The Rundown - Week 13
The two squads were playing some solid defensive hockey while trying to find scoring chances in the opening period. A couple of penalties assessed to the Huskies in the opening frame yielded no goals as the Huskies were fired up on Play For A Cure Night. At the other end, Alberta was doing a good job in keeping Saskatchewan from getting anything by Oswald. Through one period, the 0-0 tie stood with Alberta holding a 7-6 edge in shots.
The second period saw more players sitting for two minutes as the number of penalties went from two to six in this period, and Alberta was the guilty party on four of them. Despite the advantages on both sides, the defences and goaltending were playing extremely well in denying all chances. With scoring at a premium on this night, the defensive struggle hit the second intermission with the 0-0 tie intact and Alberta having a 15-13 advantage in shots.
The battle continued through the first twelve minutes with no one gaining an upper hand until 12:36 when Cassidy Maplethorpe finally beat Colby Wilson to give the Pandas the 1-0 lead. Saskatchewan would push through the final seven minutes for an equalizer, but it was not to be on this night as the Pandas defence and Halle Oswald stood tall in securing the 1-0 victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies. Halle Oswald stopped all 19 shots on this night for her 14th win and sixth shutout of the season while Colby Wilson likely deserved a better fate following her 20-save performance.
The only highlight that needs to be brought forward was the effort by the Huskies fans in supporting Pancreatic Cancer Canada through the raffle and jersey auction at the game. Pancreatic Cancer Canada was chosen as the charity for this game in honour of Colby Wilson's aunt, Trisha Larsen, who passed away on October 26, 2022 at the age of 57 from the disease. Larsen would often text Colby on gamedays, wishing her good luck, and would travel to be in the stands when she could. The jerseys worn by the Huskies on Friday, seen below, were auctioned off with proceeds going to Pancreatic Cancer Canada.
And HBIC hopes you rest eternally in peace, Trish Larsen.
SATURDAY: The gap between these two teams got a little bigger after Alberta's win on Friday, but the Huskies had a chance to make the weekend a wash on Saturday. Alberta was looking to extend their winning streak to nine games, though, so they weren't about to go quietly back to Edmonton. Friday's goaltending matchup resumed on Saturday with Halle Oswald in net for the Pandas while Colby Wilson was in net for the Huskies.
Alberta wasn't interested in letting the game come to them on this night as they came out aggressively as they looked for opportunities. They'd find one just before the midpoint of the period when Abby Soyko converted a Cassidy Maplethorpe pass into a goal as she beat Wilson, and Alberta had the 1-0 lead. 2:36 later, Maplethorpe was playing playmaker once again as she set up Jadynn Morden for a tally to put the Pandas up by two goals. The teams would trade unsuccessful power-plays after that goal, and we'd hit the break with Alberta up 2-0 in goals and 11-6 in shots.
An early bench minor saw Saskatchewan take advantage of the mistake as Emily Holmes hammered home a power-play goal at 4:48 to cut the deficit in half as Alberta led 2-1. The Pandas resumed their aggressive play that helped them in the first period, and they'd be rewarded at 14:27 when Kallie Clouston dented twine to restore the Pandas' two-goal advantage. With no other scoresheet events to report in the final five minutes, Alberta led 3-1 after 40 minutes while holding a 22-13 margin in shots.
The third period was quieter than the previous two as Alberta put up a wall around their net, giving Saskatchewan virtually no clean looks at Oswald. The few shots that did get through were handled by the veteran netminder to eliminate the threat. With Alberta content to wait this one out, the clock stuck zeroes after 20 minutes as Alberta recorded the 3-1 win over Saskatchewan! Halle Oswald picked up her conference-leading 15th win of the season after stopping 16 shots while Colby Wilson made 22 stops in the loss.
I don't know tense the mood is, but I'm certainly watching the Pandas as they're now on a nine-game winning streak. If you're in Canada West, beware of the Pandas as their attack has been lethal!
A penalty-filled opening period was highlighted by two UBC goals as Mia Bierd got things started at 13:39 to put the T-Birds up 1-0 before Ireland Perrott hit the double-digit mark in goals with a power-play marker at 16:06 to make it 2-0. After the break, they'd make it a 3-0 game when Chanreet Bassi hit the back of the net with a shot at 3:39 before surrendering a goal five minutes later. UBC would give up one more goal in the latter half of the third period while killing a penalty, but the three goals was enough on this night as the UBC Thunderbirds captured the 3-2 victory. Elise Hugens earned her tenth win with a 19-save night on Friday.
The UBC Thunderbirds aren't the only blue Thunderbirds in the hockey world. The AHL introduced the world to the Springfield Thunderbirds back in 2016. Here's the video of that introduction.
