October 14, 2001 vs Sound Shore at IceWorks  -  L 3-4

     The Delco Phantoms AA began their 2001-2002 journey through the AWHL. In their first game, the Phantoms met the Sound Shore Warriors at Iceworks. Just for perspective, the Warriors won the American Division last year with a record of 27 -6 - 2. (Including 11 shutouts). Regardless of the competition, Coach Stevenson's troops were raring to get the season started after many upbeat practices in September.
     It was the Warriors who scored first as the Phantoms were learning to adapt to the high speed game. At no time did the Phantoms appear overwhelmed. Instead they came roaring back- led by a pretty goal by Jeannie O' Neill off of a Vicky Graham shot. Their line of Jo Stoltzfus, Vicky and Jeannie buzzed the Warrior net all afternoon long.
     After the Warriors tallied again, the second Phantom goal was scored by Mariel on a nice move out of the corner. Her quick release will surely help her score many goals this season. And finding the back of the net to tie the game was Vicky Graham, also roaring out of the corner. The Warriors were out shot 22 - 21, but the telling statistic was ten Phantom penalties compared to only four for the Warriors. And it was during one of these Phantom penalties that Sound Shore scored again to put them ahead 4 - 3 for the final result, despite the fine penalty killing all afternoon by Alison Murry, Sarah Lautenbach, Kirsty Schoeninger, Jenna Bonczewski, and J. C. Cowperthwait. As the Phantoms adapt to the more physical style, surely they will be a force to reckon with this season. (And we won't even bring up the "almost" goals by Bridget and Vicky that we ALL thought were in!!)
     Also special congratulations to the defensive corps of Jessica Bryan, Kaitlin Hein, Molly Cotugno, and Rachel Hauser who stymied many chances by the Warriors, virtually eliminating any Warrior breakaways and who led many impressive breakouts to get the offense rolling. Allie was a force in net, especially due to the long stretches when she didn't face a single shot, then being called upon to come up with some difficult saves. Overall a solid effort, with two games on tap for next weekend.

     The New Jersey Devils came to Iceworks for their first match up against the Phantoms for the 2001-02 season. By the time the game was over, you might wonder if they will ever wish to make the trip back. There was an offensive explosion led by Gina Kearns, who not only had a hat trick, but also contributed three assists. Gina opened the scoring with a nice play developed by Molly Cotugno and Jess Bryan. Next came Bridget on a rebound, then Kaitlin Hein from the point. Kate's certainly going to be respected for keeping her shot low and on net in games to come. Then came Jenna, unintentionally off her skate (according to her) and then a goal from Allison, assisted by Stevie Doyle. This was the first of two goals by Allison Murray. Next it was Stevie's turn, followed by Gina's second and Allison's second from in front - a nice shot.
      By the end of the period it was 8 - 0 Phantoms. But let us not forget the defense and goaltending. Allie stayed focused even though she faced only two shots in the first two periods. And Jess Bryan led the defense with her unselfish play, while Molly, Kate, and Rachel were cranking shots from the point.
     Vicky was denied again and again early in the game. But knowing this young lady's spirit, you knew she would not be denied. In the second and third period Vicky earned herself a hat trick, one of which was a terrific "Vicky special" move, along with Kate's second of the game. Sarah Lautenbach continued her hard play and was rewarded with a goal, and to finish it out, Jenna got her second- this one intentionally!!
      It should also be noted that Molly earned a playmaker award for three assists, Mariel had a pair of "helpers" along with Stevie, Allison, Josephine, and Kaitlin. Jeannie and Rachel also chipped in an assist. Meredith finished the game, and was focused on preserving the shutout. Overall it was an impressive game any way you examine it.

      The Glaciers/Phantoms rivalry kicked back in high gear on October 21st. The Glaciers came out with a burst of speed to capture the first two goals of the game. Their were certainly some new faces on their squad which have to be dealt with. But the Phantoms weren't ready to give up without a fight, and were led by a goal by Jenna Bonczewski after Kirsty Schoeninger poked the puck in the crease and it squirted onto Jenna's stick.
     In the second period the Phantoms took control and jammed two goals home. The first by Gina Kearns, assisted by Molly, and the second by Bridget on a rebound off Gina's shot just nine seconds later. This really took the Glaciers by storm, and they were forced into calling a time out to stall the impressive looking offense. The Glaciers came back late in the period and tallied a power play goal to even the score.
      Six penalties were called in the third period, three for each team. It was Vicky who cranked a slapshot off a faceoff on a power play to get the Phantoms the lead. but it was not enough as the Glaciers scored at 4:59 to tie the game. There were flurries in each direction, but the Phantoms took three penalties in the last three minutes of the game and couldn't find the back of the net one last time.
     The Phantoms can be assured they outshot the Glaciers 32 - 20. And once again the defense was solid as they kept the Glaciers to two shots in the entire third period. Allie was on top of her game as she aggressively challenged the Glacier shooters all afternoon long. Perhaps if the Phantoms limit their trips to the box next time, we bury some back door goals, the defense continues to step up and Allie continues her solid play between the pipes we will come out on the victorious end.

     The Phantoms traveled to Iceland on October 27 for their first road game of the year. They were facing the Princeton Tiger Lilies, who were undefeated on the year, having defeated the Sound Shore Warriors and New Jersey Devils.
     The Phantoms jumped onto the scoreboard for a 1 - 0 lead. The goal scorer was Gina Kearns after a scramble in front of the Tiger Lily net. It was a typical Gina goal, scored in the top shelf while Gina struggled to elude the opponents' defenseman after an assist to the hard-working Mariel Marchand.
     The Tiger Lilies then capitalized on two power play opportunities which cost the Phantoms the lead and the majority of the momentum they had garnered. While the Phantom defense stepped up to keep the porch clear for Allie, the Tiger Lilies managed to tally two more goals in the second and third periods. One more remaining Phantom highlight was Bridget Cleary screaming down the right wing a breakaway. It looked like Bridget could turn our misfortunes around, but the puck bounced off the post and remained out of the twine. It was difficult for the Phantoms to change the pace of the game at this point, as they went down to a disappointing 4 -1 loss. We certainly missed J.C., Vicky, Meredith, and Coach Stevenson and the combined presence they bring to the team. Look for the entire Phantoms squad to increase the forechecking pressure next time they come to Iceland and to avoid unnecessary trips to the penalty box, and we will surely give the Tiger Lilies all they can handle.
     Speaking of Allie and Rachel- we wish them Happy Birthday wishes. And also a note of apology to Alison Murray who was the THIRD player to achieve a hat trick in the game against the Devils. Because there were only ten places for goals, it was all scorekeeper Mr. Hein could do to record all the goals, so we regret this error when reading the scoresheet. Nevertheless, along with Vicky and Gina, these three players have already achieved their "hat trick" patches. Hopefully these members of the team can help the offense crank it up against the Little Caps next weekend.

