Rocking to a Victory

The Ms. Conducts two faced a tougher opponent on Saturday evening at the Nashoba Valley rink as they faced off against the Rockin' Rookies.  Scoreless in the first period, defenseman Judy Durling notched the only tally of the game as she scored five-hole from the point.  Her shot trickled past the RR goaltender halfway through the second period.  Shots from Rita Castagno, Angela Spagna, and Kellie Reid kept the pressure in their offensive zone. In the third period, Laura Souza had a strong pass to Charlene DeRoche who got off a solid shot.  Dawn Cornish carried the puck end-to-end only to be stopped just short of the slot.  Tricia Texeira (hooking) and Ellen Babcock (hooking) both took penalties that the team killed off.  Goaltender Amy Burke and the Ms. Conducts 2 went to the locker room with their second shutout of the day.

Afternoon Catnap

The Ms. Conducts 1 had an afternoon match-up against the Cheshire Ice Cats at Nashoba Valley Sports Arena and came away with another decisive victory.  After picking off an errant pass in the neutral zone, Julie Dalton took a shot that slipped through the goalie's pads and sat on the goaline; wing Pam Hegarty slapped it home for the first tally of the game.  Moments later on the same shift, Dalton picked up the puck in the defensive zone and scored unassisted.

In the second period, the Ms. Conducts couldn't score on the power play, yet successfully killed a minor bench penalty that Lori Gress served for too many men on the ice.  Mary Lalley and Trisch "Alabama" Grimes had good scoring chances but couldn't put the puck in the net. 

In the third period, non-calls by the refs (tripping, checking, and hooking) created frustration on both teams.  Goaltender Amy Burke made several game-changing saves that kept her shutout alive.  Keri Capobianco took a slashing penalty and the team rallied to preserve the win.

Hell Hath No Fury...

...like determined Ms. Conducts!!  The Ms. Conducts 1 team skated to a 1-0 win this morning against Helle's Belles at the Valley Sports Arena.  Matched up against a tougher opponent, Coach Chedel said the girls really stepped it up.  The first period was a "get settled" period with some ping pong hockey and only a few offensive chances for both teams.  With 3:18 left in the second period, Lori Gress proved that putting the puck on the net is always a good thing as Keri Capobianco backhanded a rebound for the only tally of the game.  Late in the third period, center Mary Lalley preserved goaltender Allison Morlock's second shutout of the day by stepping into the net and making a stick save as the loose puck dribbled into the crease.  A quick whistle ended the play and the Ms. Conducts held on for their second tournament victory.

When It Rains: April Showers 2014

When it rains, it pours at April Showers as both Ms. Conducts teams began the tournament weekend with solid victories...

Goaltender Amy Burke is ready for game one!

Ms. Conducts 1 played late Friday night and coach Christian Chedel (Gagnon) tasked each player with getting three shots on net for the game. With that in mind, Amelie Gagnon, was the first to shoot early in the first period. Visiting Ms. Conduct defenseman, Alyssa Carpenter, got the Ms. Conducts on the board with a shot from the point mid-way through the first period.  Gagnon fed wing Keri Capobianco in front of the net for a one-timer that put the Ms. Conducts up 2-0 heading into the break.  In the second period, center Julie Dalton added to the lead with an unassisted shot off a face-off win.  Coach Chedel commented on the textbook breakouts and the importance of crashing the net when wing Lori Gress took a cross-ice breakout pass and sent the puck to open space for Capobianco to pick up in the neutral zone.  With Gagnon ready, Capobianco took a shot that rebounded to Gagnon who slammed it home for a four goal lead. Goaltender Amy Burke was stellar in net, allowing only one goal on a breakaway by a Quarry Cats forward.

The Ms. Conducts 2 are ready to take on the Northeast Angels on 4/5/14.

Center Michelle Bramante prepares for a faceoff.

The Ms. Conducts 2 had an early Saturday morning game and they took advantage of the Northeast Angels' late-to-wake-up spirit posting a 2-0 shutout for solid goaltender Allison Morlock.  After a scoreless first period, Angela Spagna got the Ms. Conducts on the board with assists from Shereen Tyrell and Judy Durling. Coach Bill DeRoche said the team had good play in their own zone and solid defense for the entire game.  With their wings in good position, Spagna added an insurance goal off a feed from Kellie Reid and Charlene DeRoche. The team went to the locker room with a solid win behind them and a Saturday night matchup with the Rockin' Rookies ahead of them.

