The Rundown - Week 14

I cannot deny that I watched very little Canada West women's hockey this weekend thanks to my involvement at the 2023 Female World Sport School Challenge. While I got to see a number of players who will join U SPORTS, ACAC, and NCAA teams next season, twelve-hour days make me want to sleep more than watch hockey. I did make a couple of exceptions, though, as there were some interesting matchups, so I can't say I didn't see any Canada West hockey. With the results of this week factoring into playoffs races across the conference, let's jump into what happened in four Canada cities this past weekend on The Rundown!

FRIDAY: Let's start with the game being played in the biggest arena of the four series seen this weekend as the Calgary Dinos and Mount Royal Cougars met at the Calgary Saddledome as part of their annual Crowchild Classic series between the two Calgary-based institutions. The stakes were pretty clear for Mount Royal as one win would clinch a playoff spot for them while the Dinos were looking to possibly catch and pass the idle Saskatchewan Huskies for fourth-place in the conference. Gabriella Durante was in net for the visiting Dinos in this game while Kaitlyn Ross stood in the Mount Royal crease!

The two teams played the opening frame cautiously with neither seeing many good scoring opportunities. Both goalies were equal to any shots they faced as a relatively event-free period was played. A power-play near the midpoint of the period went unfulfilled for the Cougars while the teams traded penalties at the end of the frame. We hit the break still tied at 0-0, though, with MRU holding a 7-1 edge in shots.

The second period was more of the show everyone was expecting as both sides came out firing pucks and skating hard. Despite the renewed effort offensively, neither Durante nor Ross was interested in falling behind in this game. A pair of penalties on the Dinos in the second half of the period saw the Cougars come up with nothing to show for those four minutes, and we'd go to the second intermission deadlocked at 0-0 with Mount Royal holding a 14-6 shot advantage.

The third period blended the action of the first two periods with chances being found, but none of the "how did that not go in" variety. Mount Royal missed out on two more power-play opportunities, but they nearly ended the game late if it weren't for Gabriella Durante. Being that she denied the Cougars once again, we'd get some free hockey at the Saddledome with the game still tied at 0-0 through 60 minutes with the Cougars up 25-12 on the shot counter.

In the first period of free hockey, the Dinos controlled the play, but were unable to end the game. In the 3-on-3 period of double-overtime, a late Calgary power-play saw nothing get by Ross, so we'd need a skills competition to decide this game - the first time shootout had decided a Crowchild Classic game on Saddledome ice in the history of this annual series!

Aliya Jomha scored on the first shot while Rebecca Clarke was stopped, so the Cougars were up 1-0 in the shootout. Breanne Trotter and Alli Borrow were both stopped in Round Two. Courtney Kollman had a chance to end it, but was denied. That meant Josie McLeod had to score to keep this game going. She was denied by Ross, however, and the Mount Royal Cougars earned the 1-0 shootout win over the Calgary Dinos! Kaitlyn Ross stopped 18 shots in 70 minutes of work plus three more shots in the shootout for her 13th win of the season and fifth shutout while Gabriella Durante stopped 29 shots in 70 minutes for a shutout of her own, but fell in the shootout.

Highlights of this game are below!

SATURDAY: After the incredible game the night before, the Cougars had officially punched their tickets to the Canada West playoffs, but needed to try and track down the two teams ahead of them. Calgary inched a little closer to Saskatchewan with one point, but they were looking for more as well. With this series shifting to the Dinos' home rink, Scout Anderson was in the Cougars' crease for her second career start while Gabriella Durante was back in front of the Dinos' cage.

Mount Royal came out of the gates hungry in this one as they took the game to Calgary. An early power-play wouldn't help the Cougars, but they'd strike minutes later when Kaia Borbandy took a pass as she split the defence, fended off a check, and beat Durante from the right side at the 8:23 mark to give Mount Royal the 1-0 lead. A second power-play would also generate no scores for the Cougars, but the damage had been done in the opening frame as Mount Royal took the one-goal lead into the break while leading 14-6 in shots.

