The Toronto Golden Jets senior women’s Gold team split a pair of games on the final day of NCL weekend tournament play at Markham’s Pan Am pool.
It was an early morning semi-final against Montreal Touski that would decide whether Toronto would play for first place or third place later in the day.
The day before during round robin play, the Jets defeated Touski 8-7 on a buzzer-beater shot by goalie Grace Bobyk. It was another in a string of close contests between the two squads.
The first quarter was a tight defensive struggle with the visitors netting the only goal. The teams opened up in the second period scoring three times each to leave Montreal ahead 4-3 at the half.
The floodgates opened on both sides in the third with Touski edging the Jets 6-5 to extend the lead to 10-8 heading into the final frame.
Toronto responded with a 2-0 quarter to knot the game at 10-10 and send it to a shootout.
Despite Bobyk blocking Touski’s first attempt, the Jets missed three consecutive shots after scoring twice to fall 13-12 overall.
Josie Andrist led the regulation time scoring for the Jets with four goals. Leanne Bolstad and Devon Lynch both scored twice while Tyanna Supreme and Hannah Levin added singles.
Bobyk was strong in the nets making a dozen saves.
The loss dropped the Jets into what normally would have been the third place game. However, with Saskatchewan at the tournament making the first place game as an exhibition team whose points wouldn’t count in the Eastern Conference standings, the game with Montreal CAMO became a game for second place. By virtue of being in the final against Saskatchewan, Montreal Touski was guaranteed first place.
Both teams started out tentatively, not to mention a bit tired after the morning semi-final games. CAMO won the quarter 2-1.
Toronto then roared out to a five goal quarter while holding Montreal to three and took a 6-5 lead into the half.
The Jets again won a quarter by a goal, this time 4-3, and extended their lead to 10-8 heading into the fourth period.
Each team only managed one goal and the Jets came away with a 11-9 victory and second place on the weekend. The two goal margin followed three consecutive one goal wins.
Ava Stimson and Lynch each notched hattricks while Andrist tallied twice. Julia Mic, Sydney Low and Bolstad added singles.
Bobyk again was strong making 13 saves and adding two steals.