Sunday, 18 November 2018

The Rundown - Week 6

With Alberta and Manitoba opening a bit of a gap on Saskatchewan and UBC last weekend, this weekend would important for all four teams when it came to strengthen and improving their positions. For Regina, they needed to close the gap on Saskatchewan and UBC, and Lethbridge was looking to catch Regina in the standings. Mount Royal needed to find their winning ways to chase down Lethbridge, and Calgary was simply hunting for wins once again. Depending on results this week, there could be some significant movement in the Canada West standings once again, so let's get to the action on this week's installment of The Rundown!

MOUNT ROYAL at SASKATCHEWAN: Let's start with the Cougars and Huskies where six points this weekend would significantly help both teams. Both teams started tentatively, but the pace picked up as the period progressed. Mount Royal was unsuccessful on a power-play midway through the period while Saskatchewan didn't score on their advantage later in the frame. However, that Huskies power-play generated enough momentum for Saskatchewan to get them a goal 15 seconds after it ended. Bailee Bourassa took a pass on the half-boards, skated out into the high slot, and went high on Zoe De Beauville on the short side at 18:51 to score the game's opening goal, sending Saskatchewan to the break with the 1-0 lead.

The Cougars would find the board a minute after killing off an early disadvantage for them in the second period. Breanne Trotter spotted Andrea Sanderson alone in the slot, and Sanderson made no mistake with the pass as she wired home the one-timer past Jessica Vance at 4:18 to make it a 1-1 game! Mount Royal did a good job at limiting Saskatchewan's chances in this period, and that would pay off when Emily Upgang was sent off for hooking later in the period. On the ensuing power-play, Breanne Trotter's shot was blocked, but the carom landed on the stick of Tatum Amy and she buried the puck past Vance at 17:57 to make it a 2-1 game through 40 minutes!

Saskatchewan's Kayla Kirwan was whistled for bodychecking just 10 seconds into the third period, and the Cougars went back to work on the power-play. Jayden Thorpe unleashed a bullet that got past Vance at the 33-second mark, and Mount Royal had a 3-1 lead! Saskatchewan seemed to stumble after that goal, but they began skating once again. Midway through the period, Sophie Lalor put her shoulder down and drove the net, firing the puck past De Beauville at 11:55 to draw Saskatchewan within a goal at 3-2. Saskatchewan kept the pressure on and the chances coming, but De Beauville stood tall and the Mount Royal defence kept rebounds away from Huskies. Even with Vance on the bench for the final minute, the Huskies could tally no more as the Mount Royal Cougars prevailed with the 3-2 victory! Zoe De Beauville picked up her fourth win of the season with 20-save effort while Jessica Vance stopped 16 shots in the loss.

Despite the loss, here's your mandatory Huskies player GIF with Sophie Lalor.

MOUNT ROYAL at SASKATCHEWAN: With Mount Royal picking up three points on Friday, Saskatchewan needed to find the split when it comes to the standings. Saskatchewan's Jessica Vance and Mount Royal's Zoe De Beauville earned the blue paint for their respective teams once more, and those names would be key on this night.

The first period saw both teams with chances, but the two netminders were having none of that as Vance stopped seven shots while De Beauville stopped eight shots to send this game to the second period tied at 0-0.

The second period was more of the same as the goaltenders were stealing show on this night. Vance stopped another six shots while De Beauville shut down all eight shots from Saskatchewan to keep this game goalless through 40 minutes.

Less than a minute after a mid-period power-play for the Huskies, we'd see the stalemate broken. Chloe Smith found room past De Beauville at 11:16 to put the Huskies up 1-0, and that was more than enough offence on this night for Jessica Vance. Vance was stellar in between the pipes all night as she and the Huskies picked up three points with the 1-0 victory! Vance stopped all 19 shots she faced for her fifth win and third shutout of the season while De Beauville stopped 23 shots for the Cougars.

Mandatory GIF: Chloe Smith gets the call!

LETHBRIDGE at ALBERTA: The two Alberta-based squads met in Edmonton on Friday, and it would be a big night for Lethbridge's Alicia Anderson and Alberta's Halle Oswald as the two goaltenders decided to have themselves a bit of a dual.

