Queens National Champs!

THUNDER BAY QUEENS CROWNED ESSO CUP CHAMPIONS

REGINA, Sask. – They are this year’s royalty of female midget hockey.

2010 Esso Cup Media Gallery

The Thunder Bay Queens (Ontario) were crowned champions of the second annual Esso Cup on Saturday, after reigning victorious over the Notre Dame Hounds (West) 4-3 in a thrilling on-ice battle that had fans on the edges of their seats both inside the Co-operators Centre at Evraz Place, and in living rooms across the county as eyes stayed glued on TSN2 for three solid periods of a skilled female game.

Kaitlyn Tougas (Thunder Bay, Ont.) contributed half of the goals for the Queens, tying up the game at one apiece with a beautiful goal at 14:47 in the first period. She displayed some slick stick handling skills, putting it through the legs of a Notre Dame defenceman before deking out netminder Tamber Tisdale (Red Deer, Alta.).

The back-and-forth action continued throughout the game, with fans on both sides of the stands trying to outdo each other with enthusiastic cheers that filled the rink. Notre Dame reclaimed the lead early in the second, when Brienna Gillanders (Kyle, Sask.) scored on a power play with help from Olivia Howe (Moose Jaw, Sask.) and Woods.

The Hounds continued to put the offensive pressure on, with Brittany Berisoff (Kelowna, B.C.) making it 3-1 on another power play at 11:25 in the second. But penalties started to hurt rather than help Notre Dame, with the next power play marker going to Courtney Tougas (Thunder Bay, Ont.) of the Queens.

Another second period power play evened up the score, with Michela Cava (Thunder Bay, Ont.) making it 3-3 before the intermission. And while it looked like the evenly matched game may head into overtime, the Tougas girls came through on another power play, combining for the game winning goal with an assist going to Kaitlyn Quarrell (Thunder Bay, Ont.).

That resulted in chants of “Let’s go Queens” from spectators, with Notre Dame fans answering back with “Let’s go Hounds” in an attempt to push their favourite teams forward. But in the end, the game belonged to the Thunder Bay Queens, who laid claim to their first National Female Midget Championship title.

Crystal Duhaime (Geraldton, Ont.) was named Player of the Game for Notre Dame, while Kaitlyn Tougas received the same honour for winning team Thunder Bay. The Olympic theme song “I Believe,” reflecting the motto of the Thunder Bay Queens, filtered from the winning team’s dressing room after the game.

Queens Move onto Nats

The Thunder Bay Queens are crowned the Provincial Champs in OWHA Midget AA division.

Queens Win Inaugural 2009 Queens Showcase Tournament

The Thunder Bay Midget AA Queens won a hard fought battle with their arch rivals of 2009/10 the Minnesota Crunch. The Queens and Crunch played each other for the eighth time this year in the final of the 2009 Queens Showcase, and the game went into overtime. The Queens started out early with a goal by Riley Cronk when she tipped a point shot through the five-hole of the Crunch goalie. The Crucnh came back when Rachel Hennessy scored the first of her two goals for the game in the 2nd. The teams ended the 2nd tied 2-2. Kaitlyn Quarrell scored a beautie in the third when she raced in the left side and roofed a shot over the Crunch goalie Brianna Schulz. The Crunch didn't quit however and scored on a power play with 4 minutes left (Hennessy with her second of the game). The teams went to overtime, however just before, the Crunch were assessed a questionable slashing penalty at the end of the third. The queens started 4-3 in OT and didn't waste time ending the game. A nice four way passing play started when Brittany Zuback sent the puck to Taylor Savard who cross-iced it over to Kylie Cornell. Cornell fired a low shot which Michela Cava tipped into the net to ice the win. This is the Queens third tournament win of the year. For more information visit www.thunderbayqueens.com.

Queens victorious in Shattuck

Nov. 1 -- Kaitlyn Tougas scored the game-winner and Amanda Makela's save on a penalty shot in the final minute of the game lifted the Thunder Bay Sportop Midget AA Queens to a dramatic 2-1 win over the host Shattuck-St. Mary's Sabres under-16 side in the championship game of the SSM Invitational tournament Sunday in Faribault, Minn.

The powerful Shattuck side that featured the daughter of National Hockey League legend Mario Lemieux in its line-up got on the board early in the first as Blayre Turnbull beat Makela.

