March 2006 - 16U's Enjoy View from Near the Top

Their work is hardly done but February gave the TI 16U’s a taste of victory and wetted their appetite for the final ascent in what has been a very successful season. They have not lost a game since October so they entered Midwest Elite League playoffs and the Illinois State tournament as clear favorites. They had to overcome some stiff competition along the way but their record remained unblemished through both competitions and in the end, two more goals were accomplished and they were two steps closer to the top of the mountain.

In the Midwest Elite playoffs, they were up against their old nemesis CYA as well as a pesky Little Caesars squad and a much improved team from Shattuck. Their purpose was clear form the start, as they dominated CYA by a score of 6-1 and finished off Little Caesars and Shattuck by a combined score of 12-2 to move on to a semi-final match-up with their perennial rivals from Honeybaked.

The game would test TI’s ability to adapt, as they were placed in the unfamiliar position of playing shorthanded for much of the contest. After finishing the regular season as the least penalized team in the MWEHL, they would find themselves on the wrong end of a lopsided 13-2 penalty count. Several times they were faced with 5 on 3 disadvantages and had multiple opportunities to throw in the towel. But they battled and scrapped and held the game scoreless through two periods. Early in the final frame, TI found the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. A berth in the championship game was in their sights if the could hold off the determined Hams for another ten minutes. They would again find themselves shorthanded for much of this time but the penalty killers were up to the challenge and TI narrowly escaped with a 1-0 decision.

Meanwhile, Little Caesars was turning back the Wisconsin Wild by a similar score to set up the championship match up. Little Caesars was fired up and hopeful of pulling off an upset….but TI’s focus and determination proved too much for them as the girls in blue and white secured the championship with a decisive 4-1 victory. They headed for home with the satisfaction of finishing on top of a strong field and the confidence that they could carry their unbeaten string into the Illinois State playoffs.

The State tournament featured a round robin against the Chill, CYA, and Winnetka at the Ice Palace in distant Crystal Lake. The four teams were a testament to the level of girls’ hockey in Illinois as all showed plenty of talent. In the end the depth and discipline of the blue hats would enable them to skate through the round robin with three victories, and nary a goal against. Their closest challenge came from CYA, but the parade of red hats to the sin bin did not help their chances, and TI prevailed for a 4-0 triumph. The only thing standing between the TI 16’s and a trip to the Central District playoffs was a Sunday morning date with arch rival CYA at the Edge in Bensenville.

The crowd was buzzing and the atmosphere electric as both sides prepared for the contest that would end the season for one of them. It was the seventh time the two teams would meet and TI held the advantage to this point with four victories and two ties in the previous six. There is an old adage in sports that it is tough to keep beating a rival and some folks quietly wondered if perhaps a loss earlier on would have gotten it out of their system and relieved the pressure. But the girls knew that anything worth winning was worth working for and they welcomed the challenge. They had no idea how much of a challenge CYA would bring….but chinstraps were buckled and they were ready for the game they had been preparing for all season.

The game would feature tight defense, stellar goaltending, and a lot more five on five play than their previous meetings. The first period ended scoreless and the drama began to build. CYA broke the ice with a goal in the second period on a blistering slap shot that set off a frenzied celebration and boosted their confidence and their hope that perhaps an upset was possible. But TI stuck to their system and answered later in the same period on a rebound of a slap shot from the point. The second period ended in a 1-1 deadlock and the tension rose as each minute ticked away. Despite numerous chances, the third period would remain scoreless and would force overtime. The pressure was tremendous as the girls realized that one slip at the wrong moment could mean “sudden death” and a slide down the mountain they had worked so hard to scale. Their conditioning and experience in close games would prove invaluable in getting them through this one. Their season flashed before their eyes at one point when another wicked shot from the CYA defense rippled the net but unfortunately for CYA, it was after the whistle had blown because one of their players was in the goal crease so the goal was disallowed. When their hearts started beating again, the TI girls regrouped and went back to work. Finally…..in the third overtime…..with a delayed penalty coming against CYA…. a TI defender snuck in from the point to convert a rebound over a sprawling CYA net minder and set off a bench clearing celebration. The hard earned victory left the girls with a sense of joy, relief, and accomplishment…..not to mention fatigue!

Next up is the Wisconsin Wild in the battle to determine who will represent the Central District at the 2006 USA Hockey National Championships in Buffalo, New York. Coaches Tony Cachey and Margaret Hug are very happy with the team’s accomplishments to date but will not let them rest on their laurels while there are still a couple of more peaks to climb.

Congratulations to the TI 16U’s and good luck at regionals!