Boucher scores overtime winner to help Edmonton win four straight

by Vanessa S Basran

BURNABY, B.C. –  Fans inside the Bill Copeland Sports Centre were on the edges of their sets Wednesday as they watched top Esso Cup contenders the Edmonton Thunder (Pacific) and the Regina Rebels (West) face off, and as the game unfolded it appeared the game could have belonged to either in end.

But in the end, the Edmonton Thunder owned it, with Amy Boucher (Edmonton, Alta.) notching the game-winner on a power play at 3:05 in the overtime period, taking a pass from blueliner Cayle Dillon (Edmonton, Alta.) and one-timing from the top of the circle and into the back of the Regina net, sparking an excited on-ice hugs from her teammates as they celebrated their fourth straight win at the 2013 Esso Cup.

The first was strong for both teams, with Edmonton and Regina making solid offensive efforts to get the puck into the net.  Edmonton notched one first, however, as Alexandra Poznikoff (Edmonton, Alta.) lined up a beauty of shot and send the puck sailing into the back of the net at 8:51 in the period, also on a power play.

But with less than three minutes left in the opening frame, Teah Anderson (Regina, Sask.) tied it up for Regina, an indication of the back-and-forth action yet to come. These girls were clearly fired up and ready to battle it out, with an intense amount of energy that couldn’t be dismissed by the fans in stands.

Anderson scored her second goal of the game in at 5:14 in the middle frame, again on a power play, to make it 2-1 for the West reps. Regina’s enthusiasm was contagious, and the communication between the team’s players helped them continue to put the pressure on the strong Edmonton squad.

Edmonton continued to be affected by penalties, as Emma Waldenberger (Moose Jaw, Sask.) and Andie Wilyman (Regina, Sask.) also scored on power plays in the second to make it 4-1 for Regina. But Boucher got the ball rolling soon after for her team, notching her first of the night at 15:35 in the period to narrow the gap to 4-2 going into intermission.

The third period was all Edmonton. Taylor Hughson (Edmonton, Alta.) followed up on Boucher’s goal at 5:08 with one of her own in the third, assisted by Poznikoff, to make it 4-3. With time running down on the clock, Edmonton pulled its goalie with 30 seconds remaining. And it only took five seconds for Poznikoff went on to score her second of the night, sending it into an exciting overtime period that kept the crowd inside the arena enthralled.

With Esso Cup ticket holders watching in anticipation, the puck flew up and down the ice in the first few minutes of overtime, but when Edmonton got on the power play, they took full advantage of the extra player, and Boucher quickly put the game to bed for the 5-4 final.

“Our main focus was to get the puck in the net, with consistent drive, and catching those rebounds,” Boucher said following the big win. “It feels good to be undefeated and we’re pumped with where we stand in the overall tournament.”

“We’re just playing the game as it comes, and our coaches kept saying we would be undefeated in this tournament in September, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

The players of the game were Poznikoff for Edmonton and Wilyman for Regina. Edmonton will battle it out again tomorrow against LHFDQ Nord (Quebec) at 12 p.m. PT on Thursday, April 25, while Regina will try for another win against Halifax Metro Boston Pizza (Atlantic) at 4 p.m. PT. Catch all the action live online at FASTHockey by going to hockeycanada.fasthockey.com.