In the first period, Alberta outshot Lethbridge 16-3. The score remained 0-0.

In the second period, Alberta outshot Lethbridge 12-7. The score remained 0-0.

In the third period, Alberta outshot Lethbridge 9-2. The score remained 0-0, and if you're doing the math Anderson stopped 37 shots over 60 minutes while Oswald stopped 12 shots.

In the four-on-four overtime period, Alberta outshot Lethbridge 5-1. The score remained 0-0.

In the three-on-three overtime period, Alberta outshot Lethbridge 5-0. The score remained 0-0 as we moved to the shootout, and both Anderson and Oswald earned shutouts on the night. Anderson was far busier, making 47 saves, while Oswald earned her shutout with a 13-save performance. Note the number of saves that Anderson had. I'll talk more about that after the shootout.

Round One saw no goals. Round Two saw no goals. Round Three saw Alex Poznikoff finally solve Anderson while Oswald denied Alli Borrow as the Pandas earned the 1-0 shootout victory! Halle Oswald earned her third win and third shutout in the shootout victory while Anderson suffered the loss despite pitching her fourth shutout of the season.

Why is Anderson's 47-save shutout important? Well, she broke Jane Kish's record for the most saves in a shutout in Canada West! Back in Week 2 of the 2018-19 season, Kish set the record with a 45-save effort that broke a record that Alicia Anderson tied one week earlier! Well, it seems Anderson wanted that record back, so she went out and stonewalled the Pandas to set the new 47-save record in a shutout! Congratulations, Alicia, on reclaiming a piece of history!

LETHBRIDGE at ALBERTA: After playing 70 minutes and having a skills competition the night before, Lethbridge and Alberta reconvened at Clare Drake Arena for the second-half of this weekend series. This game would certainly feature more scoring compared to Friday's tilt.

Despite carrying the play, the Pandas found themselves trailing in the first period. Lethbridge's Delaney Duchek took a Mackenzie Gal feed in the slot and snapped a shot past Kirsten Chamberlin at 7:33 to put the Pronghorns out in front 1-0! Alberta, though, just kept coming in waves and it paid off. On the power-play minutes later, defender Abby Krzyzaniak tipped an Abby Benning shot past Alicia Anderson at 12:51 to tie things up at 1-1.
The teams would carry that score into the second period.

In the middle frame, Taylor Kezama's shot went wide, but Autumn MacDougall collected the rebound off the end-boards and zipped the puck past Anderson at 6:22 to make it 2-1 for Alberta.
The Pandas would continue to pressure the Pronghorns, and they'd be rewarded later in the period when Canada West's leading scorer got in on the scoring action.
Alex Poznikoff's second effort off her own rebound put the Pandas up 3-1 as they went to the intermission with that score and a 25-9 advantage in shots. Midway through the period, it should be noted, Chamberlin was replaced by Halle Oswald in the Alberta net.

In the third period, we got more Alberta offence as Anderson was the only player back on a two-on-none for Alberta.
Poznikoff to Sawatzky to the back of the net, and Alberta was out in front by a 4-1 score at 6:52. Autumn MacDougall would add her second of the game at 18:37, but the game was virtually over at that point as Alberta skated to the 5-1 win. Kirsten Chamberlin earned her fourth win in her 30:46 of action by stopping four shots while Alicia Anderson was on the losing end of this game despite making 29 saves. Halle Oswald, for the record, stopped all eleven shots she faced in her 29:14 of work.

MANITOBA at UBC: The Bisons headed west to Vancouver for a two-game set with the UBC Thunderbirds, and it would be the home squad who came out with all sorts of fire under them. They used this frantic pace to get out in front early as Brie Bellerive's second effort on her own rebound had enough on it to get past Lauren Taraschuk at 4:05 for the 1-0 T-Birds lead!
Bellerive's goal was assisted by Shay-Lee McConnell who won a puck battle in the corner, and that was the tone of the first period: UBC winning puck battles. Case in point? Celine Tardif wins a battle in front of Taraschuk for position, and she gets rewarded.
As an aside, this is why they should have video review in Canada West as it's fairly clear that the puck goes in off Tardif's skate, but we don't have that in Canada West and the goal stood to give UBC a 2-0 lead at 15:37 which they'd carry into the break.