     The AA Delco Phantoms Girls met the Washington Little Caps for the first time this season on a balmy Saturday afternoon in November. The Phantoms achieved their goal of getting on the scoreboard early with a nice goal by Vicky Graham, as she wheeled from behind the net. Vicky's play around the net draws a lot of attention for every defender we play. The assist on the goal was awarded to Bridget Cleary. About six minutes later it was Gina Kearns turn to light the lamp as she didn't quit going to the net. As we all know that's Gina's greatest strength as she stubbornly maintains her position in front of the goal- game after game.
     The Little Caps were short of players, but certainly not short on heart. They scored in the second period to make the score 2 - 1 in favor of the Phantoms. Allie saw seven shots that period- the most of the game for the Caps. Allie made several fine saves to keep the Phantoms on top, particularly one glove save that was one for the highlight reel. Kirsty Schoeninger tallied one to put the Phantoms up 3 - 1, on a shifty play where she stickhandled her way through three Caps players and buried the puck in the net. Also congratulations to Molly Cotugno who was awarded two assists on the day.
    But unfortunately for the Phantoms, the third period belonged to the Little Caps. They scored twice, once on the power play to tie the score. It certainly looked like the Phantoms were poised to prove they were the better team, but the Caps dug down and found a way to preserve the tie. Next up will be the Connecticut Polar Bears.

     On Saturday November 10th the Delco Phantoms AA girls' team hosted the Connecticut Polar Bears. The Polar Bears have proven themselves to be a solid hockey club in the recent past, but came to Iceworks a bit shorthanded- with only 12 skaters. But even though they were few in number, Coach Ted Hein knew quickly that this club would come in waves at the Phantoms.
     That was the case as the Phantoms forechecking was not what it had been earlier in the year and the Polar Bears went on to score six goals in the first period. The Phantoms countered with a single goal by Gina Kearns on a feed from right in the crease, Gina's favorite hangout. the assist went to Kirsty Schoeninger. The shots on goal were 16 - 3 in favor of the team from Connecticut, but the Phantoms tightened the defense, and cut the shots on goal to 6 - 2 in the second period and allowed only a single goal. Also in evidence was the decrease in penalties as the Phantoms learned how to play more aggressively without making unnecessary trips to the penalty box. The final period yielded three more Polar Bear goals, but the Phantoms cut the shot total down to 9 - 5 to this fundamentally sound team.
     Lessons learned included the need to keep our practices at game speed, never underestimate any team in the league, and the need to become snipers who can find minute holes in the opposing goaltender's stance, by looking before shooting.

    The second game of the weekend was away at the home of the Long Island Waves in Long Island, New York. The Phantoms were geared up for this one as they began the morning with a pregame jog, instituted by Coach Hein to get the adrenaline running before the game. Unfortunately, the cold rink and new opponent combined to keep the score close early on. Josephine Stoltzfus opened the scoring approaching the net from the corner and beat the Waves goalie, who was pesky throughout the game. Perhaps the 14 shots attempted by the Phantoms had her focusing intently, compared to 5 shots on Allie.
     The second period brought 15 more Phantom shots, but unbelievably no more goals. The Phantoms did not lose their concentration, however, and the Phantom defense played solidly. Again and again Kate Hein, Rachel Hauser, Molly Cotugno, and Jess Bryan kept the puck in the offensive zone, and thwarted any attempt by the Waves to get quality shots on Allie.
     In the third period it was again time for the defense to shine as the allowed only a single shot on goaltender Meredith Pia. Supporting each other for the entire period, the Phantom defenseman swarmed all Waves puck carriers and dished off to the Phantoms forwards. And let us not overlook those forwards, particularly on the "black" line- Vicky Graham, Jeannie O'Neill, and Josephine Stoltzfus. They combined for four goals in the period after J.C. Cowperthwait started the scoring with a nice goal by crashing the net. Gary Dornhoeffer would be proud as this young lady repeatedly makes a beeline to the goal shift after shift, and was rewarded, this time, for her efforts.
     Jeannie started the goal avalanche coming out of the far circle, then Rachel Hauser beat the Waves goalie, which the scorekeeper said was tipped by Vicky. Next came a nice goal by Vicky from around the side of the net, then another by Jeannie with an assist to Vicky. The final score was 6 - 1, and the Phantoms left the rink proud that their hard work in practice is beginning to develop into some effective strategies to be productive in the AWHL.

     After trekking up the New Jersey turnpike in bumper-to-bumper traffic on November 24th, the Delco Phantoms sought revenge at the hands of the Sound Shore Warriors at the Ice Hutch. As team members arrived bedraggled and ready to take out their anxiety on the Warriors, the coaches formed line combinations, then deleted their efforts and remixed the lines time and again. Coach Hein was ready to dispense Assistant Coach Schoeninger's extra goalie pads to some lucky Phantom forward when Meredith arrived in the nick of time, followed closely by Allie- what a relief! And there was a welcome addition of Emily and Kat Smithson to the pre-game excitement.
     Meredith started in the nets, and led the Phantoms to a fast paced start. Gina began the scoring from the face-off circle after the Phantoms killed off a brief penalty. Gina then scored again on the power play on a fine effort. The third Phantom goal was scored by Emily Smithson as she pinched in from her defensive position and poked the puck across the goal line on a 5 on 3 power play. This gave the visiting team a three goal lead going into the third period.
     But the Warriors would not lay down and disappear. They scored early in the period, and continued to find shooting lanes as the third period wound down. It was the greatest intensity the Phantoms had shown all season, and Coach Hein had to be proud of the speed and the effort of his team. Offensive members forced themselves to support back on defense, and defenseman rallied despite several Phantom penalties. Allie entered the game and had a key save on a breakaway, smothering the puck as she eliminated the opportunity. And Josephine played a key roll as she joined the Phantoms late in the game after a frustrating run in with a member of the NYPD.
     After a second Warrior goal, the game ended as a 3 - 2 character win for the Phantoms, and an example of the quality hockey the team can play when they dig down deep and step up to a new, higher level of play. Congratulations to all who endured the rigorous travel, and also to all the fans whose cheers and support were clearly heard on the bench. Next up- the Devils.

