Oilers come up short in title game at State 19U Tourney
By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor
After winning their first two games at the State 19U Girls Hockey Tournament, the Watford City Oilers came up on the short end of the scoring column in the title game against Hazen/Beulah.
The Oilers opened the tournament with a 6-2 win over Wahpeton, and then downed Langdon, 4-3, in the semifinals.
But the Oilers’ road to the state championship title was short-circuited with a 5-2 loss to the Novas on Sunday.
The Oilers, who entered the tournament with a 4-19-1 season record, were an underdog, but battled to the title game.
Opening Round
Watford City 6, Wahpeton 2
Watford City proved to be the best team on the ice when the Oilers took on Wahpeton in opening round action of the State 19U Girls Hockey Tournament in Mandan last Friday as they skated to a 6-2 win.
Bridget Allex would put Watford City on the scoreboard early in the first period, with that one-point, 1-0 lead, standing until the third period.
Watford City would turn up the heat on the Blades in the third period scoring five goals en route to the win.
Allex would open the third period with a goal before Abbigael McCauley would net a pair of goals to put the Oilers up, 4-0, with 10:15 left in the final stanza. Totiana Miller would tack on another goal before the Blades would score two goals to cut the Watford City lead to 4-2, with 6:06 remaining in the game.
But Watford City would slam the door shut on the Blades as Allex completed her hat trick to give the Oilers a 5-2 victory.
McCauley and Sheridan Johnson led the Oilers in assists with two and one, respectively.
Semifinals
Watford City 6, Wahpeton 2
It didn’t look good for the Watford City girls in the early going of the semifinals on Saturday as the Oilers found themselves trailing Langdon, 3-0, after two periods of play.
The Oilers would rally in the third period as Bridget Allex would net two goals, before Abbigael McCauley would deadlock the game, 3-3, with 2:30 remaining in regulation play.
Allex would claim the 4-3 win for the Oilers as she netted her hat trick goal with less than a minute left in overtime.
Totiana Miller had two assists in the game, while McCauley had one assist.
Championship
Hazen/Beulah 5, Watford City 2
There would be no heroic comebacks on Sunday as the Oilers matched up against the Hazen/Beulah Novas in the title game of the State Girls 19U Hockey Tournament. Watford City had lost to the Novas twice during the regular season, and once again the Oilers came up on the short side of the scoring column.
The Novas jumped out to a 4-1 lead after two periods of play, with both teams netting a goal in the final period.
Scoring for the Oilers was Abbigael McCauley and Totiana Miller.
Bridget Allex, Abby McCauley, Tot Miller, Sheridan Johnson and Teddi Dwyer will be attending the President’s Cup Tournament in Rapid City on March 20-22, while 10 of the girls will be competing in the State 12U Tournament this weekend in Grand Forks.