Calgary came out with renewed vigor in the second period, but Mount Royal worked to swing the ice back in their favour by the end of the frame once again. MRU would be down a player before the midway point of the period, but the Dinos could not capitalize. The Cougars used that momentum to double their lead minutes later off a face-off that saw Tatum Amy miss the net, but the puck rebounded off the endboards directly to Aliya Johma who ripped the puck past Durante at 14:54 to put the Cougars up by a pair of goals. A second Calgary power-play brought them no closer, and we'd hit the intermission with Mount Royal leading 2-0 and holding an 18-10 shot advantage.

Mount Royal poured on the pressure once again in the third period thanks to a pair of power-plays, and the second one would see Athena Hauck dent twine at 9:45 to make it a 3-0 game for Mount Royal. Calgary had a few chances, but they were erased quickly by an efficient Cougars defence. When the final horn sounded, the Cougars had captured a 3-0 victory over the Dinos. Scout Anderson picked up her first Canada West win and her first Canada West shutout with an 18-save clean sheet while Gabrielle Durante suffered the regulation loss after stopping 29 shots.

No highlights were posted by the Dinos, so we'll give the Cougars their credit by having a cat replace a famous dinosaur in the movies!

FRIDAY: The series between the Fluffy Cows and the Spartans may very well determine the fates of both teams when it comes to the playoffs. If the Fluffy Cows were to sweep the Spartans, they'd move into sixth-place while the Spartans had just two games remaining. If the Spartans were to sweep the Fluffy Cows, they'd all but guarantee their inclusion in the playoffs. The stakes were high in Langley as Kate Fawcett looked to help the Spartans gain a playoff berth!

Despite falling behind 1-0 in the second period, the Spartans would get a big boost while shorthanded when Amy Potomak forced a turnover and fed Olivia Leier in the slot who made no mistake in burying the puck to tie the game at 1-1 at the 10:36 mark! We'd need overtime to determine this game, though, and it would be in the 3-on-3 period where we'd get a winner. On a 2-on-1 with time ticking down, Amy Potomak fed Kate Klassen on the left side who went inside the far post for the overtime winner with five seconds remaining as Trinity Western picked up the 2-1 double-overtime victory! Kate Fawcett stopped 26 shots for her seventh win of the season.

Some Spartans highlights are below!


SATURDAY: With both teams earning points on Friday, the stakes hadn't changed as both needed a regulation win to make things far more difficult on the other team. Points mattered on Saturday as Kate Fawcett got her second-straight start against the Fluffy Cows.

We wouldn't see scoring until the second period for the second consecutive night, but Amy Potomak's long shot appeared to deflect off someone in front while on the power-play at 15:13, and the Spartans had a 1-0 lead through 40 minutes. The Fluffy Cows would draw even before the midway point of the third period, but the Spartans went up by one again when Potomak fed Kate Klassen for an easy tap-in at 14:07. The only problem? The Spartans would surrender the tying goal at 18:17, and we'd need overtime once more to find a winner. In the first extra frame, the Spartans would give up the winner as they fell 3-2 in this game. Kate Fawcett suffered the overtime loss after making 17 stops.

The very TWU-centric highlight package is below!

FRIDAY: MacEwan's margin for error was zero as they needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Being in Vancouver to play the conference's top team didn't make things easier, but anything worth having usually comes with some sort of fight. The Griffins needed to play as well as they ever have while UBC was looking to lock up a first-round bye. Brianna Sank was in the Griffins' net while Elise Hugens stood in the UBC blue paint.

Both teams came to battle in the first period as neither team was willing to sit back in this game. UBC had a few additional chances in the frame, but they made good on the one power-play they earned. Rylind MacKinnon found the back of the net on the advantage at 15:23 to give the Thunderbirds a 1-0 lead, and that lead would hold into the break with the T-Birds up 11-6 in shots.

