Then came Sunday and the most successful game in the team’s seven-year history — an 11-0 triumph over the Brampton Jr. Canadettes at the Invista Centre to improve Kingston’s league-leading record to 23-1-4-1. Combined, the first-place Ice Wolves, who extended their club-record winning streak to 10 games and their franchise-best undefeated string to 16 (13W, 3T), have scored a whopping 26 goals in their past three games to boost their league-leading total to 110. That’s 14 more than their closest offensive rival, London. Only three teams since Kingston entered the league in 2012-13 have scored goals at a more frequent clip than the Ice Wolves’ current 3.79 goals per game: the Toronto Aeros (4.11 in 2014-15), the Oakville Jr. Hornets (3.89 in 2016-17) and the Mississauga Jr. Chiefs (3.87 in 2012-13).
“Our group as a whole are moving and sharing the puck very well,” Ice Wolves coach Troy Sweet said of the team’s explosive offence. “We have three strong lines and it is hard to handle when they are all on their game.”
The JR's are now within the conversation of clinching first place. They are six points ahead of the second-place Nepean Jr. Wildcats, but Nepean, with just three games remaining in their 38-game schedule, can't officially get past Kingston. However, the Waterloo K-W Rangers and Etobicoke Jr. Dolphins, who are tied for third, seven points behind Kingston and with the same number of games played (29), are officially the main threats. But any combination of points gained by the Ice Wolves or lost by the Rangers and Dolphins totalling 12 would guarantee Kingston the pennant. Essentially, if the Ice Wolves claim 12 points in their final nine games, they would finish first no matter what the Rangers or Dolphins do.
Individually, the trio of Darcie Lappan, Rebecca Thompson and Madie Stockfish were particularly outstanding this past weekend, collecting a total of three goals and 14 points on Sunday and seven goals and 15 points on Friday.
On Sunday, Thompson (3G, 2A) and Lappan (5A) tied the club record for most points in a game (five), Thompson matched the club record for goals in a game (three) and Lappan’s five assists set a new team mark. Stockfish chipped in with four assists.
Stockfish (3G, 2A), Lappan (3G, 2A) and Thompson (1G, 4A) also reached the five-point plateau on Friday, as did Stockfish earlier this season and Lappan in 2017-18.
Goal-wise, Thompson’s Sunday hat trick was her second of the season. Stockfish and Lappan also joined the hat-trick club on Friday. Lappan leads the team with 35 points (14G, 21A), while Stockfish is fourth with 30 (13G, 17A) and Thompson checks in at sixth with 26 (10G, 16A) in her 16 games.
“The Lappan line with Rebecca and Maddy is really taking advantage of opportunities and playing great on both sides of the puck,” Sweet said. “They are capitalizing, but I must say it is not just one line, as all lines are contributing very well.”
Tatum White, Nicole Escano and Melanie Young each scored twice on Sunday, with White adding a pair of assists for a four-point game. Single goal scorers were Alexa Hoskin and Mae Batherson.
White increased her consecutive-game point streak to nine games, one shy of the club record set last season by Hoskin.
Emma Gorski posted a 14-save shutout against an injury-riddled Brampton squad that played with just 10 skaters and two goaltenders. It was her second blanking of the season and the team’s sixth, extending a franchise record.
Lappan’s hat trick came as part of a franchise-best six-goal period, the third. Kingston led just 2-0 heading into the final frame, following Stockfish’s two goals in the opening 3:10 of the game, but proceeded to blow the game wide open.
Alexa Gibson gained the goaltending win, making 27 saves as London outshot Kingston 29-24 in the game.
The Ice Wolves, with nine games left in the regular season, return to action next Sunday when they hit the road for a 3:10 p.m. game in Whitby against the Jr. Wolves.