The St. Albert Slash are determined to win their way to the 2011 Esso Cup instead of playing at the national championship as the host team.
"We know we have an automatic spot but it's not really what we're thinking. We want to be that team that makes it to the Esso Cup because we worked hard every game and won it for ourselves," said Melissa Kueber, captain of the 12-2-3 Slash in the Alberta Major Midget Female Hockey League.
Sunday's 6-3 victory against the visiting Calgary Bruins extended the Slash's undefeated streak to seven games.
"We've had a good start to the season. It just comes down to everyone working together and playing as a team and that's going to help us in the long run," Kueber said.
The April 17 to 23 nationals at Servus Credit Union Place will showcase the regional playoffs winners from Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic, West and Pacific, as well as the Slash. At the 2010 nationals in Regina, the Thunder Bay (Ont.) Queens edged the Notre Dame (West) Hounds 4-3 for the gold medal.
"It's going to be an amazing experience for everyone on our team. It's giving us opportunities to play against the top teams in all of Canada and even the top players. It will be a good eye opener for all of us to see where we are, compared to those top players, and where we have to be better," Kueber said.
To be among the best of the best has been a daunting task as the Slash soldiers on towards nationals.
"There is a lot of pressure for sure but right now the pressure is really on for the Mac's Cup," said Kueber of the Slash defending their Mac's tournament title during the Christmas break in Calgary.
Thunder struck
The biggest hurdle to clear en route to nationals is the Edmonton Thunder, the bronze medallists as the Pacific reps at the 2010 Esso Cup. In the north standings the Slash trail the first-place Thunder (15-0-3) by six points with one game in hand.
The teams battle for the second time this season next Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. at Performance Arena.
"There is bragging rights of course when we play them. We're friends with all those girls but when we're on the ice, we want to beat them," Kueber said.
The Thunder are also the league leaders offensively (90 GF) and defensively (19 GA). The Slash rank second in goals scored (84) and share second spot in goals against (32).
"The Thunder has a great team with their goaltending and solid D and three solid lines," Kueber said. "We can give them a run for their money like we did in that 2-2 tie [Oct. 31], we just have to go play our game every single game against them."
Last season the Thunder finished first at 22-6-4 and the Slash placed third at 13-11-8 and in the division final Edmonton swept St. Albert in three games.
"We played every game like it was the championship game," Kueber said.
So far the only team to defeat the Slash this year is the south division-leading Red Deer Chiefs (15-2-2) by scores of 6-2 in the season opener and 4-3 Oct. 17 in Red Deer.
The third time the Slash settled for a tie was Saturday's 3-3 stalemate against the Highwood Raiders (10-4-5) in St. Albert that stopped the team's run of three straight shutouts.
"Our defence has been doing very good all year. They're holding their line," Kueber said. "Every practice we're focusing on the defensive zone and it shows in our games."
Down 3-1 to the Raiders after 40 minutes, the Slash pulled even on goals by Kueber and Jessica Kampjes' second of the game. The shot count was 38-22 for St. Albert. In net was Chloe Sanderson (5-0-2, 1.63 GAA, two shutouts).
Lighting the lamp against the Bruins (6-9-4) was Karly Heffernan with a pair while Matana Skoye, Angie Mason, Krystal Reithmayer and Charity Price added singles. Heffernan, Reithmayer and Deanna Morin recorded two assists apiece. Heffernan is the third-highest Slash point producer with 27, on nine goals and 18 assists in 17 games.
The Slash outshot the visitors 39-28. Between the pipes was Emily Mitchell (7-2-1, 2.08 GAA, three shutouts).
Kueber and Kampjes, the league's co-leaders in points with 29, both chipped in with one assist. Kampjes is also tied for second in goals with 16 in 16 games.
The Slash duo are contenders for U18 Alberta roster spots for the 2011 Canada Winter Games, Feb. 19 to 27 at Halifax, N.S.
Kueber, 17, is also the league's top goal scorer with 18 in 13 games.
"There is always room for improvement. I can still be better and learn new skills," said the right winger, who skated with Morin and Kate Lumley on a new line combination last weekend after spending most of the season with Kampjes and a rotation of centres.
Colgate Raiders
Kueber recently became the first Slash player this season to sign a letter of intent and the lucky team was the Colgate Raiders in the Eastern College Athletic Conference.
"My goal was to make my decision before November so I could just focus on my team and be there for them," said the Grade 12 Paul Kane High School student.
Also in the running for Kueber's services was the University of New Hampshire, Bemidji State University and the University of Alberta Pandas.
"It was quite a process. First off, getting those emails from the schools back in Grade 11 to actually talking on the phone to them and then actually going down to those official visits," Kueber said of touring the campuses and attending practices and games as the guest of honour. "It was an awesome experience."
Colgate University is located in Hamilton, a picturesque village nestled in the Chenango Valley of upstate New York.
"When I went on my official visit I just fell in love with the campus. It is beautiful," Kueber said. The team also welcomed me like I was already part of the team. I just felt like I really fit in."
Kueber is one of several third-year Slash players in team history but is the team's overall top career scorer. She joined the Slash after a season with the bantam AAA Sabres, and is only the second female since Meaghan Mikkelson in St. Albert minor hockey history to play at that level.
Kueber was also acknowledged for her leadership skills as the Slash captain for the second straight season.
"I feel honoured for them to actually vote me as their captain," the sturdy five-foot-nine skater and strong two-way player. "If something needs to be said then I will say it but more or less I lead by example both on the ice and off the ice."
The next game for the Slash is Sunday versus the Grande Prairie Storm (2-14-2) at 11 a.m. at Performance Arena.
