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.  

COVERGIRLS

We have always joked about becoming famous -- or infamous -- for our hockey playing.  Now, there's a bit of truth to it with the recent article in Merrimack Valley Magazine about us.  Written by Lori Gress's friend, Liz Michalski, the article features our hockey sorority and highlights the friendships we've made on and off the ice.  The magazine hit newsstands in mid-November and is available at Whole Foods.

Holiday Mail for Heroes

Honorary Ms. Conducts Izzy DiAdamo (far right), Sophie Gallacher (second from right),
Audrey Gallacher (third from left) and friends create some cheer for the holidays.

Honorary Ms. Conduct Izzy DiAdamo hard at work at some off-ice teamwork.

What a great way to spend Veteran's Day weekend as Ms. Conducts Monica Gallacher and Heather Clark organized an afternoon of holiday card-making for our military heroes stationed overseas.  Honorary Ms. Conducts Sophie and Audrey Gallacher, Izzy DiAdamo, Nora Dalton, and Emily Wagner, along with some friends, helped create roughly 185 cards that are already packaged up and ready to be shipped to our heroes in time for the holidays.  

One Heart, Two Ms. Conducts

Ms. Conducts Brigid Hurley (far left) and Julie Dalton (second from right)
cook breakfast at Cor Unum on 11/10/13.

The 4am wake-up call was harsh on Sunday, November 10, 2013, as both Julie Dalton and Brigid Hurley ventured to Cor Unum in Lawrence to prepare breakfast for the hungry and homeless of Lawrence.  Walking into the restaurant-style meal center in the cold rain is nothing compared to the harsh reality of not being sure when your next meal may be.  Cor Unum serves up to three meals each day, 365 days a year, and relies on the dedication of others every day.  Each meal is served restaurant-style by volunteer servers. 

"You don't know what you're going to serve when you walk in there in the morning.  It's based on what is available in the refrigerator.  You want to serve a balanced meal, but sometimes the options are limited.  I knew I wanted to bake on Sunday morning so I switched on the ovens as soon as I got in there," said Dalton.

Hurley brought along her son, eighth-grader Connor, to help.  "He loves cracking eggs and I saw a smile on his face all morning," said Hurley, as Connor walked through the kitchen clearing plates. Dalton was in the power-position of chef ;) and Connor served as her sous chef cracking over 15 dozen eggs for the scrambled eggs,  greasing the muffin tins for the 8 or so dozen blueberry muffins, and adding syrup to the giant pancake that no one thought was feasible.

"I hate doubters...and making the pancake at the end proved that a team can do anything," said Dalton as she took off her batter-smeared apron.

If you would like to help you the next time, please email Julie at sixdaltons@icloud.com

Ms. Conduct Julie Dalton and honorary Conduct, Connor Hurley, show off the team pancake.

Ms. Conducts Victorious at Grant Rink

L to R: Lori Gress, Shereen Tyrell, Julie Dalton, Courtney Leavitt, Kellie Reid,
and Mary Lalley celebrate post-game at at the Gibbet Hill Grill in Groton.

A short Ms. Conducts bench didn't stop the team from putting together a 3-2 victory Saturday night against the Chicks with Sticks at LA's Grant Rink in Groton.  Special guest goalie, Alex Dalton, stood strong between the pipes in his first game since Mites as a netminder.  Behind a hat trick by Courtney Leavitt, honorary Ms. Conducts -- Nora Dalton and Emily Wagner -- provided offensive and defensive power.  The team toasted their victory with members of Chicks with Sticks at Gibbet Hill Farm.