Tight-checking game ends with Stars on top and earning a trip to the nationalsPublished Apr 07, 2025 • 4 minute readNorthern Subway Selects forward Hali Rose MacLean pulls away from the checking of Eastern Stars’ Avery MacPhee, during the gold medal game of the U18 Female Atlantic Hockey Championship played April 6 at the Pictou County Wellness Centre. The Stars, the P.E.I. representatives based in Montague, won the game 3-1 over the host Selects. Photo by Richard MacKenzie /The NewsNEW GLASGOW – It was a game that kept fans of both teams on the edge of their seats throughout and, in the end, saw the team from P.E.I. edge the hosts to earn a trip to the upcoming nationals.With a 3-1 win over the Pictou County Northern Subway Selects in the title contest, the Down East Auto Pro Eastern Stars, based in Montague, claimed the female U18 AAA Atlantic championship and will now play in the 2025 Esso Cup which is scheduled for April 20 to 26 in Lloydminster, Alberta.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle content“I think the way we bounced back after the first period, down a goal, was amazing,” said Stars captain Kali MacDonald as her team celebrated on the Pictou County Wellness Centre ice. “In between periods, we talked about how important it was to keep up the energy and come out stronger.”Head coach Blaine Fitzpatrick said the team came into the event prepared to be at their best.“We showed up ready. Our first day was tough, we played both Nova Scotia teams,” he said, referring to the host Selects as well as the Nova Scotia champion Greenfoot Capitals, who are based in Bedford. These games saw the Stars earn one-goal victories.“Our girls were ready. They followed our structure and systems throughout the weekend, and they earned every bit of it. The competition this weekend was very good; nothing came easy.“For P.E.I., we don’t have a lot of players coming to try out. This is a pretty special group of girls and I’m very proud of all of them.”Fitzpatrick expanded on the quality of hockey displayed by all the teams during the four-day event.Article content“Every piece of ice seemed to be contested out there, at all times,” he said. “That goes for all the teams, so all the girls played extremely hard. The goaltending was exceptional all weekend as well; so it was a testament to female hockey … where it’s going.”Rogan Vint opened the scoring for the Selects with a goal at the 5:57 mark of the first period. It was assisted by Reese Murray.Pictou County took the 1-0 lead into the second period, but the Stars scored the only two goals of that frame to grab the lead 2-1. MacDonald and Ellie Mullins scored the goals with assists being earned by Candace Player and Taylor Hunter on Mullins’ goal.Avery MacPhee scored an unassisted empty-net goal with just under 50 seconds to go in the game to seal the victory for the Stars.Amy Field made 22 saves in the loss, earning a game star for the Selects. Field was also named top goaltender for the Atlantics, while Pictou County assistant captain Hali Rose MacLean won the top scorer award.Article content Eastern Stars defender Bella Fitzpatrick wrapped herself in a P.E.I. flag during the on-ice celebration, after her team defeated the host Pictou County Northern Subway Selected 3-1 in the Atlantic championship game, played April 6, at the Pictou County Wellness Centre. The Stars will now represent Atlantic Canada at the nationals scheduled for later this month in Lloydminister, Alberta. Photo by Richard MacKenzie /The NewsPROUD OF THE TEAMFor the Selects, they were looking to earn a fourth straight trip to the nationals. Although they fell just short, head coach Craig Clark said he couldn’t be prouder of the team.“You can’t be prouder of that group,” the veteran coach said while gesturing towards the team’s dressing room.“I put it up on the board before the game, we graduated 164 points from last year’s team,” he added, a reference to the points (goals and assists) earned by players on last year’s team who aged out of the program. “Nobody believed we would be coming back to this game this year, except for us.”The young Selects had a roller-coaster season, which included being knocked out of the Nova Scotia playoffs by the Capitals in a back-and-forth series that went the distance. That meant they needed to stay sharp without the help of more playoff contests while waiting for the Atlantic championship to arrive.“Those girls, they had ups and downs all year and despite that, we had no drama, no issues, they just kept getting up and back in the fight,” Clarke said. “Week after week, setback after setback, they willed themselves to be here today.Article content“When you lose in the playoff round, a lot of teams would have just packed it up for the season right there. But they got right up, worked hard, and came here this weekend ready to go. They played one of the most exciting games I’ve ever been part of (versus the Capitals as part of the round robin) and won that, won again yesterday, and came here today and, for good chunks of the game, outplayed a very good hockey team. A big, physical team who have been together, for many of them at least, for three or four years.“This is their special core, their year, and we battled them … we gave them everything we could.” Greenfoot Capitals forward Khloe Jodrey came very close to tying her team’s round robin game versus the eventual champion Eastern Stars, but her backhand attempt, from a sharp angle in the dying seconds, went across the front of the net and wide of the far post. The Stars held on to win the game and eventually defeated the host Subway Selects in the final, while the Capitals, the Nova Scotia champs based in Bedford, earned the bronze medal. Pictured from the Stars are defender Taylor Hunter and goaltender Olivia Lowe. Photo by Richard MacKenzie /The NewsBRONZE FOR THE CAPITALSThe Capitals capped off their special season by adding Atlantic bronze medals to their provincial championship.Losing one-goal games to the Stars and the Selects in the round-robin portion of the event meant they finished third heading into the playoff round. The Capitals took care of business there, downing the fourth-seeded Moncton Subaru Rockets 3-2.Captain Ava Beaton and Zara Prince scored in the first period to put the Capitals up 2-0 going into the second, but a pair of Rocket goals evened the contest halfway through the second.Carly Beaton would score before the period finished and her marker would end up the winner as the third period was scoreless.Ava Beaton added an assist for a two-point game, while Josie Leslie, Beatrice Asbridge, and Adison White also recorded helpers for the Capitals.A busy Lauren Delaney earned the win in goal for the Capitals by making 44 saves.Article content
P.E.I.s Stars prevail over Pictou Countys Selects in Atlantic final
