We didn't have to wait long for the scoring to start in this one as a point shot from Aimee Patrick was tipped by Dana Goertzen past Kliewer for her third goal of the season just 98 seconds into the game as Manitoba took a 1-0 lead! After the early tally, both teams settled in with Manitoba getting more shots on net than Regina, and a late power-play for the Bisons was an opportunity missed to increase their lead. However, at the first break, they took the 1-0 lead to the room after outshooting Regina by a 14-5 count.
The middle frame saw both teams play more defensively as they looked to limit chances in the one-goal game. A couple of power-plays awarded to Regina resulted in no goals, and a late power-play for the Bisons also saw nothing added to their score. There was some physical play that made it seem like these two teams might have a bit of hate for one another, but the middle period would come to a close with Manitoba still leading 1-0 and holding a 20-10 edge in shots over the Cougars.
The physical play continued, but the speed of both teams came through as they got more shots through to the nets. It would result in a second goal being scored in this game when Kylie Lesuk picked the pocket of Alexis VanNetten, spotted Aimee Patrick and hit her with a pass, and Patrick went high stick-side on Kliewer for her third goal of the season to put Manitoba up 2-0 at 8:45! Another power-play was killed off by Manitoba minutes later, and Regina's flurry at the end was denied by Relf and the Bisons' defence as the Bisons took the Thursday night tilt over the Cougars by that 2-0 score! Meagan Relf picked up her fourth win and second shutout of the season with an 18-save clean sheet while Arden Kliewer suffered the loss despite making 29 saves.
There are no highlights being produced by the Bisons this season, but they did get two points tonight as they kept their eyes on the prize.
FRIDAY: After spirited game on Thursday - some may say more physical than expected - the Cougars and Bisons reconvened for Friday night's game at Wayne Fleming Arena. Manitoba sat two points ahead of Regina in the final playoff spot and were looking to hunt down Trinity Western. Regina wanted revenge to bring them even with Bisons once more as they made their own move up the standings. Both teams were hungry as Arden Kliewer was back in the cage for the Cougars while Kimmie Davidson started for the Bisons.
Manitoba got an early jump in this game just as they did one night before, but this start was compliments of the power-play. Ashley Keller's shot from the left side found just enough room between Kliewer and the goal post for her fourth goal, and the Bisons used the power-play marker at 3:01 to take the 1-0 lead! 2:22 later, they'd double their lead when Sarah Dennehy was the recipient of a quick bounce off the endboards, allowing her to deposit her third goal of the season in the net to make it a 2-0 game. The teams would trade power-plays late in the period with no success, and Manitoba took the 2-0 lead into the break after amassing a 12-5 edge in shots.
Manitoba would start the second period with four skaters thanks to a penalty that carried over into the middle stanza, and that would hurt them as Jenna Merk potted a rebound off a Paige Hubbard shot just 30 seconds into the period for her first goal, and the Cougars had cut the deficit to 2-1. The teams never really got going in this period thanks to the parade of players heading to the penalty box, but Regina would take advantage of another power-play late in the period. Hannah Pennell's shot rang off the iron, but Makena Kushniruk was there to finish off the play with her fifth goal, and the Cougars tied the game at 2-2 at the 15:13 mark. That score would be where we stood at the intermission as Regina used their power-plays wisely despite being outshot 31-11 to that point!
It seemed like Manitoba was poised to score the go-ahead goal early in the third period with the pressure they applied, but the Cougars denied those chances once again. That seemed to spark them because they'd push back in the latter half of the frame, and it would be Jenna Merk who broke the tie when she picked up the rebound off her own blocked shot in the slot and buried it past Davidson at 14:15 to put Regina up 3-2! Manitoba pushed for the equalizer in the late stages of the game, but the Regina Cougars picked up the split with a 3-2 win over the Manitoba Bisons! Arden Kliewer recorded her fourth win with a 36-save night while Kimmie Davidson was on the losing end of a 19-save effort.
Again, no highlights on behlaf of the Bisons, but here's a chance to learn about Canada's largest cats who defeated the Bisons!
There was some early penalties handed out to both sides, but Mount Royal killed off the short two-play disadvantage they were in, and that seemed to build momentum for them. On an Alberta penalty that followed, Allee Gerrard made no mistake as she buried her seventh goal of the season at 8:44, and the Cougars held the 1-0 lead. Alberta would respond with a power-play marker of their own later in the frame when Cassidy Maplethorpe beat Ross for her first of the campaign at 15:37, and the game was tied at 1-1. The teams would reach the first break at that score as Alberta held a 10-9 margin in shots through the opening frame.
