The Rundown - Week 8

I may be in a non-Canada West province, but the games were still worth checking out despite me being a long way away from where they were being played. UBC had the weekend off after being the only team to hit 14 games through the first seven weeks, so they may have felt they deserved a break. Nonetheless, eight other teams were back at it this week as teams looked to improve their standings while the top team sat idle. Let's get to this week's hockey action as I tuned in from afar in a different time zone here on The Rundown!

FRIDAY: We'll start in southern Saskatchewan where this weekend series featured two teams moving in different directions as the Regina Cougars were hosting the MacEwan Griffins. One win this weekend would see Regina match their total wins from last season while surpassing their point total from last year as well. MacEwan, meanwhile, was looking to score three goals for the first time in regulation play this season as they looked to double their win total. Only one of these things would happen on Friday, but there aren't any highlights of this contest because Regina doesn't believe in them. The scoring summary for this one is below.

Cougars goals: Tessa Stewart (1), Kaylee Dyer (2), Lauren Focht (2), Paige Hubbard (5), Megan Long (2)
Cougars assists: Kaitlyn Gilroy (1), Raea Gilroy (1), Megan Long (2), Pippy Pritchard (2), Cassidy Peters (2), Shaylee Scraba (4), Julianne Girardin (2), Kaitlyn Gilroy (2)
Cougars netminder: Arden Kliewer (14/16)

Griffins goals: Ali Macauley (1), Allee Isley (2)
Griffins assists: Robyn Short (2), Jennifer Andrash (4), Kori Paterson (4), Ali Macauley (3)
Griffins netminder: Lindsey Johnson (31/35)

Result: 5-2 victory for Regina over MacEwan.

SATURDAY: MacEwan recorded a 1-0 win in Regina on January 27 last season and are 2-3 in Regina all-time, so it's not like they haven't had some success in the Cougars' den. Getting more than 16 shots on net would help if they shoot like they did on Friday. Regina was looking to push their win streak to two games as they looked to remain in the hunt for top spot of Canada West's East Division. Again, no highlights of the great things happening on the ice, so here's the scoring summary once more.

Cougars goals: Tessa Stewart (2)
Cougars assists: Shaylee Scraba (5), Olivia Leggett (1)
Cougars shootout scorers: Cassidy Peters
Cougars netminder: Natalie Williamson (24/25)

Griffins goals: Kori Paterson (2)
Griffins assists: Claire Hobbs (1), Tess Collier (2)
Griffins shootout scorers: Claire Hobbs, Jennifer Andrash
Griffins netminder: Brianna Sank (20/21)

Result: 2-1 shootout victory for MacEwan over Regina.

FRIDAY: Mount Royal headed west to Langley where the Trinity Western Spartans were waiting as this weekend series had all sorts of intrigue thanks to the Spartans' win streak which put them within striking distance of the Cougars. Of course, that streak would have to continue if they were to catch the Cougars, and Mount Royal was a perfect 11-0 in regular season play against Trinity Western. One streak would fall tonight - which would it be? I'd like to show you, but Trinity Western only does their own goal highlights which isn't good enough. The scoring summary will have to suffice.

Spartans goals: Chayce Kullman (1), Charlotte Swanton (3)
Spartans assists: Kasey Ditner (6), Kara Yackel (4), Kasey Ditner (7)
Spartans netminder: Kate Fawcett (19/21)

Cougars goals: Jordyn Hutt (4), Aliya Jomha (7), Allee Gerrard (2)
Cougars assists: Abigail Borbandy (3), Lyvia Butz (2), Jori Hansen-Young (5), Sydney Benko (5)
Cougars netminder: Kaitlyn Ross (22/24)

Result: 3-2 victory for Mount Royal over Trinity Western.

SATURDAY: The gap between Mount Royal and Trinity Western was wide enough that there was no danger of the Cougars getting bumped from their spot, but the Cougars were looking to move within a point of top spot in the West Division. Trinity Western needed the split to keep Mount Royal from opening a wide gap prior to the December break, so this one was all set for intensity between these two teams. I've linked Trinity Western's personal highlights here again, but the scoring summary is the full story.

Spartans goals: Kelsey Ledoux (2)
Spartans assists: Kyra McDonald (4), Jordyn Matthews (2)
Spartans netminder: Mabel Maltais (29/31)

Cougars goals: Lyndsey Janes (4), Lyndsey Janes (5)
Cougars assists: Alexandria Spence (3), Dara Thompson (4)
Cougars netminder: Katherine Holan (23/24)

Result: 2-1 victory for Mount Royal over Trinity Western.

FRIDAY: After Manitoba rallied to split with the Mount Royal Cougars last week, one would hope the Bisons could keep the good times rolling with a home sweep of the other Calgary team this week as the Dinos visited Winnipeg. Calgary came to Winnipeg after pulling off their own magic against UBC, so they were looking to keep thr winning going as well. If there's one thing I've learned, the good teams win consistently so both were hunting for wins. Again, no highlights because Manitoba is allergic to showing the world its talent, so here's the scoring summary for this one.

Bisons goals: Rachel Gottfried (2), Brenna Nicol (1), Aimee Patrick (4)
Bisons assists: Aimee Patrick (4), Camille Enns (3)
Bisons netminder: Paige Fischer (17/18)

Dinos goals: Josie McLeod (2)
Dinos assists: Emma Tait (2), Kate Wagner (2)
Dinos netminder: Amelia Awad (23/26)

Result: 3-1 victory for Manitoba over Calgary.

SATURDAY: With everyone above them winning on Friday, Manitoba needed to find the sweep this weekend if they wanted to keep pace and/or put the pressure on Alberta and Regina since they still have two games in-hand. Calgary needed to find the split so they could leap past Trinity Western and force them to chase again. Because highlights are as rare as shooting stars in these parts, you're stuck with the scoring summary.

Bisons goals: Aimee Patrick (5), Julia Bird (3), Norah Collins (7), Norah Collins (8)
Bisons assists: Dana Goertzen (3), Louise Fergusson (3), Camille Enns (4), Evangeline Hill (1), Seanna Price (1), Ashley Keller (4), Aimee Patrick (5)
Bisons netminder: Emily Shippam (21/22)

Dinos goals: Rebecca Clarke (4)
Dinos assists: Emma Tait (3)
Dinos netminder: Amelia Awad (35/39)

Result: 4-1 victory for Manitoba over Calgary.

FRIDAY: The Huskies needed a win this season, but seem to keep coming up short despite them being in a number of games. While they've brought home four extra-time points, they were looking to get two regulation-time points on Friday as the Alberta Pandas visited Saskatoon. The Pandas rolled in on a four-game winning streak, and they had no interest in helping the Huskies get off their winless streak. I'd be happy to post highlights, but the Huskies opted for the text-only plan this season. Here's the scoring summary.

Huskies goals: none
Huskies assists: none
Huskies netminder: Emma Backman (33/35)

Pandas goals: Madison Willan (2), Brooklyn Tews (2), Maia Ehmann (5)
Pandas assists: Jadynn Morden (4), Izzy Lajoie (4), Sara Kazeil (7), Izzy Lajoie (5)
Pandas netminder: Grace Glover (14/14)

Result: 3-0 victory for Alberta over Saskatchewan.

SATURDAY: The Alberta Pandas haven't officially clinched a playoff spot yet, but it seems almost inevitable as they picked up their 20th point on Friday. Saskatchewan's young team is learning valuable lessons as they battle good teams, but they desperately need that first win to start building on the positives. Zero highlights means nothing to post here except the scoring summary.

Huskies goals: McKenna Bolger (1)
Huskies assists: Bronwyn Boucher (3), Jayde Cadieux (3)
Huskies netminder: Colby Wilson (31/33)

Pandas goals: Holly Magnus (1), Jadynn Morden (4)
Pandas assists: Chayse Melnyk (1), Abby Soyko (2), Payton Laumbach (4)
Pandas netminder: Misty Rey (11/12)

Result: 2-1 victory for Alberta over Saskatchewan.

No, I'm not doing the stupid East and West Divisions on the standings board. One conference, nine teams, let's see who is best.

CANADA WEST WOMEN'S HOCKEY

School	Record	Points	GF	GA	Streak	Next
UBC	9-2-2-1	23	43	22	L1	@ MAN
Mount Royal	9-2-1-2	22	38	20	W2	@ ALB
Alberta	8-3-3-0	22	33	16	W6	vs MRU
Regina	3-3-4-4	18	23	27	L1	BYE
Manitoba	6-3-2-1	17	29	21	W3	vs UBC
Trinity Western	6-7-1-0	14	29	25	L2	vs CAL
Calgary	5-6-1-2	14	30	34	L2	@ TWU
MacEwan	0-10-2-2	6	12	46	W1	vs SAS
Saskatchewan	0-10-0-4	4	14	40	L14	@ MAC

Honour Roll

Each week on The Rundown, I highlight the best performances from the weekend's games. It won't always be the top scorer or the best goalie, but I'll have a reason for who gets picked each week. This week's Honour Roll candidate will be a player who set the new standard for standing in the blue paint for her school as MacEwan Griffins netminder Brianna Sank adds her name to the list!

I know things haven't gone so well this season or even in the last couple of seasons when one considers how often the Griffins won in the ACAC, but consider this: since 2021-22 when the Griffins joined Canada West, Sank has 15 of the 19 wins that MacEwan has recorded in Canada West play. In her sixty games, she faces an average of 31 shots per game, yet she still has a .907 save percentage and four shutouts. There are no quiet nights in the net for Sank - she has to be on her game to give MacEwan a chance.

On Saturday at the 3:04 mark of the first period in Regina, the Ardrossan, Alberta netminder broke Sandy Heim's program record for minutes logged in the blue paint. Heim recorded 4184:11 in the crease for MacEwan, but the new program leader is Brianna Sank as she picked up her fifteenth win in Canada West with the shootout win on Saturday. Playing in over 4200 minutes as well as she has is how Brianna Sank added her name to the Honour Roll!

