Former Sunshine Coast Blues player Madison Morrissey had a very successful year off Coast. In September of last year, she tried out for the North Shore Avalanche and was given a spot on the top team, which then was tiered into the Female U18A division for the Lower Mainland.
The team gelled from the first game and were very successful throughout the season. Their one nemesis was the Richmond Ravens, who seemed to always come on top in each game they played against each other. Fast forward to the end of the season where Richmond and NS Avalanche were playing for a chance to play for the divisional banner. North Shore scored first in second period, Richmond answered with three minutes left in the period, so 1-1 was the score going into the third where NS scored in they and were able to keep the 2-1 advantage for the rest of game. For the first time all season, NS had beat Richmond. In a rematch the following week, for the U18A Female Divisional Banner, NS triumphed in a tight 4-3 win.
Winning the banner along with the hard-fought season play landed the Avalanche into the U18A Female Provincials in Richmond March 24 to 27. NS met Richmond in the semifinals Sunday morning where a fast paced match ended with a 1-0 result for the Avalanche.
In the Sunday evening gold medal game against another team, the scoreboard remained 0-0 into the third period, when, in the 11th minute, North Shore scored. In the last minute, an empty net goal gave North Shore a little more breathing room to finish the game 2-0.
Parents, coaches and players all celebrated on the ice following the game.
