Cheetahs riding a wave of confidence

BEDFORD
By Philip Croucher - The Weekly News
Alex MacEachern knows the Auburn Drive Eagles are the team to beat heading into the girls' Metro High School Hockey League playoffs.
But the head coach of the Charles P. Allen Cheetahs also knows his club can make serious noise, proven by his club's standing in the 2008-09 regular season.
"We can certainly compete with (Auburn). We can compete with anybody if we're firing from all cylinders," MacEachern said. "If we have a full team, we're right up there."
The Cheetahs are riding a wave of confidence heading into the start of next week's playoffs, thanks to a regular season that will see them likely finish in second place and with a record point total. C.P. Allen was sporting a 14-2-3 mark going into the final week of the regular season, which included a 2-2 against the Eagles, who are undefeated and have been a dominant force in the league since its inception.
"We have two excellent goalies, which of course in girls' hockey is really important. We sort of build our team around that," said MacEachern, in his fourth season as head coach. "We also have three players that can really put the puck into the net. From there, the team has bought into a defence-first system."
Grade 12 netminder Melanie Hatter and Grade 11 puckstopper Sarah Burry share the goaltending chores for the Cheetahs. And when you take away a 9-1 setback against Auburn Drive earlier this season, the two have never surrendered more than two goals in a game.
"Melaine is a very good angles goaltender. She plays the position sound technically," MacEachern said. "She doesn't get upset over anything. She is very even-keeled and that makes her very consistent. Sarah is probably a little more aggressive, a more reaction goalie than technical goalie. But I can put either one of them in and not worry."
The Cheetahs are led up front by the trio of Alex Normore, who has been invited to tryout camps for the under-18 girls' national team, Laura Keays and Heather Eakins. All three can score which helps C.P. Allen spread out its offence.
"Sometimes in high school you have one player who can really score and teams will totally key in on them," he said. "Now we have more options."
The Cheetahs will play a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the opening round of playoffs, which will be a three-point series. C.P. Allen will go into playoffs no worse than second seed.
"I think we're ready to go," MacEachern said. "But in a short series, you never know."
pbcroucher@hotmail.com