Third playoff game goes to Fire Red

Siobhan Sullivan, Calgary Fire Red (in red) and Sidney Kobi, Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs in action during their Alberta Female Hockey League (Midget Elite) playoff game at Murray Copot Arena, Calgary on March 17, 2019. © J. Ashley Nixon

March 17, 2019

At the end of a weekend filled even more with hockey than usual this winter, Calgary Fire Red Midget Elite took the third and final game of round two in the Alberta provincial playoffs over Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs. The prize is a place in the Alberta provincial championship in Grande Prairie at the end of the month.

Breaking the pattern of the first two games, Fire Red opened the scoring, with a goal by Jayna Barnden.

Breaking the pattern of the first two games, Fire Red opened the scoring, with a goal by Jayna Barnden, whose furious forechecking was evident throughout this fast and physical final-qualifying game. Jennifer Nixon put a pass down the left wing to Kelly Stanford who delivered the puck beautifully across the goal face to Barnden who one-timed her shot into the roof of the net.

Three minutes before the break, Fire Red went on the power play for a head contact call and attacked hard, but Red Deer held tight. The visitors were denied the chance to equalize in the last two minutes of the period when Fire Red was called for too many men. The second period continued at pace, with Fire Red playing their best-attacking hockey in the two minutes they were down a player after Julia McEwen was called for interference. It remained a one-goal game after forty minutes.

Teah Workman struck a second goal for Fire Red twelve minutes into the third period. Kayla Ironside passed over to Isobel Pettem-Shand from right to left face-off circle, she hit the puck in towards the net and Workman tipped it in past the Chiefs goalie, Madison McLaren’s blocker. At the other end of the ice, Fire Red’s keeper Cassidy Brown and the defenders held tight against the Red Deer attacks with each shot and every save celebrated by the jangling bells, air horns and shouts of the appreciative mums, dads, grandparents and other hockey fans filling the stands at Murray Copot Arena.

Final score: Calgary Fire Red MAA 2-0 Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs

Up next: Calgary Fire Red join their Fire White sisters and three other teams (St. Albert, Peace Country Storm, and Sherwood Park) to compete for the Alberta Female Hockey League (Midget Elite) Provincial championship in Grande Prairie, March 28-31, 2019.

More action from the game

For more photos from the Alberta provincial playoffs between Calgary Fire Red and Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs, please see the link (Portfolio) at the top of this website’s Home page or visit the galleries with this link to J. Ashley Nixon Communications.