Coming into the Christmas break the Penhold Amazons have plenty of reasons to be happy.
For most of the season, the third for the Alberta Junior Female Hockey League (AJFHL), the defending league champion Amazons have been the team to beat. They are on top of the south division鈥檚 standings and leading the entire league with a record of 16 - 1, including back to back wins last weekend.
On Saturday, they were on the road in Calgary and beat the Calgary Warriors 3 鈥� 1. The next day, the Amazons played a home game in Caroline and defeated the Edmonton Wolves 4 鈥� 1.
This year the 20-player Penhold team is competing with 12 hungry and determined first year players. That would normally be considered by many as a recipe for a rebuilding year. Not so though. The first year players are competing just fine.
The Amazon鈥檚 18-year-old rookie Ciana Zweifel is the south division鈥檚 top scorer, and 20-year-old Jessica Amendt is far and away the division鈥檚 top goalie, with a stellar goals against average of 0.94 as of Dec. 9.
Head coach Val Gill said she is obviously pleased with her squad鈥檚 performance thus far, adding it bodes well for the future.
鈥淲e look forward to a few more years of success with these up and coming girls,鈥� said Gill, who is also in her third year with the team.
As for the fine performance of Zweifel, she is not surprised. The former Red Deer AAA midget star came to the Amazons with a great attitude, she said.
鈥淪he is a great skater and comes to us with unbelievable skills,鈥� said Gill. 鈥淪he is a very humble person. She really reminds me of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He鈥檚 (Edmonton Oilers and former Red Deer Rebel) a nice kid too.鈥�
While Gill easily sings the praises for Zweifel and the team鈥檚 offence she will not exclude mention of the team鈥檚 defence, led by Amendt鈥檚 consistently solid performance.
鈥淪he was our starting goalie last year and she is having a great season this year too,鈥� said Gill. 鈥淪he鈥檚 very laid back, which is a confidence builder for our defence. She handles the pressure really well.鈥�
At this point of the season the only area that could concern Gill and the coaching staff is a post Christmas break let down. Last season, the Amazons were 11 鈥� 3 at the break and finished the regular season with a record of 15 鈥� 6. While last year鈥檚 post Christmas performance was not disastrous by any means Gill wants her squad to be on guard against complacency.
鈥淟ast year we didn鈥檛 have to many goal scorers. We had a lot of close games,鈥� said Gill. 鈥淲e want to be focused this year and to be consistent and mentally prepared for every game. Last year before the playoffs we had a few losses. This year we have to be prepared to be at our best mentally.鈥�
So far this year for the Amazons the team to watch out for is Fort Saskatchewan Fury. Penhold beat the Fury 3 鈥� 1 on Oct. 30 but Fort Saskatchewan came back on Nov. 5 to crush the Amazons 5 鈥� 0.
鈥淲e were missing a couple of girls for that game and we had mental break downs,鈥� said Gill. 鈥淚t seemed we couldn鈥檛 do anything right. But kudos to them they played a good game. I feel they are the team to beat.鈥�
The Amazons will play their last game before Christmas this Saturday at the Penhold Regional Multiplex when they host the Calgary Titans.
