By: Ashley Prest, Winnipeg Free Press – December 26, 2009
WINNIPEG Prairie Fire are in first place in the National Ringette League's Western Conference after three years of looking up to perennial powerhouse Edmonton WAM.
The Fire have a four-point lead -- though Edmonton has two games in hand -- but it is still the best start the Prairie Fire have had.
Coach Bob Madziak said there hasn't been much change in who is playing for the team, it's just how they're playing that is making a difference.
"Certainly experience playing at this level helps and we have most of the same roster as last year," said head coach Bob Madziak, who is assisted by Jamie Penner and Rick Montsion.
"I really do think a lot of it has to do with that sort of chemistry of enjoying playing together and being very supportive of each other that leads to playing well together. We're just meshing well as a unit right now."
Last season, the Prairie Fire placed second-last in the conference while the WAM placed first and finished fourth nationally. Madziak said his team had a strong finish, which led to a solid start this year.
Leading the way are veteran players such as centre Sheena MacDonald, a member of Canada's national ringette team which won silver at the 2007 World Ringette Championship, and Andrea Ferguson, who formerly played ringette professionally in Finland. Other long-time team members include forward Michelle Mandziak along with Lindsay Burns and Meredith Warner on defence.
The team's goaltending tandem includes veteran Dani Sykes and newcomer Elise Crocker, who won a silver medal at nationals last year with Manitoba's Belle team (ages 16-18) and was also a hockey goalie, backstopping the St. Mary's Academy Flames to a fourth straight Winnipeg Women's High School Hockey League championship.
The Prairie Fire's toughest game so far was the Nov. 23 contest in Edmonton against the WAM, who beat them 10-1.
Edmonton WAM was the NRL champion in 2007. The team once again has a roster loaded with Team Canada players, including Megan Todd, who was the NRL's top forward/centre last season, and goalie Keely Brown, who was the NRL's top goaltender last year.
The NRL is made up of 18 teams in four divisions and culminates with the 2009 Canadian Ringette Championship which will be held in Charlottetown, PEI. The top three teams in their conference will earn berths in the nationals and the Prairie Fire have set a goal of being one of them.
Madziak said the team is cautiously optimistic and isn't making too much of the standings because the Fire will go head-to-head with WAM on Jan. 4 at 8:10 a.m. and 12:50 p.m. in Allard Arena.
"Those will be some big games for us," he said. "We've got a lot of season left to play so we can't look too far ahead and hopefully make it to Charlottetown."
ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca
