All it took was 86 seconds for the scoring to start in this one. Kelsey Tangjerd stuffed a puck underneath Wasylak after she made the initial stop on Alex Gowie who drove the net, and the Pandas grabbed the 1-0 lead just 1:26 into this game. From there, Wasylak put on a clinic as she stopped 15 Alberta shots in the frame, but it would remain 1-0 for the Pandas through the opening 20 minutes of play as they couldn't find a way to beat the Calgary netminder despite having a number of glorious chances.
Chamberlin and Wasylak would continue their run of stopping everything that came their way until late in the middle frame. Off a rebound that came out in front, Holly Reuther's initial shot hit a body, but she recovered the puck and snapped a puck past Chamberlin on Calgary's ninth shot of the game as they tied the contest at 1-1 at 16:03! Three minutes later, though, Alex Poznikoff was wide-open behind the net, and she saucered a pass out front after drawing a defender to her that Kennedy Ganser one-timed past Wasylak at 18:53 to restore the one-goal lead for the Pandas!
The third period saw Alberta lock down their zone as Calgary struggled to gain zone entries with possession or recoveries on dump-ins. The few chances that they did get were handled easily by Chamberlin. Any chance of a comeback on this night came to a screeching halt when Amy Boucher scored on the empty net with 16 seconds to go, and Alberta could take solace in this 3-1 victory as they claimed home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs and first-place in the Canada West Conference for 2018-19! Kirsten Chamberlin stopped 12 shots to pick up her tenth win of the season while Kira Wasylak deserved a better fate after stopping 33 shots.
Highlights of this game are below!
Calgary and Alberta began this game going up and down the ice as both teams played at a high tempo. Alberta did get more shots, but Calgary had their opportunities as well. Unfortunately for the Dinos, a pair of penalties to Sara Craven and Merissa Dawson gave the Pandas the chance they needed as Taylor Kezama's shot from the point went high over a screened Roberts' right shoulder at 14:07 to give Alberta the 1-0 lead on that 5-on-3 advantage. Alberta would lead after one period by that single power-play goal.
Alberta exerted their dominance in the second period, hemming the Dinos in their own zone for long stretches thanks to the long change. That would pay off early as Carley Wlad went to the box for a trip, and the Pandas would capitalize once again. Off the ensuing face-off, Autumn MacDougall fed Alex Poznikoff, and the sniper made no mistake in ripping one past Roberts for the 2-0 lead! The teams would trade power-plays later in the period, but it was clear that Alberta was content playing this period in the Calgary zone as they spent the majority of the period there. After outshooting the Dinos 11-1 in the frame, the Pandas went to the third period holding the 2-0 edge!
Again, Alberta was dominant in the third period, outshooting the Dinos 7-3. They put a wall up along their blue line while controlling the puck for the majority of the period thanks to a pair of power-plays. While they weren't concerned with adding more, it wouldn't have mattered as Alberta skated to the 2-0 victory! Kirsten Chamberlin was perfect on 11 shots for her 11th win and sixth shutout of the season while Roberts did all she could in the loss, making 28 saves on the day.
The Bisons appeared to have some good fortune in this game as they found themselves on a 5-on-3 advantage early, but Vance and the Huskies penalty-killers did some outstanding work to keep the Bisons' top-ranked power-play off the board. They would finally get to Vance later in the period, though, as Sheridan Oswald fed Jody Zacharias for the one-timer, and her blast went off the post and behind Vance for the 1-0 lead at 11:55! However, the Huskies would tie the game late in the period when Emily Upgang was in perfect position to deflect Brooklyn Haubrich's point shot past Taraschuk with 25 seconds in the period, and we'd go to the intermission tied 1-1!
The second period was played mostly in the neutral zone with Saskatchewan finding the net with their shots more often, but there weren't a lot of great scoring chances. Taraschuk did have to be sharp on a power-play midway through the frame, but the Bisons would kill that infraction off. At the end of two periods, it was still 1-1 with Saskatchewan leading 21-11 in shots.
Just 34 seconds into the third period with a couple of players battling in front, Alexandra Anderson wristed a shot high on the blocker side of Vance that went over her shoulder and in to put Manitoba up 2-1! Saskatchewan kept coming after that as they poured on the pressure, but the Manitoba defence would not break. Even with Vance on the bench, they couldn't find the back of the net as the Bisons escaped the storm with the 2-1 victory! Taraschuk deserved the credit tonight in making 31 saves for her 17th win this season while Vance suffered the loss in an 11-save effort.
SATURDAY: After finding out that the Pandas had won their game, Manitoba knew they could not attain the first-overall position thanks to the tie-breaker rules. In knowing that, head coach Sean Fisher played the rookies tonight as a few of the regulars got the night off. Saskatchewan, however, was looking to finish strong as they iced their full crew. Jessica Vance was back in the Huskies' net while Erin Fargey got the start for Manitoba!