    On the first day of December the Phantoms traveled up to the South Mountain Arena in northern New Jersey to face off against the New Jersey Devils. The Phantoms had been very successful against this team once before, but give the Devils credit for keeping the Phantoms off the scoreboard for the first ten minutes of the first period.
    Molly Cotugno skated in from the blue line, as the defense joined the rush to score at 10:05, thanks to Mariel Marchand, who was covering back on the point for Molly. (note: J.C. was credited for this goal). The second goal for the Phantoms was tallied by Vicky Graham from the left faceoff circle- top shelf. Nice shot Vick. The third goal was also Vicky’s as she took the puck from the faceoff, crossed in front of the Devil net and shot back against the grain for a power play goal. At the 12:20 mark J. C. went back door on a nice pass from Jeannie O’Neill. It just goes to show you how many goals the girls can score if they pick their corners.
    Special credit to the defense in this game for not only contributing to the offense, but also keeping the Devils from a shot on goal in the third period. That didn’t give starter Allie DiRico much work, or Meredith, who alternated in goal throughout the game (sometimes on the fly!) In the second period, the Phantoms continued the offensive as Molly took the point shot and Gina converted the rebound. Then Mariel scored a pair, the first off a scramble in front, and the second on a backhand on the same shift. Vicky then chalked up another assist as she fed Gina in front of the net, then Kate Hein unleashed a point shot which was converted by Bridget who jumped on the rebound.
    The third period featured Gina, who scored on a scramble in front of the net, followed by Vicky to finish off her hat trick, also on a rebound. Finally, the hat trick was again achieved by Mariel, after a nice pass by Kirsty Schoeninger.
    Needless to say, the forty-nine to five shot advantage went to the Phantoms. Continually during this game the offense backchecked hard to assist the defense, and the defense again and again supported the offense by keeping pucks in the offensive zone.  The Phantoms then had little time to enjoy their victory as they had to shift their focus to the New Jersey Colonials for another game on Sunday.

    On Sunday December 2nd the Phantoms came out of the locker room in Rink 3 ready to show the Colonials how far they had come as a squad. Meredith Pia started the game in net, and Coach Hein had the troops emotionally ready to meet the task of skating equal with the Colonials, beating them to pucks in the corner and winning battles in front of our own net.
    Newly crowned captains, Josephine Stoltzfus and Kate Hein led by example as the took every shift as the most important of the season. Assistant captains Sara Lautenbach and J. C. Cowperthwait also showed a lot of character as the game passed, digging for loose pucks and forechecking hard, even at the end of their shifts.
    It was the Phantoms who struck first as Kat Smithson scored on a sheer effort play with a nice assist to Jeannie O’Neill. That was all the scoring for the first period, but the speed of the game was certainly up tempo. The Phantoms were determined to meet the Colonials stride for stride. Coach Schoeninger had advised the team to divide the game into three components, and to try to win each component, one at a time. The Phantoms achieved this first goal.
    In the second period, the Phantoms seemed more in a defensive shell. The Phantoms managed only one shot against the best goaltender in the league, while Meredith faced 14 shots during the same span. Meredith was quick on her feet, though and pounced on any rebounds which approached Colonials’ sticks. Even though the Phantom defense kept the crease clear of Colonial forwards, they scored their first goal to end the second period tied at 1.
    The third period was a seesaw battle. The Colonial tried their best to beat Phantom defensemen, but backchecking forwards assisting the defense made scoring impossible. Kate Hein, Emily Smithson, Rachel Houser, Jessica Bryan and Molly Cotugno all played great as a defensive corps, shutting down the Colonials on rush after rush. After a New Jersey penalty, Jeannie O’Neill scored top shelf after a terrific pass from Kat Smithson to put the Phantoms up by one. Unfortunately, the Colonials countered with a goal of their own at 13:42. Then, after Meredith tied up a puck in her crease, the referee called a puck in the goal, seemingly after the whistle had already blown. The case was made by Coach Hein that the play had already been whistled dead, but the officials pronounced the goal legal, and the Phantoms hopes disappeared with the call.
    Anyone who witnessed that game saw these as two equal teams, with the Phantoms skating every shift on an equal par with the Colonials. The team looks as if their hard work at practice on systems, thanks to Coach O’Neill, has begun to pay off. And every girl in that locker room after that game had to have a secret source of pride, knowing that they had skated evenly with a very skilled ice hockey team. Next up is the Glaciers.

    For those who have been a part of the Phantoms organization for several years, the unusual events of December 8th,  at the Face Off Rink, were no surprise. Thanks to the seven dedicated players and the parents who transported them, we did not have to forfeit the game. Hats off to Bridget, Mariel, Allie, Kate, Jess Bryan, Jeannie and Molly - we owe you! They took to the ice over an hour before we thought we were scheduled, but these Phantom's weren't going to be flustered.
    By the time all of the players arrived and joined the undermanned squad, the score was already 1 to 0 thanks to a power play goal by Jeannie O'Neill with an assist going to Jess Bryan. It was to become a power play filled evening as the Glaciers took 23 minutes of sin bin time, compared to the Phantoms 14 minutes. And let it be said, there were many Phantoms players who controlled their emotions (barely in some cases), being the team players that they are, as they survived elbows, slashes, trips and hooks and did not retaliate - for the good of the team. Certainly this will benefit the team as we enter the Polar Bears Tournament and endure New England officiating.
    It seemed as if a new pattern is forming in the last few games.  The Phantoms take the early lead and set the pace for the rest of the game. This is due in large part to the hustling forwards who back-checked ferociously and the defensemen who continually moved up to support the offense. When the team plays with controlled intensity, they are a force not to be taken lightly.
    The second power play goal was tallied by Sarah Lautenbach as she cruised in from the faceoff circle - nice goal Sarah. Goal number three featured a nice feed from Mariel Marchand to J.C. who was in the process of being mugged in front of the net. The Glaciers came back to make it 3 - 1 before J.C. scored again on the power play after a nice shot off the stick of Jeannie, who shot while moving backwards.
    Once again, Molly, Kate, Rachel and Jess kept the shots down, particularly in the first two periods when the Glaciers had only a total of twelve shots to our 18. The defense looked strong as they cleared the porch for Allie to make the key saves needed to keep the Phantoms in the game. One particularly impressive save had Allie reach up to pluck a high Glacier shot out of the air with an acrobatic sweep of her glove. That would have been a good one for Action News at 11:00!
    The final goal was icing on the cake as Mariel stickhandled through the neutral zone with sheer determination and directed the puck into the offensive zone. It skittered through the shavings, past the faceoff circle and into the open net to complete the 5 - 2 game. Chalk this game up to another chapter in this rivalry, and one which won't soon be forgotten.

    On December 15th the Phantoms traveled south to the home of the Washington Pride, a newly founded team led by the former coach of the Little Caps. As evidenced in previous meetings with this coach, the Phantoms knew they were to meet a team who was well-disciplined and well-coached.
    Certainly when the Phantoms took to the ice, there was optimism brewing in the purple and black because the Pride dressed a regular player as their goalie, and they began warmups with only nine players. Flashy they weren’t, but the Pride members were well schooled in the basics of the game.
    The game began with the Phantoms dishing out 9 shots to the Pride’s 7. The score was deadlocked after the first period 1 - 1 on a nice goal scored by Jeannie O’Neill after skating to the slot from behind the net and sinking the puck between the goaltender’s legs. There was also strong play from Bridget Cleary, who backchecked well, as she so often does, unselfishly remaining high in the offensive zone to protect against breakaways. Solid play was also displayed by Kirsty Schoeninger, who for the second week noticeably stood up to opponents along the boards and refused to give an inch. It just goes to show that it is not the size of the package, but often the size of the heart that matters.
    But it was the well-conditioned Washington Pride who took control over the depleted Phantoms. Missing Vicky, Allison, the Smithsons, Sarah, Jenna and Meredith, the team was faced by forwards who crashed the net in perfectly timed rushes, and with backchecking players who gave the Phantoms little room to operate. In any game, the focus is to improve, and learn more about the game so that it may be applied in new situations, in future games. The Phantoms hopefully learned from the type of hustle displayed by members of the Pride, and will take their newfound knowledge and dedication to Connecticut for the Polar Bears Tournament.

