Let me be clear: this situation is extremely irresponsible on UBC's behalf. They had their games against Mount Royal postponed one week earlier, so there should have been provisions made in order to play long before this weekend's games arrived assuming they had the required ten-plus-two players. If they were granted a postponement because they couldn't fly to Calgary as opposed to taking a bus there, that's completely on Canada West, and Canada West should be ashamed of itself after Regina bussed to Saskatoon with fifteen players and played.
Again, I empathize with the players who may have contracted the virus which prevented Mount Royal from flying into Vancouver to play UBC, but there were a full seven days between the postponement announcements and no one reported a thing that suggested that UBC was testing daily, reporting those results, and ensuring they would have the necessary number of players to play, let alone to travel.
If it sounds like I'm calling out UBC and Canada West, I am. Both organizations are creating an unfair advantage for UBC when you consider what Regina went through against Saskatchewan. The responsibility is on the players and team to ensure they're healthy and ready to play, and if that means they have to play with just ten skaters, so be it. Canada West should be forcing them to, at the very least, report daily testing from players so that the schedule proceeds as planned while taking whatever measures necessary to have them travel. If that means a 13-hour bus ride to Calgary, saddle up, ladies.
It's been more than 14 days since they discovered positive COVID-19 tests among the players, and they still didn't have ten skaters and two netminders? I'll let Adam Sandler handle this.
With the exams moved to this past week at the university, the Bisons reached out to Trinity Western and Canada West to ask if they could push the games to next week. Trinity Western agreed, Canada West agreed, and all was good in terms of the scheduling.
You might be wondering about the other sports played at the University of Manitoba and what happened there, but I can tell you that it was easier for the local teams to gather rather than sending teams to the west coast. Both the basketball and volleyball programs played against the University of Winnipeg, so there was little disruption to exam schedules and studying for both teams in terms of their preparation this week. The University of Manitoba track-and-field program also hosted the Polar Vortex track meet event at the James Daly Fieldhouse, so that too worked out in their favour.
And just to tip my cap to Trinity Western University, they'll send both their men's and women's teams here next weekend for hockey. The women will play Friday night and Saturday afternoon while the men will play Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Trinity Western did Manitoba a real solid on this one, so, on behalf of the Bisons, we owe you some thanks, TWU! See you next weekend!
This game was highlighted by two things: great goaltending at both ends and a relentless Huskies forecheck that only seemed to get better as this game went on. The goaltending of Oswald, though, was the story in the first as she stymied the Huskies regularly. That would help the Pandas as they finally solved Drever late in the period as Natalie Kieser banged home her eighth of the season from the doorstep off a Megan Wilson rebound, and the Pandas went to the break up 1-0 with Kieser's goal scored with 52 seconds left on the clock. Saskatchewan, though, led 9-8 in shots.
The second period saw the goaltending clinic at both ends of the ice continue as both Drever and Oswald were outstanding. Saskatchewan pressured the Pandas all period long, though, as the ice began to tilt slightly, but the 1-0 lead would hold through 40 minutes despite Saskatchewan holding an 18-12 edge in shots.
We know that Saskatchewan has struggled to score at times this season, and it seemed to plague them again on Friday. Shot after shot was denied by Oswald as the Huskies simply couldn't push a puck past the goal line. The hockey gods, however, would grant them a bounce that could potentially change the outcome of the game when Kelsey Hall's high flip of the puck into the zone took a weird bounce in front of Oswald that eluded her entirely and ended up inside the post! With 3:01 remaining, Kelsey Hall's second goal of the season tied the game at 1-1, and it seemed to revitalize the Huskies as they blitzed the Pandas in the final three minutes, but the horn would sound and this game would need overtime!
The first period of free hockey saw the Pandas push back as they regrouped, but Drever was good on every attempt as this back-and-forth battle continued. There would be no winner found in the four-on-four period, so we'd move to three-on-three overtime!
We'd find a winner on this one as all three Huskies on the ice got involved. Kennedy Brown and Kendra Zuchotzki led a rush down the ice, but Brown's pass couldn't be converted by Zuchotzki. However, she'd stay on the puck, circle the net, and spot Jordyn Holmes in the high slot. Holmes' shot deflected off a defender in front, went high on Oswald, and found the back of the net at 3:50 of the second overtime period to give the Huskies the 2-1 double-overtime win! Camryn Drever earned her sixth win on a 19-save night while Halle Oswald suffered the extra-time loss after stopping 29 shots.