Both netminders looked good early on as the pace was high to start this game as both the Bisons and Huskies got the offences rolling. It would be a power-play in the latter half of the period that allowed the Huskies to grab control of the game as Brooklyn Haubrich's shot was stopped by Fargey, but Kennedy Brown was on the doorstep to deposit the rebound at 16:24 to put Saskatchewan up 1-0. That score would hold through the intermission.
The second period would be more of the same as Saskatchewan controlled the possession part of the period. That would work well for them when Abby Shirley forced a turnover who cycled the puck to Morgan Willoughby, and the defender's wrist shot beat Fargey at 9:13 to put the Huskies up 2-0! Manitoba would respond on the power-play five minutes later when Alanna Sharman's initial shot was stopped by Vance, but Jordy Zacharias poked the loose puck that sneaked its way through Vance pads into the cage at 14:16 to cut the deficit to one goal. That 2-1 lead would hold into the break as Saskatchewan held a whopping 24-10 margin in shots.
The third period saw the two netminders put up walls as neither team could find the back of the net including a one-timer from Alison Sexton on a 2-on-none that Vance turned aside. With Fargey on the bench late and the Bisons pressing, the Huskies played well enough to run out the clock as they claimed the 2-1 win! Jessica Vance made 18 stops for her 12th win this season while Erin Fargey played extremely well in the loss, making 27 stops on the night.
The key in this game for UBC was special teams lead by Hannah Clayton-Carroll while Ireland Perrott took care of the even-strength goal scoring. Yes, this game did not go well for Jane Kish and the Regina Cougars.
The first period saw Ireland Perrott cashed in a rebound at 9:18.
🏒 WHKY | @UBCWHKY takes the 1-0 lead over the @ReginaCougars with @Iperrott's third of the season! #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/WN5aDGveX4
— UBC Thunderbirds / @UBCTBirds (@ubctbirds) February 9, 2019
Elise Endicott would tipped home a Shaelyn Vallotton point shot at 12:10 of the second period to cut the deficit to 2-1, but the two-goal lead would be restored at 17:22 when Clayton-Carroll chipped home her own rebound on the power-play to make it 3-1 through 40 minutes.
🏒 WHKY | Clayton-Carroll with her second of the night gives @UBCWHKY a 3-1 lead heading into third! #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/pOzQLva1DF
— UBC Thunderbirds / @UBCTBirds (@ubctbirds) February 9, 2019
The third period saw the bottom fall out on Regina as Clayton-Carroll notched the hat trick off a great feed from Mathea Fischer while on the power-play at 9:35.
🏒 WHKY | HAT TRICK!!! Hannah Clayton-Carroll with her third of the night and @UBCWHKY is up 4-1 on the @ReginaCougars #GoBirdsGo pic.twitter.com/b4zwSMvMpt
— UBC Thunderbirds / @UBCTBirds (@ubctbirds) February 9, 2019
SATURDAY: The two teams reconvened on Saturday afternoon as Regina still had a chance at claiming those three points needed to lock down fifth-place. After the UBC skated all over the Cougars the night before, would there be a response? Amelia Boughn got the start for UBC while Morgan Baker was sent to the Regina net.
The first period was a lot like Friday's third period as UBC imposed their will in this frame. Despite throwing 14 shots at Baker, the Regina netminder was good on all attempts as she helped Regina kill off two penalties. At the other end, Regina had a few opportunities to take the lead, but Boughn was just as good as Baker on all attempts. Through one period, the teams remained tied at 0-0 with UBC ahead 14-8 in shots.
The second period? More of the same from the first period. Regina was called for an early penalty and UBC was called for a late penalty in this period, but neither power-play found the twine. This period was far more even as Regina seemed to find their legs, but the 0-0 score remained in tact with UBC leading in shots 25-17.
This game would continue to be a showcase for the netminders as the teams traded power-play chances in the third period, but a four-minute double-minor penalty to Chelsea Hallson along with a two-minute penalty for holding to Rylind MacKinnon put UBC on the power-play a couple of minutes before the midpoint of the period. UBC would take advantage on the ensuing power-play as LOgan Boyd's initial shot was stopped by Baker, but the rebound was potted by Ireland Perrott put UBC out in front 1-0 at 8:43! The Cougars would ring one off the iron on their final power-play of the day, but that's as close as they got as the Thunderbirds locked down the 1-0 win! Amelia Boughn was perfect on all 22 shots she faced for her fifth win and third shutout of the season while Morgan Baker deserved better than what she got after making 41 stops in this one.