SATURDAY: The T-Birds held on for a win after jumping out to a lead on night earlier, but they were looking to lock down their lead in Canada West with another win on Saturday. The win on Friday officially clinched a playoff spot for the Thunderbirds, so now it was all about locking in the bye for the quarterfinal round and locking up home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs by finishing atop the conference standings. Kate Stuart was in the UBC net to help them achieve that goal on Saturday!
A very defensive period was seen in the opening 20 minutes as both sides struggled to put shots on the opposition's net. The Fluffy Cows would score first just past the midway point of the period, and that score would hold into the break. However, UBC would figure things out early while on the power-play as Jacquelyn Fleming dented twine, and we'd play 40 minutes with both sides sitting in a 1-1 tie. Chanreet Bassi would strike 39 seconds into the third period to put UBC up 2-1, and Rylind MacKinnon made it a 3-1 game with her shot that found the back of the net 1:20 later. From there, it was all about protecting the lead as Kate Stuart and the T-Birds' defence held the fort to give UBC the 3-1 victory! Kate Stuart stopped 18 shots to pick up her eighth win of the season.
Every good team has a great mascot. The AHL's Springfield Falcons introduced Boomer in September 2016 as the team's mascot, and he seems to check all the boxes of what one needs in a mascot. That music in the background can go away, though. Yikes.
There was a good pace to the first period as both teams were looking for the early lead, but neither team could find space past the goaltenders. The teams would trade unsuccessful power-plays early in the game, but we'd see the stalemate broken late in the period. Off a rush, Olivia Leier brought the puck in across the line on the left wing before sending it to Chelsea Debusschere in the slot whose one-timer was stopped, but the rebound caromed out to Amy Potomak on the right side who buried the second chance at 18:22, and the Spartans grabbed the 1-0 lead! That score would hold into the break with TWU up 12-9 in shots.
The Spartans would keep the momentum rolling early in the second period. Ella Boon held the line and chipped the puck down to Ashlee Wolfe on the right boards who spotted Katherine Chadwick. Chadwick had a defender on her, though, so she chipped the puck to a wide-open Reilley Kellner in the slot who fired a shot under Sank's glove inside the right post for the 2-0 lead 2:55 into the second period. MacEwan would get one back when Rian Santos was set up for a shot after a turnover, and Shyla Kirwan got a stick on the puck to deflect it by Fawcett to cut the Spartans' lead to 2-1 at 10:54. The teams traded unsuccessful power-plays in the latter half of the frame once again, and we'd hit the second intermission with Trinity Western up 2-1 in goals, but MacEwan leading 24-21 in shots.
The third period saw both defences step up and lock down the defensive zones. Shots were few and chances were fewer to come by for both sides which played into TWU's favour since they had the lead. As time counted down through the final 20 minutes, the teams traded penalties once again, but no one would capitalize on the opportunties. When the final horn sounded, the Trinity Western Spartans claimed a 2-1 win over the MacEwan Griffins! Kate Fawcett stopped 29 shots for her sixth win of the season while Brianna Sank was on the losing end of a 23-save effort.
The very one-sided highlights produced by Trinity Western are below!
SATURDAY: MacEwan's need for points was never higher than it was on Saturday after having dropped the opening game of the two-game series with the Spartans. If they want to make the playoffs, they need to beat the teams ahead of them who hold those final playoff spots. The Spartans, meanwhile, could virtually end the Griffins' march towards the playoffs. It was a goaltending rematch from the night before as Brianna Sank stood in net for the Griffins while Kate Fawcett was in the Spartans' crease.
MacEwan got things going early in this one thanks to an unexpected gift as a turnover in the Spartans' end ended up on Joie Simon's stick, and that puck ended up behind Fawcett at 3:13 to give MacEwan the 1-0 lead. The Spartans would answer back four minutes later when Reilley Kellner put a shot on the net from the left circle that was kicked out by Sank, but the rebound was kicked into the slot where a driving Kyra McDonald got her stick on it to send it into the net at 7:32 to tie the game at 1-1! The final twelve minutes of the period was played relatively incident free with a few chances at either end, but we'd hit the break tied at 1-1 with TWU up 10-8 in shots.
The second period saw the pace continue as both sides pushed for the lead. MacEwan was slowed by a few penalties, but the Spartans couldn't take advantage. MacEwan used the momentum of killing back-to-back penalties to grab a lead when Makenna Schuttler teed up a puck from the point that got through traffic and dented twine at 15:06, and the Griffins held the one-goal lead. That late goal in the period held up into the break as the Griffins had the 2-1 lead despite being outshot 22-17 by Trinity Western.
MacEwan wasn't content just sitting on a lead in the third period. They killed off a penalty before getting a 5-on-4 power-play chance followed by a 5-on-3 power-play opportunity, but both went goalless on those chances. Trinity Western would press for a goal late in the game with Fawcett on the bench, but it would be Riley Thiessen who iced the game for MacEwan with an empty-netter with 12 seconds left. The MacEwan Griffins live to play another day with a 3-1 win over the Trinity Western Spartans! Brianna Sank stopped 29 shots to collect her sixth win of the season while Kate Fawcett stopped 26 shots in a losing effort.
