10U Keep Pace with League Teams

The girls had a short break in between the Thanksgiving holidays, which might have carried over into their first game against the Glenview Stars whom they had beaten in the NIHL tiering round. This time the girls had trouble finding their skating legs and were defeated 6-0. Next up on Dec. 5th were the "Huskies" who were 4-0-2 at the time. The game was played with high intensity from the start. Midway through the first period Kelly Micholson streaked up ice and went through the Huskie defense depositing a wrist shot from high in the slot into the short side of the net making it 1-0. In the second period, Katie Fitzgerald kept TI in it making several big saves along the way. The Huskies did score towards the middle of the period to tie it. In the third period, TI spent almost half the period in the box. The girls did not back down and earned a hard fought tie. TI 1-1. 

On Dec. 11th, TI traveled to Addison to take on the Winnetka #2 team whom TI had shut out 3-0 in the tiering round. Winnetka came out strong from the start and put a 5-1 win on the board against the girls. The girls rebounded somewhat the next day playing against the Vikings. Jillian Kosteck got TI on the board first going end to end and beating the goalie to the stick side. TI 1-0. Then shortly after that goal, the Vikings tied it up. In the second, the Vikings got 2 more goals off rebounds in front of the net to take a 3-1 lead into the third period. Early in the third, Kelly Micholson skated through the defense to get TI within one goal. Then, Kelly Murray had a strong rush up ice and fed Katy Ratty alone in the slot. Katy let one of her patented blazing wrist shots go and it found the net to tie it and that's how it ended. Alanna Serviss earned the tie in net and made some strong saves to keep TI in it. TI 3-3. 

On Dec. 16th, TI traveled to Evanston to take on an undermanned but very strong team from Evanston. The Evanston Wildkits' team played a very smooth transitional game, which kept the girls busy from the get-go. In the first, Jillian Kosteck had a strong rush up ice through the defense. She was forced to go wide down low in the offensive zone, then, as she looked for a passing lane, she found Ellen O'Malley in the slot. Jillian made a terrific pass to Ellen who one timed it into the net for one of TI's prettiest goals of the year. One minute later, the Wildkits tied it up and that's how the period ended. In the second, the Wildkits scored 2 more goals to take a 3-1 advantage into the third period. With less than 4 minutes to go, TI was still down 2 goals. With just over 3 minutes remaining, Kelly Micholson took control going through the Wildkits and scoring from high in the slot to pull TI within one goal. Then, with the goalie pulled Jillian Kosteck so eloquently deposited a wrist shot into the back of the net to tie it with just under one minute to go. The entire team earned a hard fought tie. TI 3-3. 

The girls did not participate in any Holiday Tournaments. They enjoyed a short break during the holidays. The team starts January with 3 games in the first week and is planning to participate in the Indianapolis Squirt B Boys Tournament the weekend of January 21st to 23rd. Good Luck Girls.