Both teams came out in this one looking to establish their games early, but the goalies stood their ground. It would be Mount Royal who would strike first when Morgan Ramsey sent Camryn Amundson in alone, and Amundson broke in off the right wing and went high over Lohues' glove into to the far-side top corner to put Mount Royal up 1-0 at 9:03! The remainder of the period would see the two sides tighten things up, and we'd head to the second period with the Cougars in front on the scoreboard and holding a 10-6 edge in shots.
The second period was a track meet to start with both teams setting a manic pace to the frame, but very few shots were seen due to this up-and-down play. It would be MRU who capitalized from this style of play, though, as Kianna To forced a turnover in the Pronghorns' zone and snapped a shot past Lohues at 8:57 to give Mount Royal a 2-0 lead! Lethbridge began driving the net hard following Ko's goal as they looked to chip at the lead, but all they'd find is the wall of De Beauville as this game moved to the third period with the Cougars up by a pair!
Lethbridge would apply serious pressure in the early-going of the third period, but all they found were more stops made by De Beauville. A late penalty to Mount Royal seemed like the advantage that Lethbridge needed, but the Cougars withstood the Pronghorns' attack even with the home side going 6-on-4. At the final horn, the Mount Royal Cougars helped themselves with a 2-0 victory! Zoe De Beauville picked up her tenth win and second shutout of the season in a 23-save performance while Jessica Lohues suffered the loss after making 19 saves.
To say this one was wild would be an understatement. Just 1:57 into this one, Lethbridge's Katelyn Brietkreuz made an incredible toe-drag out of the corner to get to the hash marks before going far post over Pincott's pad to put the Pronghorns up 1-0! 23 seconds later, Shawni Rodeback danced through the Lethbridge defence and deked around Lohues to tie the game at 1-1! 22 seconds after that, Megan Carver beat Lohues to put the Cougars up 2-1 as we saw three goals scored in 45 seconds and in the first 2:42 of the game!
Things settled down for the next ten minutes as the two teams began to play a little defence, but Alli Borrow would draw the Pronghorns even once again when she scored at 13:39 to make it 2-2! The defensive game would return after that goal as the horn drew an incredible period closed with the teams tied at 2-2 and Mount Royal holding just a 6-5 edge in shots!
The second period went entirely in one team's favor. On their only power-play of the period, Shawni Rodeback scored her second of the game at 2:56 to make it a 3-2 game. MRU would kill off a penalty, and they would use that momentum to add to the score. Morgan Ramsey would find her way down to the crease where she'd jam home a puck underneath Lohues at 9:49 to make it a 4-2 lead for the Cougars! Mount Royal would get a few more chances in the second-half of the period, but we'd move to the third period with the Cougars holding that two-goal lead!
Mount Royal would salt this game midway through the third period when Anna Purschke scored at 11:17, and Breanne Trotter would score 1:20 later to make it 6-2 as this game would finish at that score as the Mount Royal Cougars sweep the weekend with the 6-2 victory! Emma Pincott made nine saves for her second win of the season while Jessica Lohues stopped 18 shots in the loss.
| School | Record | Points | GF | GA | Streak | Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 19-5-4-0 | 65 | 75 | 24 | W7 | BYE |
| Manitoba | 16-5-4-3 | 59 | 81 | 44 | L1 | BYE |
| British Columbia | 14-5-4-5 | 55 | 61 | 35 | W3 | vs REG |
| Saskatchewan | 11-10-5-2 | 45 | 46 | 43 | W1 | vs MRU |
| Mount Royal | 11-14-1-2 | 37 | 51 | 63 | W3 | @ SAS |
| Regina | 9-14-2-3 | 34 | 45 | 74 | L2 | @ UBC |
| Lethbridge | 6-17-1-4 | 24 | 33 | 71 | L8 | OUT |
| Calgary | 4-20-1-3 | 17 | 32 | 70 | L4 | OUT |
The Last Word
The regular season is done. The playoff match-ups are set. Here's how your Canada West playoff picture looks through the quarterfinals and semifinals.
Mount Royal might be the scariest team in the playoffs as they're 1-1 in Saskatchewan and 2-2-0 versus the Huskies this season. Saskatchewan will need to be ready for a Mount Royal team who seems ready to make some noise if given the chance.
The highest seed who advances from these two series will travel to Manitoba in two weekends to meet the Bisons while the lowest seed still alive will head to Alberta for a series against the Pandas.
One last thing that I want to point out: a special congratulations to UBC's Logan Boyd who will graduate this season after setting the new Canada West record for games played in a career. Boyd played 140 games in her career - the full 28 games in each of her five seasons - to set a mark that will only be equaled unless the season is made longer! Congratulations, Logan, on your amazing durability in playing every regular-season game in your career! That's awesome!
If you're near the University of British Columbia or the University of Saskatchewan, head down to the campus this weekend for some incredible hockey action as the Canada West women's hockey playoffs get started!
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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