Once again, a very TWU set of highlights is all I can provide.
An early Calgary penalty saw nothing happening on the Regina side of the scoreboard, but a miscue shortly after the penalty ended helped. Gabriella Durante got caught behind her net as Jenna Merk stripped her of the puck, and she centered it to Ireland Sorestad who hammered it into the yawning cage at 4:58 to put the Cougars up 1-0! A penalty later in the period saw Calgary find a few chances, but the Cougars withstood the pressure to make it to the break up 1-0 despite having Calgary holding a 9-6 edge in shots.
The middle period was more of a power-play exhibition as the first half of the period saw the Cougars whistled for three-straight penalties before the Dinos took the final two penalties of the period. The only problem is that the penalty-killing units came to ruin that party as all five power-plays were unsuccessful. With nothing to show for all the power-play time, we'd go into the second intermission with Regina still leading 1-0 and with Calgary leading 18-14 in shots.
The third period saw the Dinos step up their offensive attack as they weren't interested in a loss. A couple of good chances were turned aside by Williamson, but the Dinos would finally get to her when Annaliese Meier forced a turnover and threw the puck into the slot where it found Sydney Mercier who had just come off the bench, and Mercier buried it past Williamson at 8:14 to tie the game at 1-1! The tied game would last for just 2:12 as Alli Borrow took the stretch pass from Rebecca Clarke, outraced Kelsey Page down the ice, and went between the wickets on Williamson to put Calgary up 2-1! The final ten minutes saw Calgary lock down their defensive zone as Regina's chances were few and far between, and that led the final whistle being sounded on a 2-1 Calgary Dinos win over the Regina Cougars! Gabriella Durante stopped 18 shots for her ninth win of the season while Natalie Williamson probably deserved a better fate on a night where she stopped 25 shots.
Highlights of this game are below!
SATURDAY: The margin for error on Regina's side was sitting at win-or-done. Calgary's win bumped Regina's mathematical chances to "can't lose again" if they wanted to make the playoffs, so Saturday's game was huge for the Cougars. The Dinos, meanwhile, wanted to eliminate one of the teasm chasing them while also creeping up on the teams ahead of them with another two points. The stage was set as Arden Kliewer stood in front of the Regina cage while Gabriella Durante got the start for the Dinos.
This game saw Regina play with desperation as they were fast, aggressive, and looking for goals. The Dinos, though, would hit the scoreboard first as Emily Hill teed up a puck from the left point that was tipped in front by Sydney Mercier, and Calgary rookie put the Dinos up 1-0 at 13:49 with her deflection! That goal didn't deter the Cougars, though, as they spent more time in the Dinos' zone, but the horn would sound for the intermission with Calgary leading 1-0 despite being outshot 10-5 in the frame.
The second period saw the Cougars resume their aggressive attack, and it would pay off at 6:44 on the power-play when Shaylee Scraba's shot into a crowd pinballed around before Paige Hubbard found it and fired it home from the slot to tie the game at 1-1! The game would remain tied for 1:19 until Jenna Merk dropped a pass to Hubbard on the right side, and she wired home a high shot on Durante's stick side to make it 2-1! The teams would continue to press for scoring chances, but both goalies settled back into making saves. The two teams would trade unsuccessful power-plays in the back half of the period, and we'd enter the second intermission with Regina up 2-1 and outshooting the Dinos 24-15.
The third period was a lot like the first two periods as there chances at both ends. However, around the nine minute mark, the floodgates opened. Calgary's Sydney Mercier went for a skate, picking up the puck in the neutral zone, weaving into the slot area and heading to the right post before unleashing a wrister that found room between the post and Kliewer at 9:13 to make it a 2-2 game. Mercier would cap off the hat trick in this game on the power-play at 13:24 when she knocked the puck off a Cougars' stick on the left boards, skated inot the circle, and zipped a shot over Kliewer's glove to make it 3-2 for the Dinos! Late in the game, Alli Borrow went for a skate, circling the entire Cougars' zone before feeding a backdoor pass to Rebecca Clarke who tapped it in to make it 4-2 for Calgary with 1:45 to play.
The Cougars wouldn't give up, though, as Shaylee Scraba scored off a scramble in front of Durante with 18 seconds to play, but that's as close as Regina would get as the Calgary Dinos skated to a 4-3 victory! Gabriella Durante stopped 34 shots for her tenth win of the season while Arden Kliewer made 19 saves in a valiant effort.