Nika Is No Match for the Ms. Conducts

L to R: Lori Gress, Mary Lalley, Judi Hughes, and Rita Toscano brave the snow to reach the ice.

Mary Lalley (R) uses the ever-useful hockey stick
to clear the snow as Judi Hughes looks on.

Whomever said not to mess with Mother Nature hadn't yet met the Ms. Conducts.  Proof that you can do anything that you set your mind to, eight Ms. Conducts braved the wind and snow of winter storm, Nika, to play at Phillips Academy on Wednesday morning, 2/5/14.  We chuckled as the door to the locker room opened and revealed the next brave soul.  Our last skate of the session felt like old times as we ran drills ourselves and then played a self-governed 4v4 full-ice game.  Many ladies were missed, for sure, and we wish more were there to share the joy of teammates, sweat, and ice -- and some snowflakes!

One Hat…All Glory as the Ms. Conducts Look to Get Ham'd at the Ham

Colleen Callahan (#21) scores her first of four goals Saturday night against the Maine Coon Cats.

Although the ice outside was thicker than the ice inside the Ham Arena, the Ms. Conducts pulled off a lopsided victory against the Maine Coon Cats late Saturday night.  Defenseman Colleen Callahan got the Ms. Conducts on the board with an end-to-end unassisted goal in the first period sending the momentum flying in the team's direction.  Callahan added to the lead with her second goal of the period  on a sweet pass from Lori Gress, pushing the Ms. Conducts further ahead of the 'Cats. 

The effortless second period began with Amelie Gagnon's miraculous goal from behind the net, proving that good things happen when you put the puck on the net.  With the Ms. Conducts up 3-0, the girls began to find seams and scar the 'Cats (meow).  Despite no hats thrown in her honor, Callahan completed her hat trick on a top-shelf snipe from an offensive zone face-off.  Left wing Gress took the puck behind the net and threaded it to Keri Capobianco who one-timed it past the Coon Cats frustrated goaltender.  Julie Dalton added to the Ms. Conducts lead with a backhanded shot over the goalie's shoulder to end the second period.

Defensman Sandy "Stiletto" O'Sullivan gets ready for play.

With a  6-0 lead, the Ms. Conducts began the third period on running time and tasked with protecting goaltender Michelle Donnelly's shutout. Defensemen Katie Castagno, Trisch "Alabama" Grimes, Callahan, Sandy "Stiletto" Sullivan, Dusty Beeley, and Carol Lowenstein held the Coon Cats at bay while Colleen Callahan finished her four-goal evening with a tap-in goal as time ran out on the deflated 'Cats.  The Ms. Conducts finished the game earning all five points for winning all three periods of play and the overall game victory.  With the tournament victor still undecided, the Ms. Conducts went to the locker room with heads held high and a celebratory night ahead of them. 

Brewin' Up a Tie

Sixteen Ms. Conducts arrived in North Conway for the Dave Dore Winter Classic Tournament and kicked off the weekend with a team pasta dinner and -- due to curfew -- an abbreviated game of Flip Cup and shortened hot tub time.

Kicking off the weekend on Friday night with a team pasta dinner.

Despite freezing rain outside and an early morning wake up, the team faced off against the New England Brewins on Saturday morning.  Although the Ms. Conducts had the first scoring chance on a second-shift breakaway by Julie Dalton, the Brewins went up 2-0 in the first period.  Goaltender Michelle Donnelly shut down the Brewins for the rest of the game and strong offensive pressure by Lori Gress, Keri Capobianco (spinning off a defenseman!), and Amy Thompson kept the game exciting.  The Ms. Conducts got on the board in the third period on a one-timer shot in the slot by Dalton (assisted by Carol Lowenstein and Michelle Bramante). Defenseman Colleen Callahan hit the post in an effort to tie the game and defenseman Katie Castagno's shots from the blue line narrowly missed the net.  With less than three minutes to go in the game, Dalton intercepted a pass and carried the puck down the ice.  Winger Pam Hegarty crashed the net and tipped in Dalton's pass for the game-tying goal.

In spite of many non-calls by the refs (a trip on Sandy "Stiletto" O'Sullivan, a hook and a check on Dalton, a slash to Hegarty), the women held strong and stayed physical.  Great teamwork and passing combine for a good game.