12/27/01 - 8:10 AM - VS The Connecticut Polar Bears at Newington - L 0-11

    One hundred and fifty-six teams converged on Hartford, Connecticut for the 17th annual Connecticut Polar Bears Tournament. Over 2,500 of the best female ice hockey players in the United States were there, and all three of the Delco Phantoms girls' teams traveled the long lengths of I-95 to be there.
    Unfortunately, the first game in the National Central pool for the Phantoms was against the powerhouse Connecticut Polar Bears. The Phantoms had been off the ice due to the holidays, and this game showed the importance of practice. The Polar Bears skated out quickly, and led the way with four goals. In the second period the Phantoms settled down and yielded on two goals as the attempted to stop the Polar Bear cycle.
    Coach Hein explained that he was pleased the team never gave up throughout the entire game and that the team passed well.

12/27/01 - 1:45 PM - VS The Troy Albany Ice Cats, NY at Kingswood -T 2-2

     In the second game at Kingswood-Oxford School, the Phantoms faced the Troy Albany Ice Cats. This game seemed more to the Phantoms pace, right from the first period. Kat Smithson led the scoring on a nice move across the top of the faceoff circle after receiving a pass from Kate Hein. There was no scoring in the second period, but the Phantoms defense was learning how to get rid of the puck quickly in their own zone, so they would not succumb to the oncharging forecheckers. A special highlight was on an Ice Cat shot, which caught Allie on the opposite side of the net. But there was Jess Bryan who swatted the puck out of harm's way like it was a mosquito about to bite her, and score remained  at 1 - 0 in favor of the Phantoms.
    In the third period, Vicky Graham made a terrific play as she covered her pointman. She approached the defender with both legs together, the girl took the shot, which hit Vicky's shin pads and bounced to center ice. Vick hopped on the puck, and bore down on the goalie and scored unassisted to put the Phantoms up 2 - 0.
     But the Ice Cats would not lay down, and proceeded to score twice. Even Vicky couldn't finish them off while hitting the post on another breakaway. Allie was in net, and played a terrific steady game. She certainly deserved the win for her efforts. But the game went into the record books as a 2 - 2 tie.

Fri - 12/28/01 - 8:10 PM - VS The Lady Ducks, CA at Newington - T 2-2

    On the twenty-eight of December the opponent at Newington Rink was the Lady ducks from California. Meredith was between the pipes and was determined to show the crowd what true determination could do. In the first period there were no goals. The Phantoms took the lead in the second period as Gina Kearns cleared one of the Ducks  from in front of Meredith's net, while Vicky crossed through the high slot and scored on her backhand. Jessica Cowperthwait was on fire for this game, and saved a goal as she slammed into the Phantom goal to knock it off the moorings. The ducks countered with a pair of goals in the period. Then it was J.C. to the rescue as she scored from a scramble in front with only three seconds left in the period with the assist going to Jeannie O'Neill. Finally, a special congratulations to Emily Smithson who slid across the ice late in the game to protect her empty net.

Sat - 12/29/01 - 10:30 AM - VS The Halton Twisters, Ontario at Newington - L 1-2

    The final game of the tournament was against the Halton Twisters from Ontario. In this game Coach Hein placed Jenna, Kirsty, and Stevie in the role of the checking line for the Phantoms. This line worked hard, as did all of the Phantoms in Connecticut, showing that our program can skate with any team in the country.
    Halton led off with the first two goals, as the Phantoms struggled to find their scoring touch. Allie was everywhere in net, and was a dominant force for the second time in the tournament. Molly Cotugno, Kate Hein, Rachel Hauser, Emily Smithson and Jess Bryan were to be congratulated, as they allowed a stingy two goals against for the last three games of the tournament. In the third period Gina walked in from the faceoff circle and tucked it in to make the score 2 - 1. But other than Stevie's helmet accidentally getting attached to one of the Twisters, that was it for highlights. The next game is the Colonials on January 5th. 

    The Delco Phantoms visited the Twin Oaks rink in northern New Jersey for the first time this season. And as before when we played the Colonials at Iceworks, it was one wild and crazy game. Incidentally, it is very important to note that the Colonials previous to January 5th had not lost a game in the National Division.
    The game began with the Colonials out shooting the Phantoms by a count of 13 - 6. The Phantoms, however, were the first to strike as the scored on the power play at 7:01. It was Vicky Graham who shot from the circle, then as the puck slid ever so slowly across the crease- Gina Kearns was in her favorite spot to knock it home. The Colonials countered with a goal, but the Phantom defense, who has been rather stingy lately, and Meredith Pia kept the score tied at 1 by the period's end.
    In the second period the Phantoms gained momentum as evidenced by their shot total- 12 for the Phantoms and only 4 for the Colonials. The Phantoms had the lone goal in this tense game, and unbelievably it was a shorthanded goal. Once again, Gina deked across the top of the faceoff circle, and beat the Colonial net minder high to the glove side. That was sweet! but we knew the Colonial girls would not go down easily, so the entire bench braced for the third period.
    Early on in the third period Allie DiRico stopped two shots on a 3 on 1. We needed great goaltending in this game and Meredith and Allie surely gave it to us! At 4:30 of the third period Bridget Cleary took matters into her own hands with a shot from the point. Yes, I said from the point as Bridget helped her team by agreeing to play defense in this game, and came up with the game winner! It was an unassisted power play goal. Throughout this period, strange things kept happening. For one, the Colonials were given a 5 on 3 advantage, and mysteriously the clock seemed to drag on, without moving. Yes, the Colonials scored on the power play, but the Phantoms were not about to let the home team back in the game.
     To top off the win, Gina scored again to finish off a hat trick and ice the game for the Phantoms at 1:28. Once again, Vicky had jumped on a puck and led the breakaway, but it was Gina who scored off the rebound. It was a great team win. Special congratulations to Mariel Marchand who had a great day in the faceoff circle, to Molly Cotugno who steered clear of traffic to break out the weak side on several plays and to Captain Kate Hein who was dominating in front of her net, making quick decisions and keeping the puck away from her goaltender. Also a get well to Stevie Doyle who sat out the end of the game with a bruised neck and shoulder- hope you are able to strap the blades on again soon.
    In checking the AWHL website, it notes that the Phantoms are in FIRST place as of January 5th. The game on January 6th against the Tiger Lilies then becomes a very important one, but if the Phantoms can come to play with the intensity they did on this Saturday, they just may be unstoppable.

