TORONTO—Three Manitoulin Island hockey powerhouses, Kennedy Lanktree of Mindemoya, Deidre Debassige of M’Chigeeng and Victoria Pitawanakwat of Wikwemikong, are all smiles this week as their team, the Sudbury Lady Wolves, won six straight games in four days during the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association provincial championships, taking the title Sunday afternoon in Toronto.
Kyra Lanktree, Kennedy’s mother, explained that the Sudbury Lady Wolves qualified for the provincials over one month ago when they beat North Bay for one of 24 positions in the tournament.
The battle for supremacy began on Thursday night in Toronto when the Lady Wolves took on St. Catharines, winning handily by a score of 3-1, Kennedy with an assist and Victoria with an assist and a goal in the first game.
On Friday, the Lady Wolves challenged fellow Northerners Hearst. Down 2-0 by the end of the first period, the girls stepped up their game after Victoria notched the first goal. The Lady Wolves took game two 5-2 with Victoria scoring a second goal in the game and Kennedy getting one by the net minder too.
On Friday night the she-wolves faced off against the Ottawa Sens, dominating the capital team 7-1. Kennedy took one goal and two assists, with Victoria boasting an assist as well.
The Lady Wolves finished second overall in round robin play, giving them a bye to quarterfinal play.
In the quarterfinal game against Scarborough Saturday night, southern Ontario didn’t stand a chance. The Lady Wolves took the game with ease winning 2-0, Kennedy and Victoria taking full responsibility for the two goals.
The Sunday morning semi-final game against Whitby proved to be the most challenging for the girls, winning the championship in overtime, 1-0.
“I watched about five minutes of it,” Ms. Lanktree said of the nail-biting game. “It was fast, end to end, good hockey.”
That same day the girls laced up again, facing national championship hosts Stoney Creek.
The Lady Wolves won the final game skillfully 3-0, rounding out the tournament with six straight wins and only four goals against in provincial play.
“They’re three impressive players,” boasted Lady Wolves coach Tim Armstrong of the Island girls.
Mr. Armstrong noted the sacrifice the three hockey players have made to be a part of the Lady Wolves, making practices two to three times each week as well as racking up plenty of travel time. He likened their road time to that of a truck driver.
“The miles they put on their car,” he added, “but if you want to play at the elite level…”
Mr. Armstrong noted that the Lady Wolves have always had a good relationship with Island players.
While Kennedy’s and Victoria’s accomplishments for the team are obvious through goals and assists, coach Armstrong had the following to say about Deidre.
“She’s a big, mobile warrior on the ice who has all the tools needed that I’ve ever seen in women’s hockey,” he said. “She’s a good skater, as good as I’ve seen on any women’s hockey team.”
The coach said the team is busy revelling in the excitement of their provincial win, a goal the team set for itself at the beginning of the season. The players are hoping to carry this forward to Stoney Creek and the national championships this weekend.
