAD/ WWHSHL

The Vincent Massey Collegiate women’s hockey team won the school’s first league championship on March 14 against the Shaftesbury Titans.

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