I want to point out that we do have a highlight package here, but it wasn't created by either team as I threw this together in about 30 minutes using the new video editing skills I've learned. It's not a polished, shiny, beautiful thing by any means, but the two goals that Saskatchewan posted to social media are now in one concise highlight package along with a few other static images I added. If I can do it with my limited video editing skills, why aren't schools doing it?
SATURDAY: A weird bounce and a deflection changed a solid effort from Halle Oswald into an overtime loss one night earlier, so one had to wonder what would happen in the rematch one day later. Would we see another goaltending clinic from the starters at either end? Would the teams open things up and light the lamps a little more? Camryn Drever would answer those questions for Saskatchewan in her second game of the weekend while Kirsten Chamberlin was on the Alberta side of those questions.
Alberta came out a little hungrier in this game, but the questions above were answered early as both Drever and Chamberlin looked ready to stop anything thrown their ways. We'd get no scoring in the first period due to those efforts, so we'll jump to the second period with Alberta leading 11-7 in shots, but the score holding at 0-0.
The second period was more of the same as both Drever and Chamberlin were all too happy to show off their skills in stopping pucks. Although the official scoring reads 12-7 in shots for the period in favour of Alberta, it felt a lot close than that to me. It looked like Saskatchewan did take a lead with a minute left in the second frame, but the goal was disallowed. We'll jump to the third period with game tied 0-0 and Alberta up 23-14 in pucks on goalies.
The third period saw one of those these two goalies solved, though. Bailee Bourassa, on the power-play, cut into the middle and unleashed a backhander that looked like to surprised Chamberlin a little, but the puck found twine at the 3:48 mark as Bourassa's third goal of the season made it 1-0 for the Huskies! Minutes later, Bourassa made it 2-0 when found room past Chamberlin for her fourth of the campaign at 5:53. On a two-on-one later in the period, Nicole Fry's high shot rattled the mask of Chamberlin, but the rebound fell in front where Jasper Desmarais poked it past Chamberlin for her third of the season and the third Saskatchewan goal of the night!
That was more than enough offence on this night for Drever as she backstopped the Huskies to the 3-0 over the Pandas! Camryn Drever earned her seventh win and second shutout of the season in stopping all 33 shots she faced while Kirsten Chamberlin suffered the loss on a 19-save afternoon. In what might be even cooler news, the Saskatchewan Huskies recorded, for the first-time ever, a sweep at Clare Drake Arena over the Pandas! When you think of how long these two foes have been playing, that's a heckuva streak to break! Congrats, Saskatchewan!
More highlights from social media clips produced by me are below! You hear that, Alberta? I can do it. So can you.
Back to the task at hand, this game was a little more physical than what I normally expect from these squads. Both sides looked to establish their games early in this one, but neither would be able to solve the other's goalie early on. A power-play late in the period would be the advantage that Mount Royal needed, though, as Tianna Ko popped a Tatum Amy rebound past Kliewer at 17:21 for her eighth goal of the season, and the power-play marker put MRU up 1-0. They carried that lead into the break while holding a 13-8 edge in shots.
The second period saw a few disagreements lead to some alone-time in the penalty box for a few players, but both Ross and Kliewer were doing what they do best in denying goals. With no lamps lit, that 1-0 Mount Royal lead from the first period would carry to the third period along with a 19-17 lead in shots.
This is the period where there was a bit of a catfight between these two Cougars clubs. Eight minor penalties were called between the two teams, and one of them turned into a goal. Breanne Trotter took a pass from Emma Bergesen in front of the net, and she buried her second goal of the season on the power-play at 10:19 to put Mount Royal up 2-0. That would be twice as much offence as Kaitlyn Ross needed on this night as she denied all Regina shooters as Mount Royal won by that 2-0 score. Kaitlyn Ross made 22 stops for her third win and second shutout of the season while Arden Kliewer made 22 saves in the loss.
The Regina Cougars haven't posted highlights in six months. It's like they're against the idea despite them posting highlights regularly one year ago. It's almost as if Regina has been cast as Terence Fletcher in Whiplash when it comes to highlights packages of its teams.
SATURDAY: The two Cougars-named school teams met in Regina against after Mount Royal's win one night earlier. Mount Royal, depending on results today, could virtually lock up a playoff spot since they hold tie-breakers against two of the teams competing for sixth-place. Regina, meanwhile, just needed points to move ahead of the schools who were idle. The same netminders were back at it on Saturday afternoon as Kaitlyn Ross was in the blue paint for Mount Royal while Arden Kliewer was between the pipes for Regina.
