The Rundown - Week 6
Saskatchewan got on the board before the game was five minutes old thanks to the power-play as Mallory Dyer's wrist shot from the point pinballed off a couple of skates until Taylor Wilkinson found the loose puck in the slot, and she buried it on the backhand at 4:55 to put the Huskies out in front 1-0. They'd double the lead 2:08 later when Kennedy Brown found the back of the net, and it would be a 3-0 game when Kara Kondrat notched the second power-play goal of the period for the Huskies at 12:09. The penalties didn't help to spark Regina offensively, but they'd get a couple of chances before the period ended. Despite those chances, the 3-0 score held with Saskatchewan up 8-4 in shots through the opening frame.
The two teams would play some north-south hockey in the second period as the teams peppered the other's goaltender with shots. Both teams would be flagged with a penalty that saw the power-plays unsuccessful, but Regina broke the goose egg late in the period when a harmless shot from Rachel O'Toole along the boards was deflected by Heather Fiske who stepped out from behind the net and in front of Wilson to make it a 3-1 game with 1:34 to play in the period. That would be the only marker scored, though, as the Huskies carried the two-goal lead into the final frame with the shots even at 18 apiece!
The teams would trade unsuccessful power-plays through the first ten minutes of the third period, but it would the Huskies that capitalized on the only power-play of the second half of the period. Sara Kendall dented twine on the advantage to make it a 4-1 game for the Huskies with 7:48 to play, and that would be more than enough for the Huskies on this night as they skated to the 4-1 victory over the Regina Cougars! Colby Wilson picked up her second win of the season with a 28-save effort while Arden Kliewer was on the wrong side of a 31-save night.
Regina doesn't do highlights of any of their teams and they haven't posted a highlights package in two years. Just think of all the great athletes they've had come through their programs without anyone ever seeing what they did. That's some solid marketing, I tell you.
SATURDAY: Rarely would I ever claim that a game in the sixth week of the season is a must-win, but the Cougars needed to get out of their spiral something fierce with a win in the second game of the series. Saskatchewan was looking to continue their progress up the standings with another victory as well, so this game was important to both squads. Camryn Drever was in the Huskies' net for this one while Arden Kliewer took her spot in the Regina net.
Saskatchewan got to work almost immediately thanks to a blast from the top of the right circle by Kendra Zuchotzki just 2:13 in, and the Huskies had the 1-0 lead early. That goal seemed to trigger both teams into a defensive game, though, as shots for the remainder of the period were hard to come by when it came to official shots on net. A two-player advantage for the Huskies saw very production while two separate power-plays for the Cougars also generated few chances. At the end of one period, that 1-0 score held for the Huskies in spite of the shots being 5-3 for Saskatchewan.
The teams opened things up in the second period, thankfully, as Saskatchewan doubled their lead early once more while on the power-play when Mallory Dyer's initial shot went off Kennedy Brown, but ricocheted direcly back to Dyer who backhanded it past Kliewer at 3:20 to make it a 2-0 game. Both teams came alive as they traded shots through the 20-minute space, but the Dyer goal was the only one to reach twine as Saskatchewan took the two-goal lead into the second intermission with the shots tied 15-15.
The final frame saw Regina throw everything at the Saskatchewan net as they pressed for goals. Three-straight minor penalties over the final fifteen minutes of the game didn't help Saskatchewan nor did Hannah Pennell's rocket from the point at 14:06 on one of those power-plays as it found twine to put the Cougars were on the board, trailing 2-1 with 5:54 to play. Despite getting the esxtra attacker out for the final 55 seconds, the Huskies closed the door on the Cougars in this one as they escaped with the 2-1 victory over Regina! Camryn Drever picked up her third win of the season with a 25-save effort while Arden Kliewer suffered the loss after stopping 15 shots.
Since the Mount Royal Cougars aren't playing, we're going to occupy the space normally held by the Regina Cougars with a funny hockey commercial. If you don't like this decision, let the Regina Cougars know you want to see highlights in this space!
The Pandas didn't wait long to open the scoring as Abby Soyko dented twine at 3:58 to make it 1-0 in what became a very one-sided affair despite the one-goal lead through 20 minutes and Alberta holding a 7-6 edge in shots.
Payton Laumbach made it a 2-0 game at 9:27 of the second period as Alberta began to assert its force. If you recall, I had warned everyone of the Pandas' power-play last week, but it appears one team didn't bother to heed that warning because Cassidy Maplethorpe made it 3-0 on the power-play at 10:51 before scoring her second goal of the game minutes later at 12:22 to give Alberta a 4-0 lead through two periods while holding an 18-13 edge in shots.
