Four games in three days aren’t quite normal when starting a brand new season of hockey, but that’s how Prince George’s top-tier female hockey team kicked off its 2019-20 campaign.
The Northern Capitals participated in a showcase event in Surrey over the weekend, finishing with a 500 record of 2-2 against other clubs in the B.C. Female Midget AAA hockey league (FMAAA).
Returning forward Brooklyn Hutchings led the Caps in the icebreaker tournament with a four-point performance; two goals and two assists.
Both of the 15-year-old’s markers came in the team’s second game on Friday (Oct. 4), a 3-1 victory over the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers, including the game-winner and insurance marker with 20 seconds left in the third period.
In the earlier contest, the Northern Capitals couldn’t even find the back of the net altogether and were eventually shut out 7-0 by the defending-champion Greater Vancouver Comets.
Saturday (Oct. 5) saw the rematch of last year’s semi-final series with the Fraser Valley Rush, in which the Caps had hoped to redeem themselves.
However, they would blow a 4-2 lead late in the second period and the Rush would pot the 5-4 dagger in the final frame.
Pyper Alexander had herself a three-point game with a goal and two assists.
Caps’ goaltender Tessa Sturgeon stole the Sunday morning show (Oct. 6) by earning her first shut out of the season.
Her squad ended the weekend with a 2-0 win over the Vancouver Island Seals and Sturgeon would get her second win in as many starts.
The Northern Capitals will remain on the road until their home openers in late November.
The young women will compete in a three-game, three-day series with Greater Vancouver on the weekend of Oct. 18.