MacKinnon would strike again at the 3:56 mark of the second period as the early UBC goal put them up 2-0. The game began to get more physical as the period wore on, and it would end with MacEwan's Rebecca Thiessen being dismissed from the game due to a cross-checking major. When the dust had settled on the frame, the 2-0 lead stood for UBC as they held a 25-13 margin in shots on net.

The Griffins were determined not to let this one get away as they started creating turnovers in the third period which would end up benefitting them when Rian Santos tipped in a Joie Simon shot following a turnover, and Santos' first Canada West goal cut the deficit to 2-1 at the 9:08 mark. The Griffins continued to press as they knew their fate if they lost, so they pulled the goalie with 1:45 to play. Unfortunately, Mackenzie Kordic would pot an empty-netter with 44 seconds to play.

The Griffins pulled Sank with 33 seconds to play in a last-ditch effort, but it would Rylind MacKinnon capping off her hat trick with an empty-net goal with 16 seconds to play as the UBC Thunderbirds claimed the 4-1 victory over the MacEwan Griffins when the horn sounded. Elise Hugens picked up her 11th win with a 20-save effort while Brianna Sank made 34 saves in a spirited effort.

UBC isn't doing highlights, but there is a thunderbird in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. That'll do for tonight's highlight.


SATURDAY: The Griffins had the role of spoilers on this night as they looked to upend the Thunderbirds and their quest for home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. I know it may be hard to get psyched for a game where a win or loss doesn't matter, but I know the Griffins have pride and they're gonna play hard. Brianna Sank got the nod for MacEwan while Kate Stuart was playing in her final regular-season home university game as a senior player.

UBC was looking to put this one away early as they overwhelmed the Griffins, but the MacEwan defence was in bend-not-break mode while Sank was playing without fear. Nearly the entire period was played in MacEwan's end of the ice, but the only thing UBC had to show for it was a Mackenzie Kordic goal from the right face-off dot that got under Sank at 18:08. Through 20 minutes of play, UBC held a 1-0 lead, but had outshot the Griffins 23-3 in the opening frame.

The T-Birds brought the fire once again in the second period only to run into a Griffins team that wasn't about to fold their tents and go quietly into the night. Two power-plays by the Griffins were opportunities missed, and Olivia Buckley's first Canada West goal at 12:52 put the Thunderbirds up by a pair of goals. However, that only seemed to reinforce the play of the Griffins as Joie Simon cut the deficit in half with 44 seconds left in the second period as the horn sounded on a 2-1 UBC lead with the T-Birds holding a 37-14 margin in shots.

Again, the Griffins showed all kinds of resiliancy, determination, and tenacity in the third period as Sydney Hughson tied the game at 2-2 with a power-play goal at the 4:10 mark. UBC would pull ahead again at 6:40 when Grace Elliott scored a power-play goal of her own, and Rylind MacKinnon would restore UBC's two-goal lead with another power-play goal at 14:06. With UBC killing a penalty late and Sank on the bench for a 6-on-4 advantage, Joelle Fiala would ice the game with 1:14 to play when she hit the empty net. When the final horn sounded, the UBC Thunderbirds claimed a hard-fought 5-2 win over the MacEwan Griffins! Kate Stuart won her ninth game of the season after stopping 19 shots while Brianna Sank likely deserved a better fate after a 43-save night.

No highlights, but I can deliver the 2019-20 UBC goal horn and song. Before you click play, let me just say that AC/DC's Thunderstruck might be the most obvious choice for a song for the Thunderbirds, but it's part of the reason I dislike its usage here. Go off-script and get something unique and funky! Anyway, here's the horn and song.

FRIDAY:With both teams already knowing where they stand - Regina out of the playoffs and Alberta in the playoffs - the only thing this series may determine is whether or not Alberta can overtake the UBC Thunderbirds. Regina's got spoiler duty in this one as Halle Oswald got the start for Alberta while Natalie Williamson was in net for the Cougars.

