The Lumby Stars U18 Female Team hosted the OMAHA District Championships this past weekend at the Pat Duke Arena. The Stars first game Saturday at 7:15am did not disappoint fans as they played the Kelowna Rockets.
The early morning slot didn’t affect the Stars as they challenged the visiting goalie and had outshot the Rockets 57-18 going into third period. Julia McLennan opened the scoring at 11:32 of the first period to make it 1-0, assists going to Parker Davidson and Kiel Hayward. Hailey Hunt didn’t waist anytime getting back into her scoring form after her 6 weeks off for a broken collarbone as she put the Stars up 2-0, beautiful assists to Linemate Kendra Grant and D man Jenna Maltman to end the 2nd Period. The third period Hunt got her second of game at 9:18 again with assists from Grant and Maltman to make that the final score 3-0 with Net minder Tyra Cunningham earning the shutout on a defensively superb game between the pipes. Stars of the game went to Hunt, Tori Maltman, and McLennan.
The Stars second game of the day saw them face the Kamloops Blazers in the afternoon in which they put on a scoring clinic for the last game of the day. Asst Captain Jenna Maltman opened the scoring at 16:02 on a short handed goal assisted by cousin Tori Maltman and Caydence Quibell. That goal opened the door for the next 3 unanswered goals in the first period by the Stars. Quibell got her first of the game assisted by goalie Tyra Cunningham with a heads up pass. A minute later Tori Maltman added her own single assisted by Julia Bueckert and Hailey Hunt. Then with just over 2 minutes left in the first period Bueckert added a single assisted by line mates Hunt and Maltman to make it 4-0 to end the first period.
Some position and line changes didn’t stop the Stars from finding the back of the net as the second period saw 6 goals from the team. Captain Brooklynn Walters added one by Quibell and Maltman then Hunt added the Stars 6th goal and her first of 3 in the game assisted by Quibell and Kendra Grant. Parker Davidson went on the board with Bueckert and then Hunt again from Maltman and Maltman from Bueckert. Jenna Maltman got her first of two from Grant and Walters.
The Stars were unstoppable even with many passes between shots. The third period was just the same as McLennan added her own from Kiel Hayward and Buekert and then Hunt, J. Maltman, Quibell and Kiel Hayward all added to the goal side of the scoreboard . Stars finished the game 15-0 . 10 different players getting goals and every single player getting on the scoresheet including net minder Cunningham! Which shows the incredible talented depth this team has.
Stars of the game were Jenna Maltman, Parker Davidson and Captain Brooklynn Walters.
The two wins made it a guarantee that the undefeated Stars were guaranteed in the final on Sunday. After the games were tallied it was determined that their Sunday am round robin game against the 100 Mile house squad would be the match in the final. So to accommodate the travelling team who asked if they could use the early morning game as the championship game instead of having a rematch 6 hours later the Stars with OMAHA’s approval played them for the championship banner at 7:30am. The first half of the period was back and forth with many chances for both teams before Stars Julia McLennan opened the scoring at 7:26 assisted by gritty linemate Kendra Grant to go up 1-0. 30 seconds later the visiting 100 Mile Squad finally scored the first goal on the Stars net minders to tie it 1-1. With just over a minute and a half left in the period Parker Davidson scored assisted by Hailey Hunt to go ahead and make it 2-1 . Davidson added one more with 30 seconds assisted by Hunt and Tori Maltman to make it 3-1 Stars.
The second period saw great defensive plays by both teams. Then the third period had one final goal by Davison on a replay of the forth goal with assists to Hunt and Maltman again. The Stars finished the game with a 4-1 win and the OMAHA U18 Playoff Championship banner on Captain Brooklynn Walters 19th Birthday. It was a great weekend for female hockey in Lumby as the Stars finished the season undefeated with just one tie all season to the 100 Mile team.
The Stars are traveling to Richmond next weekend to participate in the Richmond Ravens 25th Annual Ice Classic tournament where they are playing Richmond, Oregon and Strathmore Alberta. They would like to thank everyone who has come out and supported their home games all season and the Stars U11 Female team as well. It has been a great season for both female teams and the development of female hockey. Go Stars!