The Rundown - Week 16

The final week of the regular season usually means that teams are getting ready for the playoffs unless, of course, teams are still trying to make the playoffs. That was the situation in one city while another saw two series featuring two teams trying to decide who would host their quarterfinal series. The fourth series was strictly one of pride, but all four series carried meaning for the eight teams. The ninth team, who sat idle, waited with hopes that their playoff dreams wouldn't be dashed. In short, the final week of Canada West women's hockey would determine a number of situations, so let's find out who is moving on and who will regroup for next season on this week's edition of The Rundown!

FRIDAY: We'll start with the series that only would determine pride for two teams as the UBC Thunderbirds had already clinched first-overall in the conference while Regina was unfortunately not going to be able to escape the Canada West cellar. This series would only be about wins and losses with Regina trying to improve their standing while UBC looked to extend their ten-game winning streak. Elise Hugens was in the UBC net for this game while Regina sent Arden Kliewer to the blue paint.

I'm not here to celebrate blowouts by any means, and UBC dominated this game from the drop of the puck. Chanreet Bassi scored at 2:44, Grace Elliott scored at 6:49, and Kennesha Miswaggon added a third first-period goal on power-play at 18:27 as UBC took a 3-0 lead into the intermission while leading 13-4 in shots. The second period was more of the same as Elliott added her second of the game at 6:49 - exactly the same time as her first period goal! - and Cassidy Rhodes checked in with a power-play goal at 15:05 to push the score to 5-0 with UBC up 27-12 in shots.

The third period saw the two teams trade power-plays unsuccessfully, but the damage had been done in this one as the UBC Thunderbirds skated to the 5-0 victory over the Regina Cougars. Elise Hugens stopped 17 shots for her fifth clean sheet and 13th win of the season while Arden Kliewer stopped 33 shots on this night.

No highlights from the Cougars, but I did find this GIF which seems quite appropriate considering how UBC pushed Regina around tonight.

SATURDAY: The storylines carried through to Saturday as Regina was looking to improve their final standing with a win while UBC was looking to take a twelve-game winning streak into the playoffs. Elise Hugens was back in the T-Birds' net while Natalie Williamson would close out the final game of the regular season for the Cougars.

While the date was different, the UBC Thunderbirds brought the same intensity with them to Saturday's game. The teams traded minor penalties in midway through the first period where neither had a chance to get their power-play units rolling, but a Regina double-minor penalty with just under eight minutes left in the period was the catalyst needed to break the tie. Ireland Perrott scored with a Cougar watching from the penalty box at 14:07 to put the Thunderbirds up 1-0, and that score would carry into the break with the T-Birds holding a 16-3 margin in shots.

The parade to the penalty box started early in the second period and carried through the entire frame. The second Regina penalty called just past the four-minute mark would lead to a two-goal UBC lead as Sophia Gaskell teed a puck up at 5:21 and dented twine. The fourth penalty would also be costly for the Cougars as Ireland Perrott added her second power-play goal of the game at 15:21 to make it 3-0. That three-goal lead would hold into the intermission where the shot counter showed UBC ahead by a 36-8 count.

Eight more minor penalties in the third period capped off a game where a combined 20 minor infractions were called. Because of the oft-changing number of players on the ice, neither team could find the back of the net in the final period. That wouldn't be a problem for the Thunderbirds, though, as they closed out the season with a 3-0 win over the Cougars. Elise Hugens picked up her 14th win and sixth shutout with a 15-save blanking while Natalie Williamson likely deserved a better fate after stopping 45 shots.

No highlights again, but let's give credit to the UBC Thunderbirds. They are the best team in Canada West, and they earned home-ice advantage. Credit to DeviantArt's Manuztur for the image!

FRIDAY: Mount Royal had a chance to catch Alberta this weekend and reclaim the second seed and the associated quarterfinal-round bye that comes with it. Saskatchewan needed points to vault ahead of Calgary in an effort to host the Dinos in their 4-vs-5 quarterfinal matchup. Needless to say, wins were important to both teams on this night as Camryn Drever was in the Saskatchewan blue paint while Kaitlyn Ross was between the pipes for the Cougars.

