The nature of playing high level girls hockey in these parts almost always necessitates local teams to get used to very condensed schedules of play, often squeezing as many as four encounters into a typical weekend of OWHA action.
If fatigue was affecting the Sudbury U15 AA Lady Wolves last weekend, it sure didn’t show.
Just a day after earning a hard fought split against a top-end Barrie Sharks crew (3-1 loss followed by a 2-1 win), the locals swept the Caledon Coyotes on Sunday by scores of 3-1 and 2-1. It definitely did not hurt that less than two minutes into the series finale, Sudbury sniper Lacey Rivers showcased her offensive skills yet again, roofing a shot from in tight to give her team the early lead.
A native of Timmins who split the 2022-2023 season with both a U15 AA boys team as well as the U18 A girls back in her hometown, Rivers has been a very nice addition to an already strong lineup – albeit one the team had to work to acquire.
"I had played summer hockey with a lot of these girls," Rivers explained, outlining the initial reach out her parents would make to the Sudbury staff, subsequently approaching her own association for permission to skate with the "AA" girls team in the nickel city.
“I was trying out for the Timmins U15 AAA team,” Rivers explained. “On the night of the second tryout, I was asked to sign – but that morning, I got a call from Eric Navarro (U15 AA Lady Wolves coach) and Derek MacKenzie (whose daughter had made the team as one of the two goaltenders prior to the former NHLer accepting an assistant coaching role with the Nashville Predators and Andrew Brunette).”
“They asked me to come down and tryout – and then they asked me to sign and then they called again. I knew that I had to transition eventually to girls hockey, so I decided to come here to play. It’s a lot of fun.”
Beyond the lure of a one-time captain of the Florida Panthers making the request came the reality of future opportunities for the leading scorer with the Sudbury crew. “My parents did not know that for the girls, this is the year where they first get scouted to maybe go somewhere (by the OWHA – Ontario Women’s Hockey Association) and since I was really little, I’ve always wanted to go somewhere in hockey,” said Rivers.
As for the adjustment in crossing over this year, the gifted puck-handler has already noticed the need to change her focus, just a little, in order to ensure that she continues to shine. “I’ve already noticed that a lot of these girls are quicker than some of the boys, so I’m trying to work on my foot speed and my three step acceleration,” she said.
“It’s really necessary in hockey. I am working on my aim with my shot because I would like to say that my shot has gotten harder, but my aim could still be better.”
With a record of 3-1-1, the U15 AA Lady Wolves are back in action next weekend, facing the North York Storm at Canlan York at noon and then returning the favour with a two-game set versus the Coyotes at the Caledon East Arena, a series that will feature encounters Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.
The team is back at home on Thursday November 9th, welcoming the North Bay Jr Lakers to town for a 6:45 p.m. battle at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
