Kootenay Wildcats drop two close games to top ranked Fraser Valley Phantom
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Fraser Valley Phantom needed a gritty effort to knock off Kootenay Wildcats in B.C. Female Midget AAA Hockey League action this past weekend in Langley.
The Phantom, leaders of the six-team league with a 10-1-3 record, posted wins of 1-0 and 3-1 during a two-game weekend series.
Kootenay, 4-9-2 on the season, is fifth in league standings.
Mikayla Ogrodniczuk scored the only goal of the game late in the opening frame to spark the Phantom to the win Saturday in the series opener.
Sarah Mex pitched a shutout in goal for Fraser Valley.
Sunday, Kootenay got off to a great start, taking a 1-0 lead into the first period intermission on a goal by Paige Chapdelaine of Cranbrook.
But Fraser Valley struck for three second-period goals — two coming in a two-minute span late in the frame — to erase the Kootenay lead.
Kirsten Martin led the Phantom with two goals.
Kealey McMurty, finishing the game with two points, scored the other marker for Fraser Valley.
Morgan Flynn of Castlegar and Natasha Singer of Kimberley are the two Kootenay netminders.
Kootenay, currently locked in a five-game losing streak, host a BC Hockey Midger AAA Hockey League tournament weekend December 13-15 in Nelson and Castlegar.
The Wildcats open with a game against Prince George Courgars before facing the Phantom, West Coast Avalanche and Okanagan Rockets.
The game against Okanagan is in Castlegar at the Arena Complex.