     On January 6th, the Delco Phantoms were poised to tackle second place in the AWHL standings as they met the Princeton Tiger Lilies. Expectations were high as the Phantoms had defeated the Colonials the previous day. Coaches Hein, Marchand, O'Neill and Schoeninger urged the team in the pre-game discussion to continue the upbeat intensity, keep the forecheck pressing, support the defense and stay out of the penalty box.
     As the game began the strategy seemed to have worked brilliantly. Coach Hein had noticed in the pregame skate that the Tiger Lily net minder seemed to be cheating to her glove side and was vulnerable low on the stick side. That was prophetic. After the first puck dropped the Phantoms out shot the Tiger Lilies 15 to 6 and took the early lead. Once again it was Vicky leading the play on a 2 on 1 and Gina who finished it off sweetly. Phantoms 1- Princeton 0. Mariel buried the second goal of the game high to the stick side with an assist to Jessica Cowperthwait and Jeannie O'Neill. Phantoms 2- Princeton 0.
     As the second period began, the momentum seemed to shift. Perhaps the precursor  to this was Kate Hein shooting a puck up a Tiger Lily's pants! The Phantoms took three penalties in this period and the opponents scored once on the power play and once while even strength. But Gina came to the rescue again- off a short-handed breakaway. She simple out skated the defenseman and deked the goalie to the low glove side! She had promised two goals before the game, and she delivered. Phantoms 3- Princeton 2.
     As much as the coaching staff was trying to prevent a letdown from the previous day, there seemed to be too many dark clouds hanging over the Phantom bench. Once again, there were four Phantom penalties called in situations where we needed to have all of our troops on the ice. At 3:38 the Tiger Lilies scored to tie the game. The Phantoms tried to refocus, but it was not enough to stop a third power play goal from being scored to win the game for the visitors. Lesson learned, but no one left the rink in Phantoms colors thinking they had been beaten by a superior team. Perhaps the Polar Bear Tournament taught us we can skate with anyone when we play focused, determined, and disciplined. Today's game just reinforced that we can play with anyone in this league.

    On the thirteenth of January there was an explosion - an offensive explosion at Iceworks Rink 3. The Long Island Wave endured the New Jersey Turnpike only to find a determined Delco Phantoms team awaiting them.  The Phantoms' pregame discussion focused on avoiding unnecessary penalties, crashing the net for rebounds, and playing a solid three periods of hockey. Needless to say, the game plan was carried out to perfection.
    With Allie firmly entrenched in the net, and Bridget and Josephine kindly retreating to defensive responsibilities, the Phantoms hit the ice just as Coach Marchand wants them to - flying. Gina opened the scoring from Kate Hein off a 4 on 1, with Mariel unselfishly staying back to cover the point position. Next was Jenna Bonczewski, who steamrolled down the slot with a feed from Kirsty Schoeninger, as Jenna tucked the puck inside the post. Coach Hein was delighted with the girls play as the Phantoms then went up 3 - 0 thanks to Sara Lautenbach on a rebound from Jess Bryan's shot. An additional assist was credited to Gina Kearns. Shots on goal were 9 to 6 in favor of the Phantoms.
    The second period was an extension of the first where Mariel Marchand cut across in front of the net aggressively and scored 13 seconds into the period. This was followed by Vicky Graham's goal, crossing through traffic as only Vicky loves to do, this time charging from behind the net. Next came the point shot from Rachel Hauser, just as we have been practicing this week, and a tip from Jenna for her second goal of the game. The final goal of the period was a tribute to Jessica Cowperthwait. She was on the weak side and stormed through on a breakaway. With her feet constantly moving she was able to make the goaltender commit for the fourth goal of the period. Assists went to Jeannie for a nice pass and to Mariel who started the play.
    It must also be said that the Waves did not quit, and had an additional six shots in this period. But the Phantoms defense - all six members, Kate, Rachel, Molly, Jess, Bridget and Josephine - shut the Waves down and allowed few dangerous shots on Allie. In addition, the Phantoms took only two penalties throughout the game.
    In the third period the offense continued to crank. First Rachel took another point shot, and Jeannie O'Neill stuffed in the rebound. Next came Stevie Doyle's fine shot off the post and in with an assist to Kirsty. Stevie tallied again four minutes later off a 2 on 2 from Kirsty and Rachel as she roofed it to the far side. This gave Kirsty and Rachel both three assists on the game. Next came Gina again, who suffered the humiliation of getting knocked to the ice and proceeded to show her inner strength and got up and scored. Jess Bryan jumped up into the play several times showing a strong offensive part of her game. The scoring ended with Vicky chugging  down the slot with an impressive shot just inside the post.
    Next up is the trip to Connecticut for a visit with the Stars and the Polar Bears. Hopefully the team can take the positives displayed during this game and show the Connecticut girls how far hockey has come in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

     Through the snow, the Phantoms drove up to Connecticut for the weekend of January  19th and 20th. Each and every team member surely knew that this weekend would be the biggest test for the Phantoms of this season.  First up on this road trip was the Connecticut Stars, a team the Phantoms had not yet faced. Surely this would be a major challenge, because the Stars had played well against the seemingly unstoppable Connecticut Polar Bears earlier in the year. And the Phantoms knew the caliber of the Polar Bears.
    The game with Jeannie O'Neill capturing the puck off the faceoff, thanks to Mariel Marchand. Mariel's faceoffs have become more and more dominating, and as she wins more draws, her linemates develop more offensive opportunities. Jeannie roofed it top shelf and the Phantoms led 1 - 0. Coach Hein had mentioned the need for discipline and staying out of the penalty box, and there was one lone penalty for the Phantoms during this period.
     In the second period, Meredith faced only 3 shots, but she was standing tall in her net, refusing to bend after long periods of no shots, then a quick flurry. It was during this stretch that Vicky threaded a fine pass to Sarah who jammed it past the Stars goaltender. Sarah was really using her speed that night, and it really paid off on the forecheck. The goal gave the Phantoms confidence and a 2 - 0 lead. It is also important to note that there were no Phantom penalties during this period.
     Meredith again had held the Stars without a goal as the third period began. Also deserving special mention was Kate Hein. Coach Hein noticed on many occasions the speed of Kate as she chased down pucks in the corners and made quick decisions about distributing the puck. This has been a team goal this year, and it surely looks as if the defenseman are making strides toward improvement in this area. In the third the Phantoms struck again as Gina and Jeannie stormed down the slot, with Gina firing a bullet low stick side.
     That was it for the scoring, as Meredith earned the shutout along with her defensemen- Bridget Cleary, Kate Hein, Jo Stoltzus, Molly Cotugno,  and Jess Bryan. The Phantoms allowed only 13 total shots, compared to 35 shots on the Stars netminder. The entire team hoped this was a milestone game, and would act as a barometer indicating the level of improvement since the beginning of the season.