Maplethorpe would cap the hat trick off just 4:27 into the third period as Alberta went up by a 5-0 score on another power-play goal, and the Pandas showed just how good they could be defensively by holding their opposition to three shots in the third period. When the horn sounded and the dust settled on this one, Alberta earned a 5-0 victory over the Fluffy Cows as Halle Oswald pitched the 16-save shutout for her fourth clean sheet and seventh win of the season.
I thought I made it clear that you don't want to give the Pandas opportunities on the power-play. If you play carelessly, they'll wreck your grocery shopping experience. Or something like that.
SATURDAY: The Pandas looked to keep the good times rolling as they hunted for their sixth-straight win while playing the Fluffy Cows. In those previous five wins, the Pandas recorded shutouts three times while allowing just one goal twice. Needless to say, they might be playing the best hockey I've seen early this season, and it was Elle Boyko who was between the pipes for the Pandas today.
The Pandas fell behind by a goal, but they'd rally with 5:31 to play in the period when Winnipegger Raegan Yewdall sniped her first Canada West goal while shorthanded to make it a 1-1 game! That score would hold into the break in a faily defensive period as the Pandas trailed 6-5 in shots.
The Pandas used an early power-play to take the lead in the second period when Jadynn Morden found the back of the net at 4:14 to make it 2-1 for the Pandas, and that was followed by Winnipegger Danica Namaka making it a 3-1 game 2:16 later. Boyko would surrender a late goal in the second period after a shot through traffic got by her, but the Pandas took the 3-2 lead into the intermission with a 15-13 edge in pucks on net.
The final period was tightly contested with a late flurry that the Pandas had to withstand, but they would weather the storm in capturing a 3-2 victory off the Fluffy Cows! Elle Boyko picked up her second win in her second game with a 19-save performance in helping the Pandas earn the weekend sweep!
The only highlights needed here are the Pandas celebrating a sweep.
These two teams came out and threw caution to the wind as they looked to establish a lead. The goaltenders were up to the task in stopping all shooters as they started the game off strong. MacEwan would break the stalemate late in frame, though, when Hailey Maurice's centering pass into the crease from behind the net found room under Kate Fawcett to end up in the back of the net at 17:47! MacEwan would double their lead 2:04 later when Kori Paterson ripped a wrister from inside the right face-off circle past Fawcett with nine seconds left for her first Canada West goal, and MacEwan took the 2-0 lead to the room after outshooting TWU 18-11 in the period!
MacEwan was the recipient of five-straight minor penalty calls in the middle frame, and that allowed Trinity Western to put a pile of shots on Brianna Sank. Despite having two five-on-three advantages, the MacEwan penalty killers were on their game on this night. The power-plays went unsuccessful, the goalies performed well, and we'd move to the third period with the score still 2-0 in MacEwan's favour and holding a 26-25 edge in shots.
The third period was all about MacEwan defending their two-goal advantage, but they didn't sit back and protect the defensive zone as they continued to press Trinity Western using the old "the best defence is a good offence" idea. This forced TWU into taking a number of ill-advised penalties, but a late power-play opportunity for the Spartans would get them on the board. Amy Potomak zipped a shot home from the slot with 1:45 to play, but the Griffins would surrender nothing further as they defeated the Trinity Western Spartans by that 2-1 score! Brianna Sank stopped 35 shots for her third win of the season while Kate Fawcett stopped 35 shots of her own in the loss.
All season long, I'm posting clips of another team of Griffins because MacEwan refuses to post highlight packages of any of their teams. This isn't just a Canada West thing - eight years and counting!
SATURDAY: MacEwan was looking for their first sweep of the season as they returned to Downtown Community Arena for the second-half of the weekend series against the Trinity Western Spartans. The Spartans needed to find a way back into the win column to hold off teams behind them while keeping pace with those above them. Mabel Maltais was in the crease for the Spartans in this one while Brianna Sank got the start for the Griffins.
The Spartans got things going early with a penalty just 61 seconds into the game, but they turned bad into good when Amy Potomak jumped on a turnover at the MacEwan blue line and wired a shot past Sank at the 2:51 for the shorthanded goal and the early 1-0 TWU lead. Penalties would plague the Griffins for most of this period, but the penalty-killing units did a good job in keeping the Spartans from getting good looks. Potomak's goal would be the only one in this frame as Trinity Western led 1-0 despite the shots being tied 5-5.
The second period saw a few more shots sent towards the goalies, but penalties to both teams disrupted any offensive flow once again. The goalies were on their games once again as they prevented any goals in this period, so that slim 1-0 lead held by Trinity Western carried into the second intermission as well with the Spartans holding a 14-11 edge in shots.