The second period was played with more pace as the first half of the period was penalty-free, but Alberta ran into trouble at the midway point. Alex Spence's shot found daylight as it hit twine at 11:13 for her forst of the season, and the Mount Royal Cougars were up 2-1 on another power-play goal. The teams would trade power-plays down the stretch in this period, but neither side would tack on more goals as we'd head to the third period with Mount Royal leading 2-1 and holding a 20-18 edge in shots.
The third period saw Mount Royal whistled for three-straight penalties while basically gave Alberta a five-minute power-play based on how they overlapped, but the Cougars denied those chances as they stood tall in their own zone. However, just before the midpoint of the period, the Pandas would break through when Payton Laumbach's shot was on the mark at 9:03 for her second goal, and the game was tied at 2-2. Despite one additional power-play late in the third period, the Pandas could come away with nothing else, so we'd need some free hockey to settle this game!
There were chances at both ends, but we'd see a winner at 4:16 of overtime when Emma Bergesen ended this game with her third goal of the season as the Mount Royal Cougars bested the Alberta Pandas 3-2 in overtime! Kaitlyn Ross picked up her seventh win of the season after making 27 stops while Halle Oswald was saddled with the overtime loss on a 23-save night.
There are no highlights of this game - are we surprised? - but Mount Royal has now won five-straight games as they seem to be heating up before the December break. Will it continue at home on Saturday?
The first period was tightly-contested as both sides had a few chances, but neither could bury them. A late power-play for Alberta was killed by the Cougars, and the defences were solid on both sides. We probably shouldn't be surprised that this game was 0-0 after 20 minutes, but neither side found the back of the net despite Mount Royal holding a 7-6 edge in shots.
An early Mount Royal penalty in the middle frame gave Alberta another shot at opening the scoring, and they would capitalize when Natalie Kieser beat Ross on the power-play for her fourth goal of the season, and Alberta took the 1-0 lead at the 2:01 mark. From there, Alberta was penalized for four-straight penalties that allowed Mount Royal to turn up the pressure, but Oswald and the Pandas' penalty-killers were on their mark through the period. The period would come to a close with Alberta holding onto that 1-0 lead despite being outshot 19-14.
The third period saw Alberta trying to minimize chances despite an increase in pressure from the Cougars. The teams traded power-plays with no success, and time began winding down. With Ross on the bench early in this game, the Cougars were able to mount some offensive pressure, and it paid off when Lyndsey Janes sniped a goal with 2:01 remaining in the game to make it a 1-1 contest! The final two minutes would solve nothing, so we were off to overtime for the second-straight night!
The five-minute overtime period brought us no closer to a finish, so it would be a skills competition finish as the teams moved to the shootout. The first round produced no goals as Jordyn Hutt and Maia Ehmann were turned away. The second round saw Mount Royal's Aliya Jomha open the shootout scoring while Alberta's Natalie Kieser was denied. Breanne Trotter skated in next, beat Oswald, and that would be all that Mount Royal needed to claim a 2-1 shootout win over the Alberta Pandas! Kaitlyn Ross picked up her eighth win of the season with 24 stops in regulation and two more in the shootout while Halle Oswald suffers her second-straight extra time loss despite stopping 32 shots in regulation and one more in the shootout.
No highlights yet again from the Cougars, but, if anyone wants a little inspiration for the shootout, here's Pavel Datsyuk basically destroying Tomas Vokoun's ability to read a shooter.
Things got started well for the Huskies as they decided to snap out of their power-play funk when Sara Kendall found Kate Ball at the right hashmarks, and Ball fired the puck past Durante's outstretched glove at 4:28 for her fourth goal as Saskatchewan took the 1-0 lead. However, that power-play goal was negated midway through the period by the Dinos when Josie McLeod broke away from the pack, took a pass, went in alone on Drever, and sniped a shot uder Drever's arm while shorthanded at 11:44, and her second goal evened the game at 1-1. The scoring would slow at that point as the teams began to focus a little more on defence, and we'd enter the intermission tied at 1-1 and Calgary holding a 14-10 advantage in shot.
The second period saw Calgary remain aggressive as they continued to find ways to get shots on the Huskies' net. That would benefit them at the seven-minute mark when Rebecca Clarke's shot from the bottom of the right circle handcuffed Drever and ended up behind her at 7:12 for Clarke's second goal and, more importantly, the 2-1 lead for Calgary. A late Calgary penalty didn't affect the score as the second break saw Calgary up 2-1 and holding a 24-18 count in shots.
