2015 Esso Cup

SHELL LEADS SUDBURY TO ESSO CROWN

WENDY GRAVES

RED DEER, Alta. – She wore that C for a reason.

Karli Shell (Sudbury, Ont.) scored twice in the first period, the only offence the Sudbury Lady Wolves needed to defeat the Red Deer Chiefs 2-1 on Saturday afternoon and capture the 2015 Esso Cup.

Danika Ranger (North Bay, Ont.), the tournament’s Top Goaltender, made 19 saves in picking up her fifth win of the week.

Quiet by nature away from the rink, Shell did her talking on the ice. Only 2:57 into the game, the tournament’s Top Forward skated around the goalie crease and effortlessly roofed a backhand.

Red Deer got the equalizer midway through the first period. Skylar Colonna (Red Deer, Alta.) raced up the side boards, and keeping the puck on a two-on-one beat goalie Sarah Murray (Calgary, Alta.) short side.

Shell silenced the home crowd again six minutes later. With three Sudbury players buzzing down low, it was Shell finding the puck and beating the goalie glove side.

After a well-played, up-tempo first period, the next 35 minutes became not so much a continuation of that same showcase of skill but more an exercise in flat-footedness and slightly sloppy play.

During the preliminary round the Lady Wolves overwhelmed the Chiefs 7-2, chasing two goalies in the process. Red Deer’s efforts to slow the Sudbury attack in the rematch resulted in neutralizing its own.

It wasn’t until about five minutes left in the third that the Chiefs started showing some signs of life.

An odd-man rush on the power play ended with Ashley Richard (Red Deer, Alta.) firing the puck directly into Ranger’s chest. With the puck now stopped Red Deer pulled its goalie for a six-on-four with an offensive zone face-off. Mairead Bast (Red Deer, Alta.) found a clear shooting lane but once again Ranger barely had to move for the save.

It was hardly the best played game but in the end that hardly mattered to Sudbury.

The Lady Wolves win spoiled what would have been a fairy tale ending for both the Chiefs and the Red Deer Arena. Built in 1952 the arena had previously welcomed the 2007 TELUS Cup and 2013 Allan Cup. The 2015 Esso Cup marked its swan song as a host for a national championship; the arena will be torn down in the spring.

The Lady Wolves have only five graduating players and look to be in good shape to take run at defending their title next year in Weyburn, Sask.