January 20, 2001 vs Connecticut Polar Bears at Northford - T 3-3

     The next morning the team drove to Northford to meet the undefeated Connecticut Polar Bears. The Bears had soundly defeated the Phantoms in the first game at Iceworks. And the Polar Bears organization had scheduled us for two consecutive years as their first opponent in their Christmas Tournaments and the Phantoms had not fared well. But the Phantoms coaching staff had developed a new strategy to neutralize the Polar Bear offensive cycle. It was decided that the game would be divided into three minigames- one period in length. The job of the defense was to hold the Polar Bears to two goals or less each period. And the forwards were to pressure the goaltender with shots, since their goals against average was not among the team leaders.
     During the first period, the Phantoms began to shut the Polar Bears down, but still the home team led 2 - 0 after the first period. At least the team goals had been achieved. In the second period the Polar Bears scored again, but they were limited to a single goal. The coaching staff was impressed with the hustle of the offense and the defense, and suggested that if the Phantoms could just get a single goal- the Polar Bears might become less aggressive.
     And so it was that Mariel scored on the power play to make the score 3 - 1. Shortly after Bridget shot from the point. Vicky wound up with the puck, passed it to Sarah on the doorstep, GOAL!! During that period the Phantoms were called upon to kill off a 5 on 3 advantage, but Kate and Emily Smithson stepped up and made sure all chances were harmless. Also special congratulations to Bridget Cleary on one shift where she literally went through two Polar Bears and saved a goal on one shift. Way to go Bridget! The Phantoms were energized, and with Coach Schoeninger encouraging the troops with a volume heard all throughout the rink, the Phantoms struck again. This time it was a scramble in front of the Polar Bear goal with only 31 seconds left. Mariel jumped into the scrum, then Jeannie O'Neill stuffed the loose puck in and the score was 3 - 3. The bench erupted and the game ended on that note. The parents were exuberant, the players were exhausted, but elated, and the coaching staff was high fiving one another.
     Congratulations to the entire team on this impressive game. Meredith held the Polar Bears to 3 goals on 43 shots. The defense met their goal of allowing two or less goals each period and the offense contributed 3 goals. Great job ladies- feed off these two fine performances and lets build toward the playoffs!

     The last regular season game for the Delco Phantoms was held in Maryland against the Little Caps. There was a sense of revenge for this game, as the Phantoms had been tied by this squad much earlier in the year. With the President's Day Tournament looming, then District playoffs, it was time for the Phantoms to step up to a new level.
     With Allie DiRico between the pipes, the Phantoms took the early lead as Jeannie O'Neill stepped out the corner and shot high to score the first goal of the game. The pace was sluggish as Head Coach Ted Hein urged his troops to make the Little Caps play at the Phantoms pace, instead of the other way around.
    The second period began, and it seemed as if the Phantoms switched their offensive game into another gear as Kate Hein blasted a shot from the point which was tipped in by Allison Murray. It was Allison's first game back after an ankle injury, and she seemed determined to get back in synch immediately. Next Vicky Graham made a highlight reel play, as she dragged the puck through the defenseman's legs, picked it up on the other side and shot for the five hole. The puck hit nothing but net and the Phantoms were ahead by two.
    That was surely not the final goal of the period, as J.C. Cowperthwait chipped in a goal from the slot. Next Kate Hein came in four on two with Alison, Kirsty, and Steve and shot through the goalie's pads for the fourth goal of the period. The fifth was a nice shot by Vicky, with the rebound bouncing right to Gina Kearns who buried it. The Little Caps must have thought they were playing a team full of Energizer bunnies as Gina stickhandled through two opponents, held the puck for the goaltender to make the first move, then shot gloveside for her second goal of the period. And finally, J.C. fed Mariel Marchand for the quick shot and the Phantoms had an eight goal lead. Another highlight was Kirsty Schoeninger killing off a two man advantage as she broke out of her zone and skated in for on a breakaway. Her shot may not have found the back of the net, but she picked up her own rebound, and skated behind the net. She shot again and again, even though their were five Little Caps defenders buzzing around her. The penalty expired, with Stevie Doyle finishing the penalty kill, as Allie was two periods into a shutout.  And, there was Allie's tremendous back flip on top of Kaitlin to prevent a goal during one of those flourishes around the net as the puck lay beneath both of them. Great save!
    In the third period, Coach O'Neill urged his troops to play the four man down low defensive system. But the puck remained most of the period in the Little Caps' zone. Mariel tallied the first goal of the period with a shot high to the stick side. Next it was another fine goal by Vicky, followed by a third for Gina to complete her hat trick. Josephine rounded out the scoring to make the final 12 - 0. The defense held, with a strong performance by Rachel Houser, who was coming back from an injury, Kate Hein, Molly Cotugno, and Jess Bryan. Allie turned aside a few final Little Cap flourishes to preserve her shutout. Quite an improvement for the Phantoms from the early season tie- indicating the improvement of the squad since September. Next up is the home tournament at Icework's over President's Day weekend.

      Up until the weekend of February 16th, 17th, and 18th the Phantoms had always traveled from Connecticut to North Carolina to participate in a tournament. This time we were at home to face the Lady Ducks, Glaciers, and Tiger Lilies in the Inaugural President's Day Tournament at Iceworks! Special thanks to a terrific set of planners, schedulers, cookie bakers, announcers, tournament directors, and all those who helped. Each game ran smoothly, there was plenty of goodies to snack on, t-shirts and photos to purchase, and a fun skills competition to watch and participate in.
      But the question was, could the Phantoms continue their five game undefeated streak and take home the gold? It seems as if the team has been playing its best hockey since the Connecticut Tournament. Since Christmas the Phantoms have won their last five, tied three and lost only three times. It was time to face two out of the three teams we will be playing in the district playoffs.

     In game one, the Glaciers hoped to avenge their loss up at Faceoff Circle in early December. But it was the Phantoms who struck first as Gina Kearns scored on her first shift after a nice point shot from Kaitlin Hein for a power play goal. At 8:45 the Phantoms tallied again as Alison Murray took the initial shot. The rebound went to Stevie Doyle who shot quickly and scored as Alison was getting plenty of treatment in front of the net. the third goal of the period was Vicky's over the goaltenders shoulder- with an assist to Gina and Sarah Lautenbach. The Glaciers scored once, and at the end of a period it was Phantoms 3 -Glaciers 1.
      Sarah had the lone goal for the Phantoms in the second period as Vicky went behind the net and found Sarah on the doorstep. Sarah stuffed it home, as her line likes to do, for a three goal lead. But as hard as Meredith worked, with her arm still bruised, the Glaciers came back with a goal to narrow the lead.
     In period three the Sarah-Vicky-Gina line continued to be red hot as Gina scored again after a give-and-go with Vicky. Oddly enough there was another assist- to goaltender Meredith Pia!! Goal six went to Mariel who crashed the net following a point shot from Rachel Hauser, and the Phantoms had victory number one in the tournament 6 - 4.