Highlights of Saturday's game are below!
| School | Record | Points | GF | GA | Streak | Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UBC | 15-2-3-2 | 38 | 75 | 31 | W6 | vs MAC |
| Alberta | 17-5-1-1 | 37 | 65 | 32 | W9 | @ REG |
| Mount Royal | 14-5-0-3 | 31 | 58 | 41 | L4 | vs CAL |
| Saskatchewan | 8-9-4-3 | 27 | 41 | 42 | L4 | BYE |
| Calgary | 9-8-3-2 | 25 | 48 | 48 | W5 | @ MRU |
| Trinity Western | 8-11-2-3 | 23 | 48 | 57 | L1 | vs MAN |
| Manitoba | 7-12-3-0 | 20 | 55 | 70 | L2 | @ TWU |
| MacEwan | 5-15-1-1 | 13 | 30 | 60 | L1 | @ UBC |
| Regina | 3-18-0-1 | 7 | 29 | 68 | L5 | vs ALB |
Colour Coded
If your team appears in yellow, they've officially clinched a playoff spot. If your team appears in red, they've officially been eliminated. Mount Royal could clinch a spot next weekend with a win while any loss by MacEwan will end their playoff hopes. I'll keep colour-coding the standings as we get closer to the playoffs.Adding Weapons
With the 2023 FISU World University Games having come to close today, the Alberta Pandas and Saskatchewan Huskies will add gold medalists to their rosters for the remainder of the season. Alberta's Madison Willan will be welcomed back in Edmonton where she'll find the Pandas currently challenging for top spot in the conference after posting a nine-games-and-counting winning streak. With the Regina Cougars next up on the schedule, that streak could hit double-digits.Saskatchewan will welcome back defender Isabella Pozzi and goaltender Camryn Drever as they enter a bye week on a four-game slide. Saskatchewan hasn't played poorly while they were away, but a four-game losing streak in the conference could be the difference between a home playoff date and starting the playoffs on the road. Saskatchewan needs to break out of this funk following the bye, and it appears the Regina Cougars will be the first team to face all three gold medalists thanks to their scheduled games against the Huskies in two weeks. Good luck, Cougars!
Congratulations, Ladies!
Before we go on, let me congratulate all of Madison Willan, Isabella Pozzi, and Camryn Drever once again for their efforts in helping Canada win the gold medal at the 2023 FISU World University Games. All three were instrumental in the earning the medal, and it marked the first time since 2013 that Canada has captured the gold medal.Excellent job in representing both Canada and Canada West, ladies, and here's hoping you can add a U SPORTS National Championship to the trophy case to go along with your FISU gold medal!
Math Problems
MacEwan's margin for error is one - as in one more loss will spell the end of their playoff run. They're going to have to come up with the biggest weekend of their short Canada West history next weekend if they want that playoff dream to continue as they'll have to beat UBC twice on Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Arena ice. I'm not saying it's impossible, but they're going to have to play like they don't know any better.The Fluffy Cows have a little more room for error based on their remaining schedule that sees them play Trinity Western in Langley, Calgary at home, and Alberta in Edmonton. The playoffs might be possible, but they need a sweep next weekend against Trinity Western to go along with sweeping Calgary at home in order to make the playoffs.
The reason for two sweeps being necessary for the Fluffy Cows is because of the Spartans' bye week. The Spartans have the bye week in the final weeekend of the regular season, meaning they only have two weekend series remaining on their schedule. If the Spartans lose both to the Fluffy Cows, it would put the Fluffy Cows up by one point in the standings while holding the tiebreaker. The Fluffy Cows would have four games remaining to the Spartans' two games. Needless to say, the math gets very difficult for Trinity Western if they lose both next weekend.
The Last Word
Week 14 action will surely be intense, but I'll have my focus elsewhere as I'm scheduled to call 13 games at the 2023 Female World Sport School Challenge. 16 teams will compete for the right to hoist the trophy and hang the banner in their home rink, and the action is always incredible. We usually see a number of players recruited from their play at this tournament, and we know of at least a dozen schools who will be watching either live or via HockeyTV. The best part is that UMFM will be covering all the action from the Subway Arena on the UMFM Second Stream!Because I'll be busy from Thursday until Sunday inclusive, The Rundown may get pushed back to Monday. I'll see how tired I am after calling 13 games including the gold medal game on Sunday, but this is your warning that The Rundown may be a day later than usual next week. Don't expect me to have much of a voice either.
For those that may be asking, there are at least 3-4 women from every Canada West team who has played at this tournament at one point or another. This tournament is literally where the next stars of Canada West play, so I highly recommend tuning in when you can. The schedule is here, and the UMFM Second Stream will have every game featured on the Subway Arena on its broadcasts. As a side note, most of those broadcasts will have me calling those games, so I apologize in advance for the terrible play-by-play guy.
It should be another exciting weekend of hockey in Canada West and at the Female World Sport School Challenge, and I hope you'll tune in through the various different mediums to catch the action!
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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