Saskatchewan seemed to realize that they needed to find ways to score if they were going to win as they were far more aggressive in the third period. The Dinos weathered the storm, though, and continued to hold their slim lead. The Huskies would be whistled for a penalty later in the frame, and Elizabeth Lang made them pay when she beat Drever inside the far post for her second goal, and that power-play marker made it 3-1 for Calgary! Saskatchewan now faced two opponents in Calgary and the clock, and they'd close the gap a little when Kara Kondrat scored her third goal off a scramble at 16:20 to make it 3-2. That would be as close as the Huskies would get, though, as the Calgary Dinos skated to the 3-2 victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies. Gabriella Durante stopped 31 shots for her second win of the season while Camryn Drever was on the wrong side of a 34-save performance.
I'll give the Dinos' athletic personnel a ton of credit: they still produce high-quality highlight packages of games. I know it has no effect on the games or the standings, but this writer will tip his cap towards the Dinos for their efforts in making highlight reels.
SATURDAY: Saskatchewan needed better focus on Saturday as they aren't known for giving up shorthanded breakaways whereas Calgary wanted to keep their winning ways going in order to climb back into the playoff race. If Calgary can keep their special teams rolling, they'd have a good shot at winning as well. We'd get a rematch between goalies from one night earlier as Camryn Drever was in net for the visitors while Gabriella Durante was back between the pipes for the home side.
It took 87 seconds for the Huskies to make their mark in this game as Mallory Dyer intercepted a pass in the slot area, and she wired her fourth of the season home to put Saskatchewan up 1-0. That lead didn't last long, though, as Calgary used a power-play to tie the game. Brooklyn Fry's long shot from the point avoided traffic to beat Drever up high on the stick side, and her third goal of the season made it a 1-1 game! Saskatchewan would miss out on a power-play of their own after surrendering Fry's goal, but they made good on killing off three penalties that closed out the period. When the horn sounded, the 1-1 score stood with Calgary up 10-5 in shots.
The second period saw the Dyer-Wilkinson-Lalor line impose their will on this game. 4:28 into the stanza, Sophie Lalor took a pass in the slot from Dyer, and she wired home a high shot for her fifth goal of the season as Saskatchewan went up 2-1. Two-and-a-half minutes later, they were back again as Dyer's initial shot was stopped, but Taylor Wilkinson was on the doorstep to bury her second goal of the season, putting the Huskies up 3-1 at 7:03. No other goals would be scored in an otherwise back-and-forth period, but the second period closed with the Huskies holding that two-goal lead while Calgary had a 21-15 edge in shots.
The third period was more Huskies-like in its execution as the Dinos pressed for shots to get back into the game, but the Huskies were content with locking down the defensive zone. A very late penalty on the Huskies wouldn't hurt them, and this game would come to a close with the Huskies prevailing over the Dinos by that 3-1 score! Camryn Drever picked up her seventh win after she stopping 35 shots while Gabriella Durante suffered the setback in a 17-save effort.
Highlights? Heck yes, we have highlights!
The first period saw the Spartans control the play as they peppered the Griffins' net with shots. Sank and the MacEwan defence were in bend-don't-break mode, though, and they weathered the storm. The Griffins had a couple of chances, but being saddled with three minor penalties in the opening frame certainly slowed the number of opportunities they were afforded. However, at the end of 20 minutes, the score remained 0-0 with TWU up 14-5 in shots.
The second period saw MacEwan neutralized on an early power-play while Trinity Western killed off a late penalty, but it was the moments in between that mattered on the scoreboard. Makenna Schuttler hit Ella Maternick inside the blue line with a pass, and Maternick broke in on Fawcett before going blocker side for her first-ever Canada West goal at 13:26, and MacEwan took the 1-0 lead! MacEwan played more in control in the second period and they were rewarded as the horn sounded as they carried the 1-0 lead into the break despite the Spartans having a 22-15 edge in shots.