The game started off briskly as both sides wanted that first goal. We'd get it at 11:21 when Aliya Jomha found herself in front of the net with the puck on her stick off a face-off win, and she deftly slid it under Drever to put Mount Royal up 1-0! The back-and-forth continued through to the horn at the end of the period as the entertaining game paused with the Cougars up by a goal and holding a 10-8 edge in shots.

The second period saw Mount Royal really pepper the Saskatchewan net with shots thanks to two power-plays before the midway point of the frame, but neither would be successful. The momentum they had, though, allowed them to score between the two advantages as Athena Hauck's initial shot was stopped, but Emma Bergesen jumped on a rebound and tucked it home at 8:14 to put the Cougars up 2-0! Mount Royal would continue to press in the period, but Saskatchewan closed out the period with some good pressure. At the intermission, it was still 2-0 with Mount Royal holding a 24-13 shot advantage.

The third period saw Mount Royal shift into lockdown mode as they were more content in defending the lead than pushing for more. This allowed Saskatchewan to get a few looks, but nothing significant as time wound down. When the horn sounded in the end, the 2-0 score held in favour of the Cougars over the Huskies! Kaitlyn Ross picked up her 15th win and sixth shutout on a 21-save night while Camryn Drever stopped 25 shots in the setback.

Mount Royal doesn't do highlights, but tonight's game featured two outstanding netminders. In honour of that, let's bring in two trash-talking goaltenders for a hockey commercial as Ryan Miller and Jean-Sebastian Aubin jaw at one another for Amp Energy beverage.


SATURDAY: Both teams understood where they stood after Saturday night's game. With neitehr team able to change their playoff fortunes any further, this game was about preparing for their playoff runs. Both sides wanted to go into the playoffs on a winning note as the Huskies started Colby Wilson in their crease while Scout Anderson was between the pipes for the Cougars.

The battle was fast-paced in the opening frame as both sides looked to grab an early lead. The deadlock would remain until midway throuhg the period when MRU was whistled for an infraction, sending Saskatchewan to a power-play. On that power-play, Isabella Pozzi's shot was stopped by Anderson, but Sara Kendall was in the right spot to bury the rebound as Saskatchewan took a 1-0 lead at the 12:13 mark. The back-and-forth action continued to the end of the frame, but the Huskies held the 1-0 lead and a 10-9 edge in shots through the opening period.

The second period continued with its playoff feel, but the Cougars were far more aggressive in looking for the equalizer. Saskatchewan would add to their lead at the 6:19 mark when Brooklyn Stevely zipped a wrist shot past Anderson at 6:19 to make it a 2-0 lead. The Cougars would be awarded a penalty shot after a Huskies player was determined to have covered the puck in the crease, but Aliya Jomha's attempt was stopped by Wilson. Despite giving up a ton of shots in the period, Saskatchewan still held the 2-0 lead after 40 minutes despite being outshot 24-15.

The third period saw a very determined Mount Royal ratchet up the pressure even more, and it paid off at the 7:14 mark when she went shelf on Wilson after beating a defender to make it 2-1 game. Saskatchewan would restore the two goal lead a few minutes later, though, when Bronwyn Boucher split the defence and cleanly beat Anderson at 9:51. The Huskies would lock down the defensive zone after the midway point of the period, and Mount Royal's push for goals would end with the sound of the final horn as the Huskies closed out the regular season with a 3-1 win over the Mount Royal Cougars. Colby Wilson was exceptional in stopping 34 shots for her sixth win of the season while Scout Anderson stopped 14 shots in the setback.

Saskatchewan will get a chance to go home, repack their bags, and head back to Calgary next week as they head back to Alberta for the third time since January 20. If the city of Calgary hasn't seen enough of the Huskies this season, they'll get one more dose next week!

FRIDAY: The Calgary Dinos entered the final weekend of the season with a one-point lead over the Huskies as they sought to host a playoff series against those Huskies. MacEwan's fate was already known as they'd miss the playoffs, so they were playing for pride. With big points on the line for the Dinos, Lindsey Johnson started for the Griffins while Gabriella Durante got the nod for Calgary.

Both teams came out looking like they were pressing for a playoff spot as the defences were solid in preventing a lot of good chances. However, a turnover by the Dinos in the Griffins zone saw Amanda Murray hit Jenny Andrash with a breakaway pass, and Andrash made no mistake as she went high on the right side to dent twine at 8:28 to put the Griffins up 1-0. That lead didn't last long, though, as Ashley Sutherland set up Brooke Dennett for a quick wrister through traffic from the right side on the power-play, and it eluded everyone as it found the back of the net at 10:14 to tie the game at 1-1! The two teams would battle through shorthanded situations through the remainder of the period, but no other goals would be found as the 1-1 tie held into the break with MacEwan holding an 8-7 edge in shots.

The second period was quiet on the scoreboard, but MacEwan's penalty killers got a lot of practice on the ice as they were whistled for three minor penalties in the middle frame. Calgary had chances with the extra player on the ice, but nothing would come of it as we'd hit the second intermission with the score still tied at 1-1 and Calgary leading 16-15 in shots.

Calgary ran into penalty trouble early in the third period, and the second power-play is where the Griffins would gain an advantage. A collision in the Griffins' zone saw Kori Paterson pick up the puck and go for a skate. She broke into the Calgary zone, drifted into the slot area, and zipped a shot glove-side on Durante at 5:33 for the power-play marker and the 2-1 lead! Calgary refocused after falling behind as they upped the pressure on the Griffins, and, late in the game with Durante on the bench and a player in the Griffins' sin bin, Jada Burke won a faceoff to Erin Armstrong who found Brette Kerley in the slot, and Kerley buried a wrist shot with 23 seconds to play to send this game to overtime tied 2-2!

We didn't need much time in the free hockey period to find a winner as Rebecca Clarke tore down the right wing, cut to the net, fed Syndey Mercier out front, and Mercier buried the overtime winner at 1:49 to give the Dinos the 3-2 overtime win over the MacEwan Griffins! Gabriella Durante picked up her 13th win of the season with a 17-save night while Lindsey Johnson suffered the overtime loss after stopping 24 shots.

I ripped the overtime goal from Calgary's social media post. If they won't post highlight packages, I'll post the important goal.

SATURDAY: Calgary headed north to Edmonton as the Griffins hosted the second half of the home-and-home series. I'd be lying if I said that the Dinos didn't know their fate already, so this game was about pride for both teams as a win will make their records look better once the dust settles. Calgary started rookie Amelia Awad in their net while Brianna Sank closed out the regular season for the Griffins.

Saturday's game had a bit of a playoff feeling to it through the opening twenty minutes. An early penalty to the Dinos would be killed off while a penalty to the Griffins just past the midway point of the frame was also killed off. A late penalty called on MacEwan would carry over into the second period, but the first period ended with neither side having lit a lamp and with Calgary up 12-7 in shots.

That penalty that carried over would hurt the Griffins in the second period. 29 seconds into the frame, Rebecca Clarke won a faceoff, sent it towards the net, and Alli Borrow got a couple of whacks at the loose puck before it popped over Sank's right pad to give the Dinos the 1-0 lead! They'd be back for more a few minutes later as Madeline Stanley tore down the right wing before throwing the puck to the top of the crease area where Emma Tait found it and shoveled it into the net for her first Canada West goal at 5:48 to give Calgary a 2-0 lead! The Dinos kept the intense pressure throughout the entire period, aided by a couple of power-plays midway through the stanza. They'd make it a three-goal lead late in the frame when Miri Licis chipped the puck to Sophia Zuck as she skated down the left wing, and Zuck opted to keep on the 2-on-1 as she went high glove-side on Sank into the top corner at 17:07! Through 40 minutes, Calgary had the 3-0 lead and a decisive 32-11 advantage in shots.

The script flipped as Calgary defended the lead while MacEwan pushed the pace to try to erase the deficit. They'd get one back on a power-play later in period as Allee Isley tipped a Sydney Hughson shot past Awad at 14:53, but that would be as close as MacEwan would get as the Dinos closed out their regular season with a 3-1 victory over the MacEwan Griffins. Amelia Awad earned her second win of the season after stopping 22 shots while Brianna Sank likely deserved better on a night where she stopped 39 shots.

