St. Max Mustangs look to defend title in girl’s hockey

February 9, 2017 · 0 Comments

By Jake Courtepatte

The St. Maximilian Kolbe Mustangs have a reputation to uphold in hockey, and the varsity girls squad is certainly doing their part.
For the second straight year, the Mustangs have finished atop the York Region Athletic Conference heading into playoff action, posting a 7-1-0 record against the four other teams in the conference.
They capped off their season Monday with a decisive 2 – 0 victory over the Aurora High School Eagles, who sit second in the conference.
Forward Nikki Shaw put the team on her back scoring both goals, breaking the shutout late in the second before potting another by splitting the defensemen midway through the third.
Victoria Solilo provided the shutout, her fourth of the year.
In eight regular season games, the Mustangs have allowed just five goals.
With the playoff picture now set, the number-one seeded Mustangs will take on the fourth-seeded Stouffville High School Spartans in the first round of the YRAA playoffs. Each series is a first-to-three-points format.
In the other matchup, the second-seeded Eagles will face the third-seeded Markham District Marauders.
St. Max is the annual “team to beat” in the tournament, reaching the final in the last three seasons. In 2016, the Mustangs took home the title with a series sweep of the Bill Crothers Colts.
Playoff action is set to begin next week.