It’s not how you start, but how you finish. This was the case for the Bow Valley Nationals in the regular season and the championship final. The Nationals went an astonishing 24-0 to start the inaugural season in the Female Super League, however, down the stretch they were pushed, beaten twice and faced a deciding game scenario in the championship series.
The Nationals were the class of the FSL early on but dropped a pair of decisions to the Vancouver Aeros in the back half of the season. Those victories gave Vancouver confidence but also forced the Nats to bear down and it wasn’t surprising to see both teams reach the 14U Major championship series at the Silent Ice Center this past weekend.
Despite giving up the opening goal in all three games, the Nationals were able to pull off the 2-1 series win creating a rivalry that will last for years.
In game one Bow Valley found themselves down a goal when Zinnia Lin opened the scoring for Vancouver just 4 minutes into the championship series. 10 minutes later eventual finals MVP Halle White scored the first of 5 unanswered for the Nationals en route to a 5-1 game one victory where they fired 44 shots on Aeros goaltender Lyla Halstead.
In game two on Saturday, Vancouver not only scored first but built a 3-0 lead thanks to a pair of goals from Julia Rukavina. Bow Valley would storm back to tie the game at three after two periods before Vancouver would score twice in the third - Rukavina getting her hat trick goal - to hold off the Nationals 5-4 and force a deciding game three on Sunday.
The final game of the season started the same as game two, this time it was Kaiya Pennell who sniped twice, and Jane Mann added a goal for Vancouver as the Aeros led 3-0 midway through the second period.
Once again Bow Valley had an answer, thanks to some inspirational words from the leadership group in the first intermission.
“I’m very proud of them,” said an excited Sawyer Gillings post-game. “It was very inspirational let’s just say.”
The Nationals were methodical in their comeback, realizing they weren’t going to erase the deficit in one shot and started following up good shifts with more good shifts and chipped away at the lead.
Kaia Fleming and Allie McClement struck with goals just over 2 minutes apart to cut the lead to one after two periods.
Just under 5 and a half minutes into the third period, Sawyer Gillings scored a beautiful unassisted marker to tie the game at three. The regular season goal leader in the FSL stole the puck off a Vancouver face-off win and dove across the crease, outwaiting Aeros finals MVP goaltender Lyla Halstead and tucking the puck past the outstretched pad.
The Nationals had not only tied the game but ripped back the momentum. Five minutes of back-and-forth action took place before Gillings played the set-up role as she stripped the puck behind the net and found Reese McKay in the slot for the goal ahead goal.
Vancouver pushed for the equalizer for the next 8 minutes and 30 seconds before an empty-net goal sealed the championship for Bow Valley.
It was the dream ending for Gillings. “It was a great experience, I really want to come back next year, I loved it.”
The fans on hand and watching Silent Ice TV also loved it and with a 16U division being added next year, there is more excitement on the way in the Female Super League.