The second period saw no scoring, but the momentum seemed to be changing as Manitoba came back with a strong period. They still trailed 2-0 as the third period began, but Manitoba's Jordyn Zacharias cut the deficit in half at 8:38 with her goal that beat Tory Micklash. Manitoba would continue their push as the period progressed, and they'd find the equalizer off the stick of captain Erica Rieder.
Rieder's one-timer off the Sheridan Oswald feed came at 17:31 to tie the game at 2-2, and we would need extra time to solve this one!

The overtime periods, though, were fruitless, so the T-Birds and Bisons would head to a shootout. Manitoba would shoot first, and it would be Miss Automatic, Jordy Zacharias, who was sent out first.
Manitoba would lead 1-0 after Mathea Fischer's shot was stopped by Taraschuk. Round Two saw Courtlyn Oswald stopped while Brie Bellerive's shot went wide. That set up Karissa Kirkup with the potential winner.
With Kirkup's marker, the Bisons won this game 3-2 in the shootout! Lauren Taraschuk earned her seventh win of the season by making 25 saves while Tory Micklash suffered the loss despite making 22 saves.

MANITOBA at UBC: After a comeback one night earlier by the Bisons, both teams met at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Arena for the second match in this weekend series. And once again, UBC was the dominant team from the drop of the puck, but they could not solve Lauren Taraschuk on nine shots in the first period. Manitoba, though, found themselves with the lead at the intermission as Natasha Kostenko crossed up a couple of UBC defenders before skating alone for most of the ice.
Kostenko's breakaway goal came at 12:44 to put Manitoba out front 1-0, and we'd go to the second period with that score.

Like Friday, there was no scoring in the second period with UBC leading 18-10 in shots after 40 minutes, so we'd go to the third period. It was in this frame where UBC found an equalizer after Alexandra Anderson had her pocket picked by Hannah Koroll.
Koroll sent the pass across to a streaking Emily Costales, and she found the back of the net with her shot at 10:57 to make it a 1-1 game! The T-Birds continued their assault on the Bisons' net and they would be rewarded on the power-play off a scramble in front of Taraschuk when Ashley McFadden found the loose puck.
Now before we go any further, how on earth did the official see that puck underneath three players? And did Rylind MacKinnon glove that pass to McFadden with her loose arm? Take a look on this angle, and let me know if I'm crazy in thinking that we definitely need video review in Canada West when it comes to goals like this.
Regardless of what I think, the UBC Thunderbirds grabbed the 2-1 lead on the power-play off the McFadden goal at 14:54 of the third period, and they didn't need much more as Manitoba managed just two shots in the final frame. The end result was a 2-1 UBC victory! Tory Micklash bounced back to get her fifth win on the strength of eleven saves while Lauren Taraschuk took the loss despite making 29 saves.

REGINA at CALGARY: The Dinos hosted the Saskatchewan-based Cougars this week as Regina headed west to southern Alberta. And before the teams even got settled on the bench, there was a goal scored! By Calgary! Brooke Dennett won an offensive zone face-off to Laine Grace, and her shot through traffic beat Jane Kish just 1:07 into this game to give the Dinos the 1-0 lead!

And it was at that point where Kelsey Roberts and Jane Kish had had enough of this goal-scoring. For the remaining 19 minutes of the first period, the entire second period, and 19 minutes of the third period, neither goalie would surrender a goal. However, at the 19:10 mark of the third period, Regina found an equalizer! With Kish on the bench with four minutes to play - seriously? - and an extra attacker on the ice, Lilla Carpenter-Boesch was able to get a puck by Roberts at 19:10 and we were headed to overtime!

The four-on-four overtime would yield no goals, so we'll jump to the three-on-three overtime. It was here where a winner was found. Tamara McVannel had all sorts of time and space to pick a corner on Roberts moments after the Regina power-play expired, and she went high on Roberts to give Regina the 2-1 double-overtime win! Jane Kish picked up her fourth win of the season in a 28-save effort while Kelsey Roberts deserved a better fate after stopping 41 shots.

