Finding a new gear
Central Storm sweeps way to P.E.I. under-15 AAA female championship
“They went out and just absolutely overtook all three games. They played at a level I haven’t seen all season. It was amazing to watch.”
Jordan Miller
The Central Storm played their best hockey of the 202324 season when it mattered the most.
The Storm recently defeated the Mid-isle Wildcats 5-2, 4-1 and 5-0 to sweep the best-of-five championship series and win the P.E.I. Under15 AAA Female Hockey League championship.
“I had a quiet confidence going into the series and had a really good feeling we were going to come out on top,” said Storm head coach Jordan Miller. “I did not foresee them overtaking Mid-isle the way they did.
“They went out and just absolutely overtook all three games. They played at a level I haven’t seen all season. It was amazing to watch.”
STRONG DEFENSIVELY
A big part of the Storm’s playoff success was strong defensive play. For example, the Charlottetown-based Storm only allowed three goals in the three games versus MidIsle.
“All the games were pretty close,” said Mullen Macintyre, who plays defence and recorded 16 goals and 27 points in 28 contests.
Macintyre describes the Storm as a strong defensive team.
“They are very physical and fun to play. It was a pretty close series.”
The Storm, who finished first in the three-team P.E.I. league with a record of 25-2-3 (won-lost-tied), which included an interlocking schedule with the New Brunswick league.
“I love the interlocking,” said Miller. “When there are only three teams, it keeps the competition a lot better.
“To be able to have three teams on the Island and New Brunswick also has three teams, so it keeps the competition good.”
The season is not over the Storm and Matrix. Both teams – Storm as the host and Matrix as P.E.I. representative – will participate in the Atlantic championship tournament in North Rustico from April 18 to 21.
“I’m very excited to play in that,” said Macintyre, from Stratford, P.E.I.
“I think it’s going to be very close, and we will have a good chance.
“We played a lot of the offIsland teams, and a lot of the games were very close. We don’t know everyone who is in (the Atlantics), but I think it will be a really good experience.”
RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
Miller said the Storm has a formula for success, adding Central is not a fancy team but displays a hard-working attitude.
The Storm’s approach all season has been to get pucks deep in the opposition’s end, work it down low, get pucks on the net and go for rebounds.
“We don’t have standouts; we just have a lot of girls who are really passionate about hockey, and they really grew together with the same goal that we are a team and that’s how we are going to win,” said Miller.
“They work really well together; they get along with each other off the ice and there are never any issues with any fighting or anything like that.
“All of them were best friends and any goal we would have (during the season), they all went after it and did what we asked. They are an all-round good coachable team.”