The first period saw the two teams battle for scoring opportunities as neither was willing to give up much in the defensive zone. Alberta did find a few more pucks to put on the Regina net, but there was no ink splashed across the scoresheet in the opening frame as no goals were scored nor were any penalties taken. It was a 0-0 game after one period with Alberta up 8-3 in shots.

The second period began as the first period had gone with both sides finding chances, but nothing was finding twine. However, Alberta would finally break the stalemate when Natalie Kieser set up Bree Kennedy, and Kennedy hammered the puck home on a one-timer at 10:22 to give Alberta the lead! That lead would last for just under six minutes, though, as Regina responded when Paige Hubbard found Jenna Merk below the goal line who centered to Ireland Sorestad for the one-timer that dented twine at 16:10 to make it a 1-1 game! That score would hold into the break despite Alberta doubling up Regina in shots at 20-10.

The third period saw the same script playing out as both Alberta and Regina pressed for chances as they traded power-plays, but could not score. Alberta, however, would get one on the power-play on their second opportunity of the period when Sara Kazeil teed up her first Canada West goal that found room through traffic in front of the Regina net, and the Pands held a 2-1 lead at the 11:45 mark. Regina would kill another penalty minutes later, and they'd use that momentum to press Alberta late in the game. With Williamson on the bench, the Cougars had chances, but they couldn't convert before the horn sounded on the Alberta 2-1 win! Halle Oswald made 15 saves for her 16th win of the season while Natalie Williamson was on the wrong side of a 29-save night.

No highlights from Regina, but we do have a happy panda!

SATURDAY: Nothing changed in the build-up to this game as the Pandas were still seeking points to keep pace with or surpass the UBC Thunderbirds while the Regina Cougars were trying to ruin that effort for the Pandas. Halle Oswald was sent to out to stop pucks for the Pandas while the Cougars had Arden Kliewer protecting their nets.

The tight-checking battle between Alberta and Regina continued on Saturday night in a period where both sides saw chances, but the goalies were just as good. The two teams traded power-plays in the opening frame, but there were no lamps lit behind the goals through 20 minutes to start this game. Alberta led 8-3 in shots in the 0-0 game.

The second period saw the two teams bring the same intensity as they showed in the first period as both upped the chances in the offensive zones. Both teams skated hard and looked for scoring opportunities, but the goaltenders were exceptional in the stanza. The 0-0 tie was still in place when the second intermission hit with Alberta up 21-13 in shots.

The deadlock in this game continued into the third period, but the penalties started to creep into the game. Alberta had three consecutive power-plays, and it would be the third time that was the charm as Hayleigh Craig deflected Brooklyn Tews shot past Kliewer at 16:20 for the power-play goal and the 1-0 lead. Regina responded on a power-play of their own, though, when Paige Hubbard fired a shot over Oswald's blocker from the right face-off dot at 17:51, and this game was tied up at 1-1. The horn sounded after the final two minutes saw no additional goals, and we'd go to overtime to find a winner!

We didn't have to wait long for a game-winning goal in this one as a turnover at the Regina blue line allowed Natalie Kieser to break in on Kliewer alone before she buried the winner just 45 seconds into overtime to give Alberta the 2-1 overtime win over Regina! Halle Oswald picked up her 17th win in the overtime victory after stopping 15 shots while Arden Kliewer stopped 29 shots in the overtime loss.

Don't look now, but the Alberta Pandas have won 11 games in a row. That's an incredible win streak that will pause for a week, but it's still an incredible achievement to celebrate!

CANADA WEST WOMEN'S HOCKEY

School	Record	Points	GF	GA	Streak	Next
UBC	17-2-3-2	42	84	34	W8	vs TWU
Alberta	18-5-2-1	41	69	34	W11	BYE
Mount Royal	15-5-1-3	35	61	41	W2	vs MAC
Saskatchewan	8-9-4-3	27	41	42	L4	vs REG
Calgary	9-9-3-3	26	48	51	L2	@ MAN
Trinity Western	8-11-3-4	26	52	61	L1	@ UBC
Manitoba	7-12-4-1	23	59	74	W1	vs CAL
MacEwan	5-17-1-1	13	33	69	L3	@ MRU
Regina	3-19-0-2	8	31	72	L7	@ SAS

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. Three playoff spots remain up for grabs for the four teams who are mathematically still in the race. I'll keep colour-coding the standings as we get closer to the playoffs.