REGINA at CALGARY: After dropping a game where they were 50 seconds from winning, Calgary met Regina for the second-half of the weekend series. This game started like it did yesterday with Calgary as the more aggressive team, but there would be no early goals. However, some penalty trouble late in the period put Calgary on a five-on-three power-play, and this opportunity would not go wasted. Dana Wood's initial shot was stopped by Jane Kish, but the rebound came out the far side where Rachel Paul had a couple of swipes at it to put it in the net at 17:45 for the 1-0 lead!

The second period wouldn't follow the same script as the night before. Just 1:13 into the middle frame, Jenna Merk fed Nikki Watters-Matthes on a two-on-one, and she made no mistake in burying the puck past Kelsey Roberts to tie the game up at 1-1 as the Cougars squared the game. Jordan Kulbida, Regina's leading scorer, was dismissed from the game at 3:49 after checking Dinos forward Priya Sidhu from behind, but the Dinos couldn't capitalize on the power-play. The Cougars dominated the period with a 12-5 edge in shots, but the score remained tied through 40 minutes of play.

In the third period, early power-plays for both sides were unsuccessful, but Regina would find a lead later in the period. Chelsea Hallson threw a puck towards the net which ricocheted off Elise Endicott in front, and the deflection would find its way past Roberts at 14:10 to put Regina up 2-1! Calgary tried to find an equalizer, but the Cougars rejected all opportunities as they held on to win by that 2-1 score! Jane Kish picked up her fifth win in a 17-save effort while Kelsey Roberts stopped 19 shots in the loss.

CWUAA WOMEN'S HOCKEY
School Record Points GF GA Streak Next
Alberta
8-2-2-0
 28 34 8
W6
 @ CAL
Manitoba
7-3-2-0
 25 36 16
L1
 vs SAS
British Columbia
5-2-2-3
 22 27 19
W1
 @ REG
Saskatchewan
5-3-3-1
 22 19 15
W1
 @ MAN
Regina
5-5-1-1
 18 22 29
W2
 vs UBC
Mount Royal
4-7-0-1
 13 17 30
L1
 vs LET
Lethbridge
3-7-0-2
 11 14 30
L4
 @ MRU
Calgary
1-9-0-2
 5 10 32
L3
 vs ALB

The Last Word

Well, this might be the first time in some time that Manitoba drops out of the top-two spots in the U SPORTS Top Ten after their loss to UBC. As it stands right now, Manitoba is 0-3-1-0 against Alberta and UBC with Saskatchewan coming to town next weekend. Alberta has certainly been on a tear, and I think, after seeing them shut out Manitoba in two games already combined with their dominance over everyone else, they should be ranked higher than Manitoba at this point.

We talked a lot about Manitoba needing to beat Alberta last season to exorcise a pile of demons along with allowing them to compete for both the Canada West championship and the U SPORTS national championship, and it seems this may be the case again this season.

However, both UBC and Saskatchewan will likely want their shots at Manitoba as well as they look to topple the defending national champions, so Manitoba needs to come up with some wins against these likely playoff opponents. Beating Saskatchewan next weekend in both games will go a long way to helping their cause as Saskatchewan is ranked ninth-overall in the nation, and it makes that 0-3-1-0 record into a 2-3-1-0 record - far more respectable than a measly two points of a possible 12 points that were already up for grabs against Alberta and UBC.

If I'm Manitoba, the title defence starts this week. They're still within three points of Alberta for first-place in Canada West, but they need to buckle down and win games in regulation over tougher opponents. The second-half schedule starts off with Alberta, and they'll close the season out with UBC at home and Saskatchewan at Merlis Belsher Place. Including next weekend's games against Saskatchewan, that's eight games to establish some sort of psychological advantage over these teams.

There's no easy weekend from here on in for any of the Canada West teams. The work starts next weekend. Settle in, folks, because this is going to be a wild ride for the next few weeks!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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