The Ecofish Whalers women鈥檚 hockey team was in town on the weekend playing their first home games of the season. Being forced to play most of their games out of town due to very little ice availability in the Comox Valley, the Whalers had yet to play in front of their family and friends.

A full squad turned out on Saturday night to take on Port Alberni. Not having played since before Christmas, most were very anxious to hit the ice. Minutes after the puck dropped, an Alberni player broke loose and ended up on a breakaway in front of rookie goalie and newly appointed full-time member of the Whalers Katrin Bizier. Bizier surprised everyone with a a glove save 脿 la Luongo.

On that same play, the Alberni player went flying into the boards behind the net and stayed down with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. It took a little over 40 minutes before the game was restarted as the ambulance had to be called to move the player safely.

Winger Sky Zimmerman (Brian McLean) gave the Whalers their first lead of the game in the 12th minute with a rocket shot from the right side. Shortly after, Alberni tied it up to end the first period with a score of 1-1. The Whalers came out strong in the second (and only other) period, scoring in the fifth minute on a nice finish from Jody Fink (Vancouver Island InsuranCentre) and again in the sixth minute on a bruiser from the point by Allison Abraham.

The Whalers could smell their first home game victory but were robbed of their celebrations as the visiting team rained on their parade when they scored with just 40 seconds left for a final score of 3-3. Kelly Roloff (Whistle Stop Pub) had a superb game and said, 鈥淚t was a super fun game...well matched teams and good spirit from both.鈥�

The Whalers took to the ice for their second home game on Sunday and were determined not to let another one slip away. A full game, a full squad, family and friends. Nothing could get in the way...except a slow start.

The Parskville team came on a bit faster than expected and potted a quick goal in the second minute and another in the fifth minute. A little on the dizzy side, the Whalers got their bearings back and started to rise to the challenge. Whaler defender Emily Murray ( Whale鈥檚 Tale Toys) would not let a two-goal lead scare her away as she skated coast to coast to bury the first goal for the home team.

Fink followed shortly after with her second of the weekend to tie it up. A couple of minutes before the end of the period, the Seagals snuck a third one past Bizier. The third period saw a lot of action at both ends of the rink with the home team scoring three goals midway through courtesy of Chanace VanDerheide,  Sky Zimmerman and a second from Murray.

With less than seven minutes left the Whalers got caught with their guard down and the opposition cut the lead to one with 40 seconds left. It was a hard-fought 40 seconds as the Whalers were not going to let another one get away and prevailed 6-5.

鈥淚t was a great two games for us,鈥� said Abraham. 鈥淲e were a finely tuned unit of athletic prowess. It was gut check time. Everybody was contributing and all lines were firing. Quality hockey. Absolutely!鈥� was all Abraham could say before her teammates told her to go get changed and that the boys in the stands were not reporters.

ICE CHIPS The next game for the Whalers is Saturday, Jan. 22 at Glacier Gardens against the crosstown rival Breakers ... the team thanks Ecofish Research Ltd. for their generous support and all the player sponsors mentioned above ...