      In the second game the Phantoms faced the Tiger Lilies, whom they had yet to beat this season. In the locker room before the game Coach Hein went over the strengths of the Tiger Lilies, and also stressed team defense. And it was the defense who came up big in this game.
      Leading the way in the goal scoring department was Vicky Graham, who received a nice flat pass from Mariel to put the Phantoms up by one. Goal number two was Vicky's also, as she wrapped the puck around the net after getting a feed from Sarah. Allie was there to stop every shot the Tiger Lilies threw on her, as she used her blocker, glove, leg pads- anything to get in the way of the Tiger Lily shots.
     In the second period it was Kat Smithson who cruised across the top of the slot for the backhand shot. The netminder made the save, but Jeannie O'Neill hopped on the rebound and sent the Phantoms up by three. There was plenty of optimism on the Phantoms bench as Gina hit Vicky cruising down the slot for the fourth Phantom goal.
     The Tiger Lilies scored late in the second period, but this was countered by Jeannie O'Neill. She capitalized on a Tiger Lily giveaway in front of their net, and the Phantoms were up by four goals again. It was a nice unassisted goal, showing how hustle pays off. At 4:32 of the final period a two on one rush came flying across our blue line. But Allie was not about to give any ground and made the key save. The Tiger Lilies scored at 3:21, but Vicky wasn't finished for the day. Her fourth goal of the game was scored while she was literally on the goal line, after a feed from Gina and Sarah. That was the eighth goal scored by this line in one day! Final score Phantoms 6 - Tiger Lilies - 2.

     In the third game of the tournament, the Phantoms faced the Anaheim Lady Ducks who had flown in (pardon the pun) from California. The Tiger Lilies and Ducks had tied earlier, and the Ducks had also tied the Phantoms at the Polar Bear Tournament. In the pregame meeting, Coach Hein again stressed team defense, and the need to tie up opponents in front of our net. The strategy proved effective.
      Goal number one was Mariel's, who received a pass from Kat Smithson and backhanded it into the net to give the Phantoms the lead. Shortly afterward the Ducks scored to tie it up, and it looked like it was going to be a real battle. But the Phantoms were disciplined and stayed out of the penalty box. The Ducks scored again in the second period, and the Phantoms were behind in the tournament for the first time.
     Down, but not out, Molly Cotugno threaded a pass to Vicky Graham, who weaved through traffic and delivered the puck to Jo who sent it through the five hole to tie the score. The defense concentrated on moving the puck quickly and using the weak side, and this lead to the third Phantom goal. Gina stormed up the boards and scored from a backhand as she grabbed the lead for her team. As it turned out, the third period was the charm for the Phantoms as Vicky wrapped up the scoring off a scramble in front. For those who are counting that made ten goals for the Vicky-Gina-Sarah line in two days.

     Not to be outdone- the defense was terrific in the tournament. Their magic number of allowing no more than two goals per game was in evidence. Special kudos to Kate Hein, Rachel Hauser, Emily Smithson, Molly Cotugno, Jess Bryan, Bridget Cleary and Josephine Stoltzfus who combined in this effort. Kate was moving the puck quickly on breakouts and using her reach to poke check opposing forwards, Rachel was challenging skaters at the blue line and turning them away. Emily was often the defenseman who broke up odd man rushes, and Molly was making solid decisions about holding her point position, balancing the times to pinch in with the times to retreat and help her partner. Jess was experimenting with pinching in from her point position on offense and using her point shot. Bridget made several nice challenges in neutral ice and stripped to opponent of the puck and Josephine was dancing, often in front of the net, to break the screen in front of our goaltender. Whether it was forwards playing strong defense or defensemen stepping up their level of play, the team defense is working well. And with the offense scoring an average of four plus goals per game, and the defense and goaltending playing like this- the Phantoms are putting themselves in an advantageous position for the district playoffs.

     With three wins, the Phantoms were guaranteed a spot in the Championship Round. Unfortunately the Smithsons couldn't be there, but Jessica Cowperthwait was back, and played a key part in the game. There was no scoring in the first period as these two evenly matched teams fought for position. Kirsty Schoeninger, played particularly solid defensive hockey on every shift as she controlled the ice in front of Allie, who was in net. Allison Murray was really hustling - no one could tell she had spent a good part of the season with a broken ankle! The forechecking of Jeannie O'Neill and J.C. kept the puck in the Ducks' zone for much of the period.
     It was Vicky who led the scoring with her seventh goal of the tournament. Next it was Mariel who broke free on a breakaway. The rebound went to J.C. who buried it, with great interference by Jeannie O'Neill to interfere with the defenseman from getting to Mariel. Coach Schoeninger had been preaching this all season and it looked like it was paying off. The third goal of the period was Vicky's, her eighth of the tournament from near the goal line. There was no stopping Vicky this weekend- no matter what the opponents tried to do to slow her down. It seemed as if she could find openings before they even occurred. Vicky used her speed well, and her line controlled games when they were out.
     Allie was pitching the shutout, but was willing to share this special game with Meredith who came in during the third period. A real classy move, Allie! Then J.C. sent the Phantoms up by four as she caught the Duck goaltender moving and shot back against the grain with a backhand. The Phantoms took a few late penalties, and Meredith was quite busy in net. The Ducks did finally get a goal, but the game was over, and the gold medals belonged to the Phantoms.
     Out on the ice, it was nice to see that hard work by all the players was rewarded with another trophy for the trophy case. But even as the girls celebrated, and got "Champions" added to their tournament t-shirts- clearly the prize most desired was going to be the following weekend in the district playoffs.

     The Delco Phantoms marched to the Hollydell Ice Rink in Pitman, New Jersey with visions of Eskimos, reindeer, and polar bears in their heads. Each and every girl had received a nine page scouting report of the opponents at hand, and they had the confidence necessary to emerge victorious over the other teams in the Atlantic District Championship round robin tournament.

    Game one pitted the Phantoms against the defending representative to the National Championship- the New Jersey Colonials. The pregame plan emphasized slot control, dominating forechecking, and team defense. The Phantoms planned to stay out of the penalty box, but to play aggressive. As the team took to the ice, there was a mixture of excitement and nervousness echoing throughout the rink.
    The Colonials struck first at 10:05 of the first period. Allie faced 12 shots that period, and looked as if she had the magic to control the Colonials forwards. Seven minutes later the Phantoms scored on the power play, as Gina wrapped the puck around the Colonial net and surprised their goaltender with a quick wrist shot.
    In the second period the Colonials went up 2 - 1, but the Phantoms shook off their nervousness and took 12 shots of their own. Vicky scored, again on the power play as she dominated the ice. The play began with defenseman Jess Bryan, who had worked on her point shot from the point just two nights before. Jess shot, and Vicky took the opportunity to deflect it for the tip in goal and the score was tied at two apiece. At 3:09 of the second period the Phantoms took the lead as Vicky came walking down the slot. The Phantoms were on the power play again, and Vicky saw that the goaltender was giving her 5 hole space, and sent the puck into the twine for a 3 - 2 Phantom lead.
    The game plan was working well. The forwards were supporting the defense to eliminate odd man rushes. The lead was ours. And we had kept the penalty box virtually free of Phantoms- so the discipline was there. Even better, the Phantoms cranked up the shot total and outshot the Colonials 10 to 5 in the last period.
    But the Colonials had been to these district playoffs last year and won, so as they gathered while the Zamboni resurfaced the ice, they set their plan in motion. And while the Colonials were outshot in the third period, they were able to score twice to defeat the Phantoms 4 - 3. The loss was heart-breaking, but still there were possibilities that the Phantoms could sneak into the National Championships if just the right circumstances occurred.

