Lady Fusion wins Winter Classic

The Flathead Lady Fusion 14U hockey team went 4-1-0 this weekend and claimed their first Winter Classic championship at the Woodland Park ice rink in Kalispell.

Visiting teams were the Las Vegas Golden Knights, Washington Wild, Missoula Bruins and Bozeman Ice Dogs.

On Friday evening, the Fusion opened their weekend with a hard fought 6-3 win over the Golden Knights. Goalie Courtney Klemann was solid in the net, facing 16 shots and making 13 saves, before she headed off for a Bravette high school basketball tournament.

Early Saturday morning, the Fusion had a disappointing loss to the Bozeman Ice Dogs, falling 6-11. Goalies Piper Linsom and Norah Adoretti shared time in the net, both making some great saves.

The Fusion stormed back early afternoon and took Missoula to task, finishing with a 7-4 victory over the Bruins. Piper Linsom was strong in goal for the Fusion, making several nice saves.

A third game was in store for the girls that evening against the Washington Wild. Scoring came early and often for the Fusion, ending with 11 goals to five for the win.

Norah Adoretti, playing her first 14U games in goal, had a good showing.

The results put the Lady Fusion in the championship game on Sunday, getting a rematch with the Ice Dogs, hoping to avenge their only loss of the weekend.

Bozeman took an early lead, scoring a trio of goals in the first period. With a Fusion player in the penalty box and the team shorthanded, the girls skated hard and scored two short-handed goals to bring the game within one. The Ice Dogs scored one more early in the second, with the Fusion turning it on and scoring the next six goals unanswered to win the tournament. Courtney Klemann, back from Bravette basketball, had a super game in the net saving 27 of 32 shots she faced.

Every girl on the team shared in tallying points over the weekend of games: Kenzie Baker with 10 goals and seven assists, Mariah Dickey with seven goals and four assists, Nya Barber-Castro eight goals and two assists, Josie Voeller two goals and two assists, Margot Cummings two goals and three assists, Kyleigh Willis one goal and two assists, Grace Droskowski with four goals, Faith Wentzel two goals, Elizabeth Spradlin one goal, Lexi Kerstin one goal, and Piper Linsom, Carmen Eddy, Norah Adoretti, Grace Wentzel and Kyndle DeMarco with assists.

Next up for the Flathead Lady Fusion are league games in Miles City Feb. 2-4 in preparation for the Montana State Tournament, to be held in Bozeman Feb. 9-11.