The Queens would bounce back quickly however as Brittany Zuback knocked a Kaitlyn Tougas pass out of the air and roared down the right side and fired one past the Sabres netminder for the equalizer.

Tougas would then pot the eventual game-winner with six minutes remaining in the opening frame.

Following a scoreless second and third period and Shattuck pressing for the tying goal they had a golden opportunity to force overtime after being awarded the penalty shot with 33 seconds left in regulation after the Queens had been hit with a delay of game call.

Makela would not be deterred stopping the penalty shot attempt snapping handing the Queens their second tournament title in as many tries for the team.

Thunder Bay also skated to the championship crown in their last tourmanent as they captured the Minnesota Crunch Showcase Oct. 12 in Grand Rapids, Minn.
Queens advance to final

Oct. 31 -- A pair of wins Saturday has helped the Thunder Bay Sportop Midget AA Queens advance to the final of the Shattuck-St. Mary's Invitational tournament at the SSM Ice Arena in Faribault, Minn.

The Queens defeated the Minnesota Crunch 2-0 and the Madison Capitols 6-2 to earn a berth in the title game Sunday against the powerful host Shattuck-St. Mary's Sabres under-16 side.

In the opener Saturday the Queens and Crunch played a tight-checking, scoreless opening period before Brittany Zuback notched the eventual game-winner five minutes into the middle stanza on assists by Michela Cava and Taylor Savard.

Four minutes later the Queens Ellia Heroux and Riley Cronk combined to set-up Brianna Iazzolino for an all important insurance marker.

Thunder Bay netminder Amanda Makela stood tall the rest of the game turning aside all 19 shots she faced for the shutout win.

In game two of the day the Queens opened seven minutes into the contest against Madison as Kaitlyn Tougas finished off a nice three-way passing with Cava and Zuback.

Thunder Bay would tack on four more goals to go up 5-0 including two more by Tougas to complete her hat-trick as well as singles by Cava and Cronk.

The Capitols would make it interesting firing two quick goals on Meghan Leikkari before Cava iced it forwith the final tally of the night.

Leikkari stopped 15 of 17 shots she faced to earn the win setting the stage for the Queens-Shattuck final on Sunday.
Queens victorious in tournament opener

Oct. 30 -- The Thunder Bay Sportop Midget AA Queens opened the Shattuck-St. Mary's Invitational tournament on a winning note Friday skating to a 5-3 victory over the Green Bay Bobcats at the SSM Ice Arena in Faribault, Minn.

After falling behind 1-0 early in the contest the Queens bounced backly quickly as Brittany Zuback would set-up Kaitlyn Tougas for the qualizer.

Green Bay would go on to take their final lead of night going on top 2-1 after the first period.

Thunder Bay would bounce back in the middle frame on markers by Michela Cava and Tougas.

Zuback's fourth point of the game came early in the third period as potted the eventual game-winner to make it 4-2.

The Bobcats pulled to within one with 11 minutes remaining, but Courtney Tougas replied a minute later to close out the scoring.

Meghan Leikkari made 26 saves to pick-up the win for Thunder Bay who fired 29 shots on the Green Bay net.

Zuback finished with a goal and three assists while Kaitlyn Tougas added an assist to go along with her two markers and Savanna Gamache chipped in with three helpers.

Next up in the tourney for the Queens will be another meeting with the Minnesota Crunch. This contest, which gets underway at 12 p.m. CT, will mark the sixth meeting of the season between the two sides.

So far the club have gone a productive 5-0-1 vs. the Crunch.

The Queens will also wrap-up round-robin play in the tourney Saturday evening at 7 p.m. against the Madison Capitols.

Sunday will see the tournament conclude with the medal round games.

2009/10 Thunder Bay Queens

The 2009/10 version of the Thunder Bay Queens are having a successful season so far with a record of 7-2-2. They have won the Minnesota Crunch Showcase in GRand Rapids MN beating other Midget AA and U-19 teams. Brittany Zuback has been named Assistant Captain along with Kailtyn Quarrell. The team is captained by the "Beav" Jana Henry. Below is a picture of the Queens after their win in Grand Rapids.

Queens Defeat BAA Flames

The Midget AA Queens defeated the BAA boys North End Flames 3-1 in Monday night action. Brittany Zuback scored the winning goal in the 2nd period.