The North Shore Storm 12U girls hockey team made a statement from the opening puck drop of their tournament weekend (Jan. 16-18), earning back-to-back shutout victories Friday over Moose Lake and Waukesha, Wisconsin (Milwaukee area). The Storm carried that momentum into Saturday with a win against Namekagon, Wisconsin.
Saturday night set up a battle between two unbeaten teams as the Storm faced Tomah, Wisconsin. Despite outplaying their opponent for much of the game, the Storm suffered a tough 1–0 loss.
“I’ve always told my girls you don’t have to be the better team to win the game,” said one of the Storm coaches. “Saturday night proved that to be true. We felt we were the better team, but we came out on the losing end.”
That loss became fuel.
In the locker room before Sunday’s championship rematch, the message was clear. “Stick to our game plan, work hard, and good things will happen,” the coaches told the team. They also reminded the players that for some, this would be the final youth hockey tournament of their careers as they prepare to move on to high school next season.
“If you ask any of my girls what they do on Sundays, they’ll tell you, ‘Win,’” the coach said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a championship game or a seventh-place game— you want to win your last one.”
The Storm responded exactly as hoped. The girls came out onto the ice fired up, taking a 1–0 lead late in the first period and never looking back. A relentless forecheck and determined team effort carried the Storm to a 4–0 victory over Tomah, earning them the championship at Sonju Arena.
It was the kind of win that goes beyond the scoreboard—one built on resilience, belief, and a team determined to finish together the right way.
