The first shots on net after the puck was dropped served notice that this was going to be a goaltender’s battle. The Grizzlies netminder, Ayla Paltzat, was outstanding, stoning the very talented and shifty Edson forwards. Jasper got their first real scoring opportunity 12 minutes in when an Edson forward was sent to the box for hooking. Captain Alexandra “Zans” Bossio had a great chance, taking a perfect feed from Jen Dillon in the slot, but she was robbed by the glove hand of the Selects goalie. We’d have to wait until four minutes to play in the first when power-forward Emma Merilovich found smooth skating defender Lauren Ewald alone in the slot and Ewald made no mistake. Then with a minute left to play, Zans found her range and buried a rebound from a Tamara Buck snapshot, giving Jasper a two-goal lead heading into the first break.
Heading into the second, the shots were level at 13 and the tension was palpable. The game’s flow was incredible, with Jasper controlling the play in the Edson end for minutes at a time, then relinquishing control for the next five. It was anyone’s game. The Dillon sisters, Erin and Jen, were key to Jasper’s system, taking the Edson zone, resisting the temptation of the low percentage shot, wheeling around the net, allowing the play to develop, and passing it off to a teammate in a better position for a good shot. Beautiful to watch. Paltzat was unbeatable in net, as was her Edson counterpart, turning away all 25 shots taken by both teams.
The third period was gut check time for both squads. The last 20 minutes of the season, and the winner was going home with a banner for their barn. Edson struck early with a squibber along the ice that snuck through Paltzat’s pads. With their lead now just one goal, Jasper poured it on, capitalizing half way through the period as Merilovich poked in a loose puck in the crease to re-establish the Grizzlies’ two goal cushion. But Edson struck right back. A neutral-zone giveaway led to a Selects breakaway that Paltzat calmly handled, but the rebound bounced out of her reach, and the second shot found the back of the net. Jasper now led 3–2 with eight minutes to play. With Paltzat standing on her head in the Grizzlies’ net, Brinna Lee was working the other end. Lucky No. 13, Lee picked up a pass in the slot and absolutely hammered it into the net, beating the Edson netminder glove side. That was all Jasper needed. When the final horn sounded, the Grizzlies had won 4–2 and were league champs.
Hats off to coach Kelly Bossio who has guided this team for seven years; this being his last. A great way to cap off a career with equally dedicated co-coach Mike Dillon and manager Moira McKinnon. Props also to assistant coach Shawna Fournier and goalie coach Cam Vos.
Goaltending was key to the Grizzlies success with underage call-up Teagan Lee helping out between the pipes throughout the season. Indispensible also was the defence of Anna Tokunaga and the “kid line” of Zans, Jen Dillon and Merilovich, who were unstoppable.
When their championship banner hangs from the Jasper Arena rafters next season, look for the names Kiana Sillence, Kaitlyn Thompson, Crimson Derbowka and Tieghan Williams, and the rest of these playmakers for which the town of Jasper is justifiably proud. Thank you ladies.
