The PWHPA opened the scoring on Friday morning at AdventHealth Center Ice, but only held their lead for 79 seconds. After falling behind 1-0, the South Shore Kings scored twice in a 4:20 span to gain a lead and the momentum. South Shore tacked on two more in the third period to take a 4-2 victory.
The first period featured two teams who were feeling each other out. Kali Flanagan had a partial breakaway seconds into the game, but was denied by Kings’ netminder Trey Miller. The Kings had two great chances of their own later in the period, but Katie Burt slammed the door shut. Her best save of the game came late in the frame when Liam Quinlivan was left all alone at the side of the net. Burt slid over and slammed the door shut to ensure a scoreless tie at the intermission.
After giving up the game’s first two goals on Thursday, the PWHPA flipped the script and scored the first goal in this contest. Haley Skarupa snuck into the slot area unmarked and took a pass from Sophia Shaver. Skarupa ripped the shot by Miller for her first of the trip, with Shaver and Lillian Braga collecting the helpers.
The lead only lasted 79 seconds. Anthony Quinlivan gained position at the top of the crease and knocked home the Kings’ opening goal of the game at 10:34, taking a feed from Brandon Parente.
Moments later, Ryan Bottrill won a faceoff and kicked it to winger Chikara Hanzawa. The Tokyo, Japan native took three strides and perfectly placed a shot over the glove of Burt from in close. The goal, at 14:56 of the second period, gave the Kings their first lead of the day.
The PWHPA did even things back up in the third period. Bottrill fired the puck into the net after whistle, and penalized ofr unsportsmanlike conduct at 5:11 of the third period. While on the advantage, Dani Cameranesi fed Amanda Kessel on the wall. Kessel, who scored two assists on Thursday, rifled her first of the trip home at 6:08 to even the game 2-2.
Once again, the Kings had the answer.
Just 24 seconds later, Jackson Krock found a loose puck in the high-slot and put a shot under the blocker of Burt. Krock’s goal proved to be the difference in a competitive game. Danny Cavanagh added an insurance marker at 16:28, and the Kings skated to a 4-2 victory over the PWHPA.
“I thought it was great,” Kings NCDC coach Drew Omicioli said postgame. “They’re an excellent team, they move pucks really well, excellent powerplay, great special teams. Their penalty kill was really good too. It was a nice game.”
PWHPA ‘All-Star’ coach Bill Flanagan was also again impressed with the powerplay unit.
“Well, we have five great players on it, quite frankly we have ten of them. Both units,” Flanagan said postgame. “These are just terrific hockey players, good chemistry with them, they’re moving pucks and winning puck battles. We should have scored a couple more, I mean we, Amanda Kessel missed on a one-timer, just missed the top corner there, that would have been another one so its just quality players making real quality plays.”
The PWHPA will have no time to rest. They’ll be back on the ice on Saturday night when they take on the Philadelphia Hockey Club. Coverage starts at 7:45 pm on HockeyTV and can be seen both live and free.
