Two local women's ice hockey teams joined visiting squads from Utah and Boise for the first rendition of the Cold Turkey Classic tournament Nov. 13-14 on resort ice at Sun Valley Skating Center.
Young, fast and gifted, the Utah U-19 All-Star team from Salt Lake City was the team to beat—and nobody did. Utah went 3-0 and outscored its opponents 21-4, making short work of the local women.
Tied 1-1 with Boise in the third period Sunday after winning their first two games 5-0 and 10-3, the Utah All-Stars reeled off five goals in the final 10 minutes to breeze home 6-1.
Meanwhile, the local Red Hot Ninjas rallied for a 2-2 tie with Boise Saturday morning to finish their three-game weekend with a 1-1-1 record.
Jody Zarkos redirected a shot by defenseman Nancy Parsons-Brown to equalize at 2-2. Jenni Conrad also had an assist on the game-tying play. Earlier, Annie O'Sullivan had put the Ninjas on the board on passes from Kelley Sinnott and Dotty Sarchett. The Ninjas out-shot Boise 25-19 for the game.
The busiest bee turning shot-after-shot buzzing out from Beehive State sticks was Ninjas goalie Denae Commons (47 saves) in Saturday's 10-3 loss to Utah's Stars. Local scorers were Wendy Speth (Lacie Hernandez, Tristan Gralenski), Sara Schroeder (O'Sullivan, Sarchett) and Hernandez.
In the one local face-off, Red Hot Ninjas redeemed themselves 6-1 over Baldy Bombshells Sunday. Schroeder scored two Ninjas goals plus singles by O'Sullivan, Sinnott, Sarchett and Hernandez. Ninjas assists went to O'Sullivan (2), Sarchett (2), Bege Reynolds and Laci Watkins.
For the Bombshells, Erin Griffith tallied the goal assisted by her mom, Jini Griffith. Goalie Linda McMahon made 16 saves for the Bombshells and Commons had 10 for Ninjas, 74 for the weekend. Jen Embree was a Ninjas defensive star.
Weekend scoring for the Ninjas (11 goals scored, 13 against): O'Sullivan 2 goals/3 assists; Schroeder 3/0; Hernandez 2/1; Sarchett 1/3; Sinnott 1/1; Speth 1/0; Zarkos 1/0; Parsons-Brown 0/1; Conrad 0/1; Gralenski 0/1; Watkins 0/1; and Reynolds 0/1.
Other Bombshells skaters were Casey Kelly, Jeannie Kiel, Kipp Mills, Lisa Wood, Lucy Chubb, Nicky Elsbree, Kris Josey, Erika Greenberg, Janet Salvoni, Tizz Miller, Kris Miller, Sarah Benson and Sheila Naghsh.
The organizing committee included Lacie Hernandez, Kelley Sinnott and Jini Griffith. Next up for the Ketchum Five Star Kitchen Design team is the Park City (Utah) Invitational tournament Dec. 11-12.
