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The Assumption College Lions have gone back-to-back in AABHN girls hockey.

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Facing Paris District High School in the Athletic Association of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk final on Wednesday at the Gretzky Centre, the Lions defeated the Panthers 3-1 for their second consecutive championship.

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For a handful of players on Assumption’s team, including Grade 12 student Ellie Silva, they end their AABHN careers on top.

“It feels good,” said Silva, a scoring star for the Lions. “It means a lot to me and the other seniors to win in our last year. It’s an amazing group of girls.”

By no means was the championship in the bag for Assumption before the game started.

Although the Lions (11-1 overall) finished first in the regular season, the team’s only loss was to the Panthers (8-3-1 overall). Paris beat Assumption 4-3 on Dec. 11 before the Lions got revenge with a 4-2 victory on Jan. 15.

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“We were kind of nervous going into the game because Paris had beat us before and we had beat them,” Silva said. “We just stuck with it, tried to put as many in the back of the net as possible and kept the energy up.”

Within the first minute of the final, ACS went to the power play but the Lions couldn’t muster much with the man-advantage.

Assumption would get a second power-play opportunity with just over five minutes played in the first period and this time the Lions capitalized.

Taking a feed off the stick of Olivia Hughes, Carling Ruddell gave ACS a 1-0 lead when she put the puck past Kenzie Coates. Emerson O’Neill also got an assist on the goal.

Shortly after that, Assumption goalie Alexis Greek had to make a strong save from a Ryann Taylor attempt and even though the Lions got their third power play of the period, it was Paris that got the best chance.

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With time ticking down in the first, Greek had to make a huge save off of an outstanding backhand by Reese Halliday of the Panthers.

Late in the second period, Halliday gave PDHS some life. Holding the puck behind the ACS goal, Harley Shuart passed it out front to Halliday who was able to even the game at 1-1. Scout Hergott-Leader got the second assist on that goal.

The tie didn’t last long.

After Coates made a great save on Alexa Kuranc, Kuranc found the back of the net with five seconds remaining in the period to give the Lions the lead back.

Georgia Hawkins and Silva collected assists on that goal and although Assumption held a 2-1 advantage going into the third, they knew the game wasn’t over.

“They’re a really good team,” Silva said of Paris. “They were really hungry for it so we had to stay in it. We just kept the mindset to not give up.”

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Both teams had chances in the third – ACS hit a post and PDHS got a power play with just under five minutes remaining in regulation – before Silva sealed the win by scoring an unassisted goal with 1:47 left.

“We have a lot of younger girls, we only have like four seniors,” Silva said of the group. “We had to make a new team because a lot of our seniors left last year.

“It’s a great group of girls. The energy was always up and there wasn’t anything negative.”

Assumption now advances to the Central Western Ontario Secondary Schools Association AAA championship in Kitchener on March 4 and 5.

“I’m pretty excited,” said Silva. “We did pretty well last year so I think we have just as good of a chance.”

Paris will play at the CWOSSA A/AA championship in Simcoe on March 4 and 5.

Other members of Assumption’s championship team not already mentioned include Trinity Potter, Mya Reimer, Indie Warren, Eva Rickard, Calleigh Lord, Victoria Sharp, Bre Spence, Sarah White, Julia McIntosh and coaches Sarah McDade, Breanne Bennett and Melissa Lancaster.

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