An early Spartans penalty in the third period turned into more scoring for the Griffins as Makenna Schuttler wheeled around the top of the zone before heading to the net on the left side and wiring her second goal of the season past Fawcett on the power-play as MacEwan grabbed a 2-0 lead. The teams would trade power-plays again with no damage on either side, but Olivia Leier's third goal of the season at 9:18 cut the Spartans' deficit to 2-1. TWU would pull Fawcett for an extra attacker, but that allowed Joie Simon to hit the empty net at 18:22 for her first of the season. And just to ice the game a little more, Jenny Andrash potted a rebound off a Schuttler shot ten seconds later as the MacEwan Griffins picked up the 4-1 win over the Trinity Western Spartans! Brianna Sank picked up her second win with a 32-save effort while Kate Fawcett took the loss on a 24-save night.
Let me be clear: MacEwan doesn't do highlights. It's been ten years - a full decade! - since they posted any women's hockey highlights to their YouTube channel. However, whoever was doing recaps decided to embed video into the recap! Since it's not a full highlight reel, they don't get credit, but here's Ella Maternick's goal followed by Makenna Schuttler's goal as MacEwan figured out how to post video!
SATURDAY: After a big win on Friday, the Griffins were looking to start up a win streak with a second win over the Spartans. Trinity Western, meanwhile, needed to find a win to keep pace with everyone else who won. The Spartans would turn to Mabel Maltais for this game while the Griffins went back to Sank to help their cause!
The teams opened with a little more focus on defence, but power-plays for each team were awarded in the first half of the period. Neither would capitalize, and Trinity Western would miss out on another opportunity just past the midway point. MacEwan would find a goal as the period wound down, though. Tess Collier's shot hit a body in front of Maltais and pinballed around before Ella Maternick sent a low shot towards the net that evade the pads of Maltais for her second goal in as many games, and MacEwan grabbed the 1-0 lead at 17:24. That score would hold into the break despite TWU holding an 8-5 edge in shots.
The secnd period saw Trinity Western impose themselves a little more, and Kate Klassen tied the game with her fourth goal at 6:36 after some pressure. However, the Griffins restored their lead just 19 seconds later when a puck bounced from behind net into the crease, and Jesse Jack tucked it home through Maltais' five-hole for her third goal, putting MacEwan up 2-1. The teams would trade unsuccessful power-plays again in this period, but Mila Verbicky would add one more Griffins' goal late in the frame when she poked home a rebound at 19:23 for her first goal. The Griffins would carry that 3-1 lead into the break despite the Spartans outshooting MacEwan by a 20-9 count!
The third period started well for the Spartans as Brooklyn Anderson tied the game just 2:11 into the frame as she netted her seventh goal, and the teams were deadlocked at 2-2. However, the roof finally caved in on the Griffins just past the midway point of the period when Kara Yackel scored her third goal at 11:59 before Kyra MacDonald added her first goal at 16:25 to put the Spartans up by a 4-2 score. An empty-netter with 44 seconds left by Anderson iced this game, and the Trinity Western Spartans would go home with a 5-2 win over the MacEwan Griffins! Mabel Maltais picked up her second win in a game where she made just eight saves while Brianna Sank suffered the loss despite a 25-save effort.
It seems the Griffins are taking lessons from the Spartans because they're only posting goals they score in their recaps. Frankly, if this is how the Griffins are going to post highlights this season, it's going to be a headache all season long. However, here is Ella Maternick's goal followed by Jesse Jack's goal from this game.
| School | Record | Points | GF | GA | Streak | Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UBC | 10-0-0-2 | 22 | 59 | 16 | L1 | @ SAS |
| Mount Royal | 6-3-3-0 | 18 | 34 | 22 | W3 | vs MAC |
| Alberta | 6-2-2-2 | 18 | 30 | 15 | L2 | @ REG |
| Saskatchewan | 8-3-0-1 | 17 | 30 | 19 | W1 | vs UBC |
| Trinity Western | 6-5-0-1 | 13 | 31 | 32 | W1 | BYE |
| Manitoba | 4-7-0-1 | 9 | 23 | 43 | L1 | vs CAL |
| Regina | 3-7-1-1 | 9 | 22 | 43 | W1 | vs ALB |
| Calgary | 2-8-1-1 | 7 | 26 | 37 | L1 | @ MAN |
| MacEwan | 2-10-0-0 | 4 | 21 | 49 | L1 | @ MRU |
Scandal In The OUA - Week 2
The Western Mustangs played this weekend against Windsor and Queen's, and it appeared that Candice Moxley was not behind the bench based on the information shown in the game recaps. That would mean that Moxley could potentially return to the Mustangs this week, and we already know that a handful of players were planning on boycotting practices and games if Moxley were to return.However, a weird twist to the story, the letter sent to Western University President Alan Shepard "was not shared with or endorsed by the entire team," and the school instead asked the players of the team to fill out a survey that contained two options: play or quit. Yes, that feels a lot like an ultimatum, and, yes, this pits player against player on this team when it comes to those who want to play and those who don't feel comfortable. If this seems wrong, read on.
