By Jeff D'Andrea

Lutz’s natural hat trick lifts Bears over Stars 4-2

Jan 21, 2015 | 8:49 PM

Jessica Lutz couldn’t stop smiling after Wednesday’s game.

The Prince Albert A&W Bears assistant scored a natural hat trick in the third period to help beat the top-ranked Saskatoon Stars 4-2 Wednesday at the Art Hauser Centre.

The Bears were down 2-1 heading into the third period, before Lutz decided to completely take over the game. It didn’t take long for the 17-year-old to show her final frame dominance as she scored just seven seconds in to tie the game at 2-2.

“I knew it was going to be a big third period,” said Lutz about her thoughts after that quick-start goal. “I felt the excitement. (The game) was in our hands and we had a chance for a big win—and it was.”

Lutz then beat Stars goaltender Karlee Fetch, who’s from Prince Albert and a former Bears affiliate, with a backhanded effort in tight for the 3-2 go-ahead 6:31 in, before adding the 4-2 insurance goal in the final half by burying a rebound. That gives her 10 goals and 19 points in 23 games played.

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“It feels amazing right now, I can’t stop smiling,” said Lutz.

That absolute dream of a third period impressed everyone at the rink. There were a few ‘Lutz, Lutz’ chants echoing in the Art Hauser Centre before the Bears’ player of the game was announced.

Bears head coach Jeff Willoughby was as happy as anybody, not only with Lutz’ ability to score goals, but to stay hungry even when things aren’t going her way.

“Leading into the third, she probably had a couple chances she’d like to have back but ‘resilient’ could be her middle name,” said Willoughby. “She never stops and she was determined.

“I talked to her billet the other day, said she’s been thinking about this game for a long time. I think her thought process helped her out in the third period.”

The Stars have won all their games in regulation but three this season in 22 games, and the Bears are responsible for all three blemishes. The Bears are the only team in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League to defeat the Stars and have done so twice, Wednesday’s matchup and on Dec. 13 in a 5-1 thrashing in Saskatoon. The Bears are also the only team to force the Stars to go to overtime, doing so in a 4-3 overtime defeat on Oct. 22.

“This year, we’ve done something that we couldn’t do last year—and that’s beat every team at least once,” said Willoughby. “I think it speaks a lot of volumes as far as confidence goes.

“We’re just extremely happy in the way they’re responding,” added Willoughby. “We’ve got a long ways to go, but we’re happy with where we’re sitting. We deserved what we got today, we just kept chipping away.”

The Bears only have five regular season games left, with their next two on the road against the Weyburn Gold Wings Jan. 31- Feb. 1. The Bears will then play their last three games at home against the Battlefords Sharks Feb. 4 and the Melville Prairie Fire Feb. 21-22 before the postseason.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea