tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59068751445422723202024-03-18T21:13:27.680-05:00Hockey Blog In CanadaTeebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.comBlogger6066125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-38232038336002611492024-03-16T23:30:00.002-05:002024-03-18T18:58:36.595-05:00The Rundown - Semifinals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTjUfmRyaliNwvwtIWmcT-mnhE-vDaxjJCCb_m_3vjVWpIJl4z3VvBoPaHre6T2hOiMP9Qk3_6RXsABDzpoJbv55ecCj4CcTFo1ht-3bW-kucgiL_cuRD9ld6PqqmvQyUThpOv4Sj9OE/s1600/rundown.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTjUfmRyaliNwvwtIWmcT-mnhE-vDaxjJCCb_m_3vjVWpIJl4z3VvBoPaHre6