Whatever was said in the MacEwan dressing room between periods must have been one of the greatest speeches in history because the Griffins absolutely dominated the third period from start to finish. That pressure shown by MacEwan would finally pay off when Allee Isley picked up a loose puck in the right corner and centered to Shyla Kirwer in the slot where the captain zipped a quick shot high on the blocker side to tie the game at 1-1 at the 10:56 mark! Despite the 19 shots that MacEwan put on the Spartans' net, though, that would be the only goal in the period. That means we got a little free hockey on this night!
The overtime period lasted all of 34 seconds when Jaidia Pisani's blast from the point found the back of the net for her first Canada West goal and, more importantly, the 2-1 Trinity Western victory! Despite some protest from the Griffins over goaltender interference with Sank being bumped at the top of her crease, the good stood as the Spartans claimed victory over the Griffins! Mabel Maltais scored her second win with a 29-save performance while Brianna Sank made 17 stops in the overtime loss.
The cut-away gag in this clip doesn't feature the Griffins, but who orders salad from a pizza place in the first place? That just seems like you're asking for trouble. Hint: you don't make friends with salad.
The opening period between these two squads was a tighter-checking affair than perhaps I had expected, but the hockey had a good pace to it. An early UBC power-play gave them a little jump, but they'd come away without a goal. They would find one, however, midway through the frame when Sierra LaPlante went shelf at 9:48, and the Thunderbirds grabbed the 1-0 lead. As stated, the tight checking would continue right through to the horn as the Thunderbirds claimed the 1-0 lead through 20 minutes along with an 11-7 edge in shots.
Calgary would get one back within the first six minutes of the second period when Josie McLeod found the back of the net for her first Canada West goal at 5:55 to make tie this contest at 1-1. UBC began to impose their will, though, as they started to drive the net and increase the pace, and that paid off when Karine Sandilands, coming down the left wing, held the puck on a partial 2-on-1 before deciding to shoot far post over Durante's glove to make it 2-1 for the Thunderbirds at 12:44! A Calgary penalty didn't help either side, but the Dinos withstood the pressure through the remainder of the period to hit the break with UBC leading 2-1 and holding a 22-14 lead in shots.
Both teams came out with fire under their skates in the third period as Calgary pushed for an equalizer while UBC looked to salt this one away. The T-Birds got close with a Sophia Gaskell deflection that nearly made it to the goal line, but Durante swept it off its path towards the back of the net. Calgary pushed back with Hugens making a couple of key saves, but it would be Annalise Wong on the forecheck who caused a turnover, and Mia Bierd fed Wong who dented twine for her first Canada West goal with 3:37 to play to make it 3-1 for UBC! That was all that was needed on this night as the Thunderbirds held that score to the horn in defeating the Dinos! Elise Hugens made 22 stops for her fourth win of the season while Gabriella Durante stopped 28 shots in a losing effort.
It'd be great to see all these goals, but UBC apparently only produces highlights for soccer playoffs. If you can do one sport, there are others, UBC. Why do you do this?
SATURDAY:After an up-tempo game the night before, there was hope that the teams would bring the same pace to the Saturday afternoon game scheduled. UBC was looking to make it five-straight wins and points in eight-straight games while the Dinos were looking to start a winning streak of their own. Gabriella Durante was back in the cage for the Dinos while Kate Stuart continued her streak of Saturday starts for UBC.
Both teams started the game with a little jump, but an early UBC penalty slowed the Thunderbirds. Calgary wouldn't cash in during that advantage, but they would open the scoring midway through the period when Elizabeth Lang went shelf on Stuart at 10:53 to put the Dinos up 1-0. That lead would evaporate 3:05 later when Ireland Perrott went five-hole on Durante while on the power-play, and that drew the game even at 1-1. Like the score, it was a fairly even period as the horn sounded with the game tied and UBC holding a 10-9 edge in shots.
UBC took an early penalty less than a minute into the middle frame, but it would be the T-Birds who benefitted. Jacquelyn Fleming blocked a shot at the point and took off after the loose puck, winning the race and forcing the Calgary defender to haul her down on the breakaway. You know what that means: penalty shot! Fleming skated in and went over the glove of Durante to make it a 2-1 game with the shorthanded penalty shot goal at 1:10! A couple of penalties back-to-back for the Dinos allowed UBC to dictate the pace as they built momentum off the Fleming penalty shot, but that would be the only goal scored in the frame as UBC took a 2-1 lead into the second intermission despite leading 26-15 in shots!
The third period saw both teams with a couple of opportunities, but neitehr side was willing to give up defence for offence. They battled back and forth with Calgary pulling their goalie for an extra attacker later, but it would be Cassidy Rhodes who iced the game with the empty-netter with two seconds to play as the UBC Thunderbirds completed the sweep over the Calgary Dinos with a second-straight 3-1 victory! Kate Stuart picked up her fourth win of the season on a 19-save night while Gabriella Durante was far busier in the loss as she made 33 saves in 57:34 of work.
Again, no highlights, but the T-Birds completing the sweep at home shouldn't surprise anyone. I don't think they've lost two-straight at home in some time, so someone should remind Canada West that...
| School | Record | Points | GF | GA | Streak | Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | 8-3-1-0 | 18 | 33 | 18 | W6 | BYE |
| Mount Royal | 8-1-0-1 | 17 | 34 | 18 | W2 | @ REG |
| UBC | 7-1-1-1 | 17 | 36 | 15 | W5 | @ TWU |
| Saskatchewan | 3-3-2-2 | 12 | 17 | 15 | W2 | vs MAC |
| Trinity Western | 4-5-1-0 | 10 | 23 | 25 | W1 | vs UBC |
| Calgary | 2-6-1-1 | 7 | 15 | 25 | L2 | vs MAN |
| MacEwan | 2-6-1-1 | 7 | 14 | 27 | L1 | @ SAS |
| Manitoba | 3-7-0-0 | 6 | 20 | 36 | L5 | @ CAL |
| Regina | 2-7-0-1 | 5 | 15 | 28 | L5 | vs MRU |
Hypothetically Speaking...
It's amazing what can happen in a year. Team A starts a season 7-3-0 with a +5 in goal differential in 2021-22 while in second-place, and has gone 9-13-0 with a goal differential of -10 since then. Team B starts a season 4-3-1 with a -4 in goal differential in 2021-22 while in fifth-place, and has gone 19-7-1 with a +20 goal differential since that start. Both teams lost veteran defenders and a veteran goaltender while recruiting some solid help to fill the gaps despite having younger, less experienced defence corps than other teams.In reading the above, which team's coach stated, "You want your team to compete and get better every year. I think we are doing that. We saw progress in this group last season that led me to believe that we skipped ahead a few steps in terms of the growth of this still very young group we have. I like our progression and the direction we are headed as a program"?
The answer is below for those curious.
Gotta Get A Stop
As we know, teams that defend well usually have goaltenders with solid statistics. On the flip side, teams who allow more chances than they should could be saved by very good goaltending who can bail out a defence if an assignment is missed. What you can't have is defence who struggles to stop its opponents along with goaltending who struggles to stop pucks. That's a recipe for disaster.One team currently sits below the .900 save percentage threshold which is indicative of both a defence that allows way too many scoring chances along with goaltending that far too often has a red light on behind the net. This specific team has a collective .871 save percentage to go along with a 3.61 GAA when they average just 2.00 goals per game.
This is a team that has won both games where they had 30+ shots on net, is 1-7 in games where they've had less than 30 shots on net, but has only been outshot in five of ten games played. They've scored six power-play goals to sit fifth in efficiency, but surrendered three shorthanded goals. They've given up 13 power-play goals against - tied for the most against - while sitting in eighth for efficiency. Those numbers combined are still are below that 95% special teams efficiency rate where teams should just stick to five-on-five play.
Which team is this? The answer is below.
Top Ten Stuff
I struggle to understand how a 2-1 Concordia team is ranked first-overall when a 7-1 UNB team has clearly been the class of the AUS, but the insane ELO scoring that U SPORTS uses for its Top Ten results is still inexplicable. What should be pointed out, thought, is that UBC is ranked #3, Mount Royal is ranked #6, and Alberta is ranked #9 as the top-three teams of Canada West are getting the proper recognition that they deserve.There will be some movement in the Top Ten this week as Nipissing dropped a game to York, Waterloo moved to 5-0, and Ottawa has emerged as the leader in the RSEQ, but I'd expect UBC and Alberta to continue to climb the rankings with sweeps this weekend to solidify their rankings within that Top Ten list.
That Team?
The Last Word
Historically, the cutoff for the final playoff spot when wins counted for three points was around 32 points. Teams generally had 8-9 regulation wins plus some combination of extra time points to achieve that mark. Last season, the playoff cutoff was at 18 points with the Regina Cougars achieving that total by having eight wins. I'd expect nine wins and around 22 points to be the total needed for a playoff spot this season based on how the teams are separating themselves.If you're doing the math based on the standings above, you know what needs to be done to reach those benchmarks. Three teams will not get there, so the next 18 games take on a whole different meaning for those who need to make up ground.
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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