No highlights from the Griffins, but they have to start winning against Alberta-based teams. The Griffins were 1-11 against their provincial rivals this season, and that's a large part of the reason why they missed the playoffs. One win in 12 games is nearly half the season spent in the loss column! Here's a fun Griffins clip involving 12!

FRIDAY: The Alberta Pandas came into the weekend needing just two points to lock down one of the quarterfinal byes, and they hosted the Fluffy Cows who needed three points to capture a playoff spot over the idle Trinity Western Spartans. Winning on Clarke Drake Arena ice was something visitors didn't do often, and Alberta looked to continue its 11-game winning streak. Halle Oswald was in net for Alberta.

A very defesnive first period saw just one goal scored as Madison Willan put the Pandas ahead at 13:44. The second period saw the defensive battle continue, but Isabelle Lajoie would double the Pandas' lead at 15:46 when she scored shorthanded. Alberta would surrender a power-play goal early in the third period to make it 2-1, but Abby Soyko scored at 7:48 on the power-play and at 17:56 to send the Pandas into the playoffs with a bye as they defeated the Fluffy Cows by that 4-1 score. Halle Oswald was sharp all night as she stopped 17 shots for her 18th win of the season.

There are no highlights from the Pandas, but here are the pandas from The Smithsonian Zoo sliding down snowy hills just like the Alberta Pandas slid into the Canada West semifinal with that victory.


SATURDAY: With both teams knowing their fates for next week, the Saturday game was about playing for pride. Alberta was looking to push the win streak to 13 games to become the second Canada West team to hit the 20-win mark this season, so they were dressing a strong lineup while the Fluffy Cows, as visitors, played their normal lineup. Elle Boyko got the start for Alberta to close out the season.

The Pandas found themselves trailing in this game just 18 seconds into it, but Madison Willan would tie the game 41 seconds into the second period on the power-play. Willan doubled the lead at 4:08 on the power-play to put Alberta ahead 2-1, but Alberta would surrender a power-play goal at 14:49 and again at 16:36 to trail 3-2 after 40 minutes. The Pandas opted to have Halle Oswald play the final period, but they could not find the equalizer as the Pandas fell 3-2 in this one. Elle Boyko was the goalie of record who took the loss after stopping 12 of 15 shots while Halle Oswald's 17:09 of work after she was pulled late saw her stop all five shots she faced.

No highlights once again, but the Pandas will look to start a new winning streak in the playoffs as they prepare for the semifinals!

CANADA WEST WOMEN'S HOCKEY

School	Record	Points	GF	GA	Streak	Next
UBC	21-2-3-2	50	97	35	W12	QF BYE
Alberta	19-6-2-1	43	75	38	L1	QF BYE
Mount Royal	18-6-1-3	41	76	47	L1	vs TWU
Calgary	12-9-4-3	34	61	56	W4	vs SAS
Saskatchewan	10-11-4-3	31	49	48	W1	@ CAL
Trinity Western	8-13-3-4	26	53	66	L3	@ MRU
Manitoba	8-15-4-1	25	65	87	W1	OUT
MacEwan	5-20-1-2	14	39	87	L7	OUT
Regina	4-22-0-2	10	34	85	L2	OUT

Colour Coded

If your team appears in yellow, they'll play in the Canada West playoffs. If your team appears in red, you're looking to the new recruits and to next year in the hopes of cheering for your team deeper into February. The playoffs begin next week in Calgary as both quarterfinal series will be hosted by the two teams located there. As usual, all games will be carried on Canada West TV for an additional fee... which is total garbage.

The Best Of The Best

Kudos need to be given to the top players seen this season.

• MOST POINTS: Tatum Amy (MRU).
• MOST POINTS - ROOKIE: Sydney Mercier (CAL).
• MOST GOALS: Alli Borrow (CAL).
• MOST GOALS - ROOKIE: Cassidy Rhodes (UBC).
• MOST POINTS - DEFENDER: Emma Bergesen (MRU).
• MOST POWER-PLAY POINTS: Madison Willan (ALB).
• MOST SHORTHANDED POINTS: Amy Potomak (TWU).
• MOST GAME-WINNERS: Courtney Kollman (MRU).
• BEST GOALS-AGAINST AVERAGE: Elise Hugens (UBC).
• BEST SAVE PERCENTAGE: Elise Hugens (UBC).
• MOST WINS: Halle Oswald (ALB).
• MOST SHUTOUTS: Gabriella Durante (CAL).