Running Out Of Road

Trinity Western has a weekend battle against top-seeded UBC this weekend, and they need points to fend off the Fluffy Cows while trying to overtake both Calgary and Saskatchewan. It's not going to be easy to take points of UBC who have yet to lose at home this season - they're 13-0 on home ice! - but the Spartans could make things very difficult on the Fluffy Cows by picking up a couple of points.

The problem, however, is that next weekend are Trinity Western's final games of the season thanks to them having the bye week in the final week of the regular season. If Trinity Western wants to make a statement about their desire to be in the playoffs, taking points off the Thunderbirds will make things very tough on the team trailing them.

Tie-Breakers

The four teams competing for the remaining three playoff spots are so close to one another statistically that it may come down to head-to-head goal differential in breaking some of these ties. The only series that can be decided at this juncture by points earned in head-to-head matchups - the first tie-breaker - is Trinity Western-Saskatchewan as the Huskies hold that tie-breaker thanks to their 2-1-1-0 record against the Spartans. Every other tie-breaker is so close right now that this week's games will factor into the final standing in a big way if teams find themselves tied in the standings when the dust settles.

Here's what is certain right now:

• Saskatchewan holds the tie-breaker against the other three teams in all situations.
• If Saskatchewan sweeps Regina this weekend, they clinch a playoff spot thanks to them holding the tie-breaker over the Fluffy Cows.
• If Calgary earns three points against the Fluffy Cows this weekend while holding the Fluffy Cows to two points or less, they clinch a playoff spot thanks to them holding the tie-breaker over the Fluffy Cows.

That leaves Trinity Western to determine their own fate against UBC, and they may need help if the Dinos can't fend off the Fluffy Cows. If playoff picture is determined in the final week of the season, all Trinity Western will be able to do is hope they get help from Alberta who hosts the Fluffy Cows that weekend. Aren't playoff races are fun?

Scoring Champs?

Barring a major explosion where Trinity Western's Amy Potomak puts up a dozen points against UBC, it would appear that Mount Royal's Tatum Amy will be the first Mount Royal Cougars player to win the Canada West scoring title. As a guy who has been a fan of the Cougars for years as I watched them grow and evolve into the force they are today, seeing Tatum win the scoring race is pretty awesome. The fact that she's a Manitoba-born-and-trained player is even better as I'm always here to promote local hockey programs and players, so having her win the scoring race is two kinds of awesome.

As it stands, the race for the top goal scorer in Canada West is still very much alive as the two best players in lighting the lamp will go head-to-head next weekend when Trinity Western's Amy Potomak meets UBC's Cassidy Rhodes. Both players have 13 goals this season, so we could see one or the other stake their claim for the title next weekend. UBC does have an extra week of hockey left, though, so nothing will be decided until the final games have been played. Keep an eye on Alli Borrow as well as she has 11 goals this season, and the Dinos are scheduled against the Fluffy Cows who have surrendered the most goals this season.

The Last Word

Clearly, nothing is settled in the playoff races yet. Saskatchewan could still miss the playoffs. The Fluffy Cows could end up hosting a game. Everything is still up in the air, but that's what one wants as a hockey fan. If you haven't been watching Canada West women's hockey, it's more than acceptable to jump onto a bandwagon at this point in the season as the playoffs loom on the horizon, but all I ask is that you jump into the action with both feet.

These are exceptional women who are excelling both on the ice and in the classroom, and they certainly deserve your attention before they go off to conquer the business world, play professional hockey, or do both because that's how awesome they are. The playoff picture should get a little clearer by this time next weekend, so make sure you drop by on Sunday as we break down what happened, what's coming up, who's in, and who may be out here on The Rundown!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!