Let's just say that this game saw the ice tilted early in one direction. Tianna Ko scored her ninth of the season at the 7:24 mark, and Kaia Borbandy added her second goal just 33 seconds later as Mount Royal made it very clear that they had come to play on Saturday. Regina had a few chances, but nothing where players would have nightmares in terms of being denied. After one period, a very motivated MRU squad led 2-0 and held a 13-7 edge in shots.
The second period saw Mount Royal attack in waves as Regina was overwhelmed at times. Somehow, they survived the onslaught of shots to manage a couple of their own, one of which found the back of the net. Jordan Kulbida's high shot went off Ross's blocker, and Shaylee Scraba was in the right spot for the rebound as she potted her first Canada West goal of her career at 18:47 to cut the deficit to one goal. Through 40 minutes, Mount Royal had the 2-1 lead and a 29-9 margin in shots. That's not a typo.
The third period seemed like the game may remain close, but Mount Royal wanted a little breathing room. Maddison Toppe's first goal of the season at 12:23 provided that. Tatum Amy's fifth of the season at 14:51 provided a little more breathing room. And Kaia Borbandy's third goal of the season and second of the game at 16:05 was more than enough breathing room for the Alberta-based Cougars as Mount Royal skated to the 5-1 win over the Regina Cougars. Kaitlyn Ross picked up her fourth win of the season on a ten-save night while Arden Kliewer made 34 saves in this game.
Are we ever going to see highlights, Regina? Even once this season?
| School | Record | Points | GF | GA | Streak | Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Royal | 10-1-1-2 | 24 | 43 | 16 | W4 | BYE |
| Saskatchewan | 8-5-1-2 | 20 | 35 | 20 | W3 | BYE |
| UBC | 9-3-0-0 | 18 | 49 | 18 | W3 | @ CAL |
| Manitoba | 7-5-2-0 | 18 | 34 | 28 | L1 | vs TWU |
| Alberta | 4-5-3-2 | 16 | 29 | 26 | L2 | BYE |
| Calgary | 6-8-0-0 | 12 | 35 | 43 | W3 | vs UBC |
| MacEwan | 6-8-0-0 | 12 | 18 | 36 | W1 | BYE |
| Regina | 5-9-0-2 | 12 | 27 | 43 | L3 | BYE |
| Trinity Western | 1-12-1-0 | 4 | 16 | 56 | L6 | @ MAN |
Who Plays On What Day?
With the schedule all messed up thanks to UBC's postponements, the Thunderbirds will now host travel to Calgary to play the Dinos on this upcoming weekend before welcoming the Mount Royal Cougars to Vancouver on February 4 and 5. Once those games are completed on the first weekend in February, everyone should be back in alignment in terms of games with at least 16 games played of the 20 games scheduled for each team. Playoff pictures will start to come into focus over the next two weeks, so keep your eyes on the standings!According to the information I have, the Canada West Quarterfinal best-of-three series will take place from February 25 to 27. The Semifinal series will be played March 4 to 6, and the Canada West Final series will take place from March 11 to 13. As it stands, the U SPORTS National Championship, hosted by UPEI, is scheduled to run in Charlottetown, PEI from March 24 to 27. The next few weeke will be about playoff positions, jockeying for positions, and the race to make the playoffs, so this should be a few few weeks. Strap yourselves in, folks, because this is where the ride gets wild!
The Last Word
I said my piece about UBC above, so I'm not going to get into it here again. What I will say is that, for everything that has gone on, I'm surprised that we haven't seen more widespread outbreaks among teams, especially in knowing how transmissable the Omicron variant of the virus is. The only thing I will say is to remain vigilant, wear your masks, get your vaccinations, and don't take unnecessary risks.There are literally two months between today and the start of the U SPORTS National Championship, and the last thing I want to see is another National Championship cancelled. With the previous championships being cancelled, a third cancellation would mean that there's an entire generation of women who may have been good enough to win, but we'll never know if that was the case.
We, as a society, owe it to these athletes who have sacrificed so much to entertain us while they earn their educations, so please don't get complacent when it comes to this virus. We have a long way to go still, but we can help our university-aged athletes reach the U SPORTS podium by remaining vigilant in our fight against COVID-19. Let's make that happen!
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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