It should be no surprise that all of the teams represented by these players made the playoffs this season. I would suspect that these women will also play a large part in determining how deep their teams go in the playoffs as well.

A Season-End Plea

All season long, I have been poking fun at the nine athletics departments who have a hand in ensuring all the student-athletes under their watch get the proper exposure and marketing they deserve. All season long, only the Calgary Dinos were consistent in producing highlight reels that showed both teams in action. Trinity Western, for their part, only showed their own athletes.

If you want to see highlight packages, speak to your athletics departments. I do this for free and I don't have the same access they do to game footage, so urge them to start producing highlight packages. I personally believe they should be doing this in an effort to maximize the opportunity to help their athletes move on to bigger and better, but apparently I'm a minority in holding that belief.

If nothing else, athletes who are reading this, tell them to make packages for you. You've given them a number of years of your life in their colours, so, in my view, it's the very least they can do to help you if you have dreams of moving on to play in the PWHPA, PHF, SDHL, or anywhere else on the planet.

It Starts Now

It is said that championships are won long before reaching a final. We saw that happen last season when the fifth-seeded Saskatchewan Huskies steamrolled the Fluffy Cows and upset the Mount Royal Cougars before falling to the UBC Thunderbirds in the Canada West final. The setback, however, didn't change Saskatchewan's approach to the game, and they used their strengths at the National Championship in PEI to defeat the fourth-seeded Brock Badgers of the OUA and give everything they had before falling to the eventual national champion Concordia Stingers, but rebounded by downing UNB for the bronze medal.

Saskatchewan established their style of play in that quarterfinal series against the Fluffy Cows, and it worked for them more often than it didn't. The four teams who will begin their playoff quest next week will look to do the same as they aim for a berth at the National Champonship in Montreal this March. One week of practices is all each team will be afforded, so we'll see who emerges from the quarterfinals to continue their pursuit of a National Championship!

The Bracket

This is what the playoff setup looks like if you need a graphical representation. As stated, both best-of-three series will be played in Calgary with the Cougars and Dinos hosting, so all times will be posted in Mountain Time. Adjust accordingly where necessary.

Mount Royal will host Trinity Western in their very first Canada West playoff appearance, and that series will take place at Flames Community Arena from February 17-19. Game times for those games show as Friday, February 17 at 7pm MT, Saturday, February 18 at 7pm MT, and Sunday, February 19 at 7pm MT if necessary.

Calgary will host Saskatchewan at Father David Bauer Arena from February 17-19. Game times for those games show as Friday, February 17 at 7pm MT, Saturday, February 18 at 6pm MT, and Sunday, February 19 at 6pm MT if necessary.

For the semifinals, the lower-seeded team that advances gets to travel to Vancouver to play the awaiting UBC Thunderbirds while the higher-seeded team that advances will travel to Edmonton to meet the awaiting Alberta Pandas. Those series will take place from February 24-26, and we'll discuss that further next weekend!

The Last Word

In Week 8 of the Canada West season, the Calgary Dinos were in seventh-place, tied with the Fluffy Cows at 12 points. In the eight weeks of games since that time, Calgary went 9-2-1-2 including wins over Alberta and Saskatchewan. They might be the scariest team heading into the playoffs as they've found consistent scoring on a couple of lines, their goaltending has been elevated, and they're far better in their own defensive zone.

I know the talk for Canada West Coach of the Year will include UBC's Graham Thomas and Alberta's Howie Draper, but there needs to be some consideration for the work that Carla McLeod has done at Jurassic Park. If the Dinos can get their mojo working, they could be a tough out this postseason. They're playing much better hockey, showing better systems play, and they bring an air of confidence into each game, and all of those traits can be attributed to Carla McLeod and her staff.

If this year's playoffs are going to be the Year of the Dinosaur, Carla McLeod will need to conjure some magic and luck as all teams do, but it seems clear that she has her team battle-ready for their biggest test yet. I'd be voting for her as Canada West Coach of the Year if I had a ballot.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!