wildcats oct24
The Wildcats head off the ice after their 3-2 win over Notre Dame Wednesday

A wild finish to the home opener for the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats.

Tori Kendall scored with 4 seconds left to give the Wildcats a 3-2 victory over the Notre Dame Hounds in female Midget AAA hockey last night.

"(Coach Terry Pavely) said to put it on the boards and pass it up to the D," Kendall said. "Our team did exactly what we wanted, screened, flicked it up and got the rebound."
Interview with Tori Kendall
She felt like they had the right attitude.

"We were all pumped up throughout the whole game and staying focuses in the dressing room," Kendall said. "Terry came in and giving us a bunch of tips of what to do and all the plays you've got to make and we did it."

After late goals cost them games against some other opponents on the road the Wildcats were happy to be on the other side of things.

"The two games in Saskatoon we gave up goals right around the two minute mark," Pavely said. "The one in Weyburn we did the same thing. For us to win one of those... you've got to learn to win."
Interview with Terry Pavely
"We had a young team last year that competed night in, night out and we got a lot of kids back, but you've still got to learn how to win. When you lose close games over and over you start to doubt yourself."

The win came after outshooting the Hounds 39-18. It took a while to get traction offensively. Keely Chalk opened the scoring midway through the first period.

The Wildcats outshot Notre Dame 17-5 in the second period, but it was the Hounds who struck back on Natalia Taylor's power play goal. Notre Dame pulled ahead on Maeve McGauley's goal midway through the third period.

Swift Current finally got their power play going as Brooklyn Haubrich struck with the man advantage with 4:46 left in the game and Kendall's winner also came on the power play.

"Kept the play in their end we moved the puck well and we were rewarded," Pavely said. "When your power play is working you don't have to score every time you've just got to play in their zone. You tire out the penalty killers and it builds momentum for your team."

"Early in the game we couldn't do that so that was probably the biggest difference down the stretch."

The Wildcats outshot the Hounds 39-18 as they earned their first regulation win of the season. Jasey Book got the win in goal for Swift Current. They're off this weekend.