    On Saturday afternoon, the team approached the locker room with consternation, but they were focused on the next opponent- the Glaciers. The Phantoms knew we not only had to defeat the Glaciers, but had to try to outscore them significantly, should tie breakers come into effect. Vicky opened the scoring as she continued to lead the team's offense. It was a nice chip shot directly after a power play. Next it was Gina's line again, as Vicky slid across the top of the slot, dodging Glaciers left and right, and slid the puck to Sarah. Sarah converted, and the lead was stretched to two goals.
    The third Phantom goal belonged to Kat Smithson, who was almost at the Glacier goal line. She fired from an almost impossible angle, but scored low stick side. The Glaciers countered with a goal to end the second period, but the Phantoms were up 3 -1.
    After the Zamboni finished, Gina's line reaffirmed their offensive capabilities. Vicky Graham was performing some great puck control on the boards, then danced out and took her patented slapshot. That gave the Phantoms a three goal lead, and the girls began to think about the ease of the victory. But the Glaciers were not about to lie down to their rivals and countered with three comeback goals of their own. Meredith was challenging the shooters, but the Glaciers would not be denied on the rebound, even though the Phantoms defensemen were clearing the slot again and again.
    So the stage was set as the clock slowly wound down with the score tied 4 - 4. Emily Smithson skated across the tops of the faceoff circles and saw an opening. She fired and caught the Glacier goaltender moving and the Phantom bench exploded in joy. The game ended as a Phantom victory, but hopes were dwindling because it was only a one goal victory.

    The Phantoms needed some tournament help by a Tiger Lily victory or Glacier victory over the Colonials. Sadly this was not to happen, and as several Phantoms players watched the Colonials with their district medals, they knew they had made a long journey from the beginning since September, and that if only they hadn't faced such outstanding goaltending, and had converted a few more of their chances- it would be them going to Alaska.
    But the game at hand was against the Tiger Lilies, and their many offensive weapons. It was Gina Kearns who opened the scoring, as Vicky timed a great pass to her, and Gina shot high to the Tiger Lily goaltender's glove side. What made the goal even more spectacular was that it was shot-handed. The Tiger Lilies came back with the next three straight goals, the last being on the power play. But the second period scoring was not over even though the period was about to end, Vicky was being tackled in front of the Tiger Lily net, but as we all know Vicky loves the rough stuff. She got the shot off anyway and the Phantoms went into the locker room down by a goal, having outshot the Tiger Lilies in that period 10 - 3. Allie had stoned the Tiger Lilies with several quick glove saves that period, and confidence was building in the Phantoms minds.
     The game began on fresh ice to start the third period, and the Phantoms had an early power play. The defense worked the puck around the perimeter, but the perfect chance just wasn't there. At 9:48 Vicky threw a long cross ice pass to Sarah Lautenbach. The players on the bench stood as they saw Sarah take the quick shot. Seconds later Sarah's hands were lifted to celebrate the goal, signaling that the score was now tied... 4 - 4.
    The next nine minutes of action saw many different Phantoms try to take the team on their shoulders and score the game winning goal. The Phantoms were aided by another power play, but the Tiger Lilies goaltender would not budge. As the clock ticked past one minute left in the game, the Phantoms pulled Allie in the hope of breaking the tie breaker that was in the Tiger Lilies' favor. As the buzzer went off, there was a mixture among the Phantoms of sadness and pride having competed evenly with every team in the tournament. The result was that we were tied for second place- not as impressive as the week before, but certainly a display showing the Phantoms not only belong in this league- but also can become champions next year if they continue their level of improvement. 

The Girls 19U AA- AWHL Season

    The AA girls team took a step forward as they entered the AWHL this year. The season was filled with challenges and high expectations, and with any luck, and just a goal or two, this squad would have been headed to Alaska to play for a National Championship.
    To begin the year, the team tested its abilities against Sound Shore, the Glaciers and the Tiger Lilies. The offense, led by Vicky Graham and Gina Kearns, and newcomer Jeannie O’Neill, learned to adapt to the higher level of play. That seemed rather easy when we played the Devils, but it took the game against the defending Atlantic Division Champions to know that the team had really arrived.
    Led by head coach, Ted Hein, the team lost to the Colonials by a goal, but everyone on the bench and in the stands knew that this team was ready to show the AWHL what Phantom hockey was all about. After defeating the rival Glaciers, it was off to the prestigious Connecticut Polar Bear Tournament. While achieving two ties and two losses there, the Phantoms commanded respect in the highest division in the tournament.
    It seemed as if the season took an immediate turnaround on January 13th. The Phantoms defeated the Long Island Waves 12 - 0, and went on an eleven game undefeated streak. The defense, led by Kate Hein, Molly Cotugno, Jess Bryan, and Rachel Hauser began to show dominance, with the help of Jo Stoltzfus and Bridget Cleary. The goaltending, shouldered by Allie DiRico and Meredith Pia, seemed to work in perfect harmony.
    One season highlight had to be the away game against the Polar Bears. The talented Polar Bears had a two year undefeated streak going into the game, but the Phantoms would not be intimidated. The Phantoms broke the cycling offense, but trailed by a 3 - 1 margin. Thanks to quick strikes by Mariel Marchand, Sarah Lautenbach, and Bridget Cleary. The buzzer sounded and the game was deadlocked at 3 - 3, and the Polar Bears had their first blemish.
    On February 16th, the Phantoms were the hosts of the Inaugural Delco Phantoms girl’s tournament. Tough competition was standing in the Phantoms’ way. First it was the Glaciers who were beaten 6 - 4. Next was the Tiger Lilies, whom the Phantoms had never beaten, but thanks to Gina’s line, they went down 6 - 2. Then the Anaheim Lady Ducks became the third victim, and it was time to face the Ducks in the championship game. Allie and Meredith were hot, and the Phantoms became the gold medal winners.
    In the Atlantic District playoffs, the Phantoms first faced the Colonials. The game was extremely close, but the Phantoms fell a goal short. A win over the Glaciers meant the final challenge was the Tiger Lilies. The result was a well played tie, but the level of play showed how far this team had come. Hats off to the girls for a terrific season.