Polar Bears Win 1997 Midget National ChampionshipOn Sunday, April 13, 1997, the Connecticut Polar Bears Midget 1 team won the Women's PeeWee (age 19 and under) National Championship. The Polar Bears captured the National Title by beating Minnesota 3-1 in the championship game. The National Tournament was held from Wednesday April 9 through Sunday April 13 in Boston, Massachusetts. The win by the Polar Bears represented the seventh national title won by the Polar Bears in twelve years. Since being formed in 1985, the Polar Bears PeeWee and/or Midgets have played in the championship game in 12 out of the last twelve years. In the 1997 National Tournament, the Polar Bears took their game to a new level to win six games:
In the first three games of the round robin tournament, the Polar Bears outscored their opponents by 21-0 to set up the fourth round robin game against the Minnesota Thoroughbreds. In a very fast paced game that was a mirror to the finals, the Bears defeated Minnesota 3-1 with goals from Nicole Kirnan, Jen Wiehn, and Courtney Johnson. Meaghan Cahill played an outstanding game in net, much to the delight of Dartmouth Coaches Crowe and Parrish, who were in the stands. As a result of the four round robin wins, the Polar Bears advanced as No 1. in the National Division against Assabet which was No. 2 in the American division. The Thoroughbreds advanced to play against Lake Placid, NY, the No. 1 team in the American division. The first period against Assabet was a typical up and down game with Lauren Goldstein and Tiffany Hayes making tough saves. With 2:25 left in the period, Jess Tabb scored the prettiest goal of the tournament. At a center ice face off, she drew the puck back to the right defenseman, Lisa Giovanelli, who passed to the left defenseman, Liz Macri. From Macri tha puck was passed to Jen Weihn at the left blue line and then back to Jess Tabb, who was streaking down the middle of the ice. Jess split the defenders and deked Goldstein to score what was the winning goal. Goldstein was injured on the play and left the game. Liz Macri added a goal less than two minutes into the second period and Jackie Kryzak added a third period goal with 1:45 left in the second. Tiffany Hayes had completed her third consecutive shutout against Assabet this year. Minnesota defeated Lake Placid 1-0 to set up a rematch against the Bears in the finals. The Bears struck first on a power play with 4:09 left in the first. Nicole Kirnan found the puck in traffic on the left side of the net and rifled a wrist shot past the Minnesota goalie. Minnesota tied the game on a power play with 3 1/2 minutes left in the second period. Jen Schmidgall scored on a backhand to the top of the net against Meg Cahill. With 2:04 left in the second, the Bears scored on another power play. From the left point, Jess Tabb found Jen Weihn on the right side of the net; Wiehn drove a one timer past the Minnesota goalie. With six minutes left in the third period Corine Rosen scored on a wrist shot from the right point, assited by Nicole Kirnan. Although Minnesota had several chances to score after that, Meg Cahill shut them down. The Bears had two National Championships in one day and then received the KOHO Sportsmanship Award for the fewest penalties during the play- down games. Other members of the Midget National Championship team are:
In order for the Polar Bears to qualify to play in the U.S. National
tournament, they swept the New England Midget tournament which was held
March 14-16, 1997 in Burlington, Vermont.
Polar Bear Record in National Championship Competition1986 Detroit, MI - PeeWees won in final over Assabet, MA 7-0 1987 Buffalo, NY - Midgets lost in final to Stoneham, MA 3-1 1988 Minn., MN - Midgets lost in double OT final to Stoneham, MA 3-2 1989 New Haven, CT - Midgets lost in final to Assabet, MA 2-1 1990 Detroit, MI - Midgets won in 7 OT final against Assabet, MA 2-1 1991 Boston, MA - Midgets won in final against Michigan 3-2 1992 Duluth, MI - Midgets lost in final to Assabet, MA 4-2 1994 Detroit, MI - PeeWees lost in final to Chelmsford, MA 2-1 1995 Syracuse, NY - PeeWees won in double OT final against Assabet, MA 2-1 1996 Bloomington, MN - PeeWees won in final against Assabet, MA 5-2 1997 Boston, MA - PeeWees won in final against Minnesota 5-2 1997 Boston, MA - Midgets won in final against Minnesota 3-1
|