Well, the survey seemed to achieve what it intended to do, and the players have chosen to finish the season. According to the Western Gazette, "Interim head coach Rich Brown will remain with the team for the remainder of the season."
The team will be on the road to play the Nipissing Lakers and the TMU Bold next weekend, so we'll see if Candice Moxley is back behind the bench. If Western University was was wise, they'd just let Brown finish the season as head coach and see if they can sort this mess out after the season ends. No one ever claimed the administrators at Western University were smart, though.
Name In The Record Books
The MacEwan Griffins might be 2-10-0 this season, but it hasn't stopped Makenna Schuttler from having a solid season. On Friday, she added her name to the school's record books as she became the first Griffins player to score three points in a game in Canada West play! Nine other players had scored two points in one game, but Schuttler stands atop them all with a three-point night in that 4-1 win over Trinity Western! Like any good leader, though, the kudos went to the team rather than herself."We were really building and pushing for a win," Schuttler told Jefferson Hagen of MacEwan Athletics. "This means a lot for our program, so I'm really happy to be a part of it."
When I pick my All-Star selections from the first half of the season, don't be surprised to see Schuttler's name in the mix. She's been fantastic for the Griffins this season!
Earn Them Any Way You Can
This is the first weekend in a long time where every team that played earned points. Even Alberta, who lost both games, picked up two points thanks to the charity point awarded for getting to extra time, so it a lot of this weekend was a wash in terms of teams moving up or down the standings. Only Mount Royal moved thanks to their four-point effort, but they're tied with Alberta due to the charity points.With the games coming up next weekend, the Calgary-Manitoba series could have a big impact for both teams when it comes to playoff placement, and that UBC-Saskatchewan series could be a playoff preview series. Next weekend will mark the halfway point for every team except Trinity Western who are on the bye, so any pushes for playoff spots have to start happening now. Otherwise, it may be too late when January's schedule hits based on who some teams have left on their schedules.
West Coast Celebrations?
Congratulations go out to UBC whose women's soccer team downed Trinity Western's women's soccer team in the Women's Soccer Championship today! Katalin Tolnai scored the winner in the 118th minute to give UBC the 1-0 victory and the U SPORTS National Championship title, so they deserve a little kudos on winning the all-BC championship game!For the record, the UBC Thunderbirds women's soccer team won their eighth U SPORTS championship - two more than any other school - and one has to believe that the UBC women's hockey team is hoping this is their year as well. I'm not here to put the cart before the horse, but one has to believe that the Thunderbirds are favorites to be the lone Canada West qualifier for the National Women's Hockey Championship this season after Saskatchewan already claimed one of the berths as the tournament host.
We'll see how the remainder of this season plays out, but might there be two celebrations at UBC for women's sports teams this year? We'll find out in February and March 2024.
The Last Word
Next Sunday will see the Winnipeg Blue Bombers square off against the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL's 110th Grey Cup, and it will be the first time these two storied teams will meet one another in that game. For a nine-team CFL, that's hard to believe, but it got me thinking about some of the matchups seen in the Canada West championship game.In 2023, the UBC Thunderbirds defeated Mount Royal, and, in 2022, UBC beat Saskatchewan in Canada West. Alberta beat Manitoba in the 2019 final, Manitoba defeated Saskatchewan in the 2018 final while 2017 saw UBC defeat Alberta. In 2016, UBC defeated Calgary; in 2015, Alberta defeated Manitoba, but Calgary earned the other berth as the host of the tournament. 2014 saw Saskatchewan defeat Regina in the Canada West final, 2013 saw UBC down Calgary, and 2012 saw Calgary defeat Alberta.
With Trinity Western holding a playoff spot right now, there's a chance they could add their names to the list of teams that played in the Canada West final if they were to win a couple of playoff series, but it's clear that matchups in Canada West over the last ten seasons have featured one of UBC, Alberta, or Calgary in all but two of the finals. When those three teams are in 80%, the chances of mixing in new series foes is low.
There's lots of hockey to played still, so figuring out who may end up in the final is a fool's task at this point of the season. In other words, cheer loudly, play hard, and let's see how the first half of the season plays out in Canada West women's hockey!
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!
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