Shameless (Self)Promotion

We're back this week with another interview from The Hockey Show featuring a specific Canada West personality. As stated, Canada West hockey is more than just hockey; it's joining a new school, finding new friends, discovering one's passions, and playing a little puck. On The Hockey Show, we talk about all this cool stuff going on in athletes' lives, so let's introduce you to another great person!

We're going to continue the MacEwan theme this week as we introduce you to the woman who led the Griffins into Canada West in former head coach Lindsay McAlpine who is now MacEwan University's associate director of athletics. Before she got the promotion to the big office, Lindsay was at home behind the bench as she helped MacEwan find all sorts of success in the ACAC, but her own hockey career saw her play on one of the most dominant women's university teams on either side of the border as she skated with the Alberta Pandas during their incredible run at the turn of the millennium. Lindsay had an incredible hockey career that's almost unbelievable if we hadn't talked, and she was incredibly proud of the Griffins joining Canada West after the success they had in the ACAC. This interview is from April 2, 2020 so a few things may have changed, but one thing that has remained the same throughout the course of time is that Lindsay McAlpine is a fantastic person! Enjoy the chat!

Checking Out The Competition

I'll be at a hockey game today, and at least one of the two teams I'll be watching will be playing in Nationals in Kitchener, Ontario this March. The York Lions are hosting the Waterloo Warriors, and I'll be doing a little pre-Nationals scouting on Waterloo to see just how good they are. Waterloo lost in the bronze medal game to the Montreal Carabins last season in Saskatoon, so I'm curious to see how they've improved or changed since experiencing Nationals for the first time.

Of course, they're hosting the tournament this season, so they better be ready for the intensity that comes their way. Waterloo is in first-place in the OUA West Division with an 8-2 record, and they are the conference's highest-scoring team at 43 goals. That should improve today if they continue to play well as they meet York for the first time this season. Led by Carly Orth's 16 points and Leah Herrfort's 13 points, the Warriors are a solid team that should fare well at Nationals once again.

York, however, has its work cut out for it after starting the season with a 4-7 record. They are the lowest-scoring team in the conference with 19 goals, but they're also one of the conference's best defensive teams, surrendering just 28 goals. Emma Wedgewood hasn't stolen games like she did in last season's playoffs, though, and York leading scorer in Alexa Giantsopoulos is tied for 34th-overall in scoring with seven points. She's the only player with more than two goals on York's roster this season, so York needs a big effort today.

I'll have more on this game next week on The Rundown!

Major Credit Is Due

It might be time to remove the "interim" tag on Regina coach Brandy West-McMaster. For someone who had to step in quickly after Sarah Hodges left, West-McMaster is showing that she's just as good behind the bench as she was on the ice the for Cougars. I don't know if anyone would have predicted this turnaround for the Cougars, but they're in a pretty impressive position right now.

Regina's 18 points is the most for that program since 2019-20 when they had 38 points for the whole season. They equalled the 2021-22 season's total of 18 points in 20 games, but West-McMaster has them at 18 points in 14 games. While there's still a pile of games to be played, it seems almost impossible for the Cougars not to post their best season in five years this season, and Brandy West-McMaster has been a big part of that.

We can talk about the job that Graham Thomas and Scott Rivett are doing once more, and Howie Draper's return to the Alberta bench meant that the Pandas would be a machine once again. If you had asked anyone if they foresaw the Cougars being where they are at this point in the season, I think you'd get a "no" every single time. While Jordy Zacharias has done a wonderful job with Manitoba, it's hard to not look at Brandy West-McMaster as the early favorite to be named as the Canada West Coach of the Year.

There's still a lot of time in the season, but Brandy West-McMaster has earned that accolade by having the Cougars play some opportunistic hockey. And based on the Canada West standings, it seems almost certain the Cougars are heading back to the playoffs!

The Last Word

There are some big games next week when it comes to playoff opportunities. Regina is off so they get to watch, but the other eight teams are what could playoff previews for February! Who doesn't like those series for the final weekend of November?

UBC is in Winnipeg to play Manitoba, and that could be a crossover series that could happen. Mount Royal and Alberta will meet in a home-and-home series, and that could also be a crossover series that could happen. Both of those series could be considered "prove it" series when it comes to which teams are serious about making a run for the banner. It should be fun watching those four games.

The Calgary-Trinity Western battle out in Langley could very well determine the fate of one team's season based on results. Both teams are tied with 14 points, but Trinity Western holds the tie-breaker due to having one more regulation win right now. There's no second-place for these two teams as one of the two will miss the playoffs, so this series could have lasting effects on the rest of the season.

Even the MacEwan-Saskatchewan series in Edmonton will be interesting to watch. Both teams need wins, but this series might be more about pride than it is about the playoffs. Both MacEwan and Saskatchewan will need minor miracles to get back into the playoff race, but wins build confidence and positives can be found. Both teams need large helpings of confidence and positives, so their series next week could help in that regard.

We don't normally get playoff hockey in November, but the Canada West schedule seems to have delivered that this season. With two weeks left in the first half of the season, there's no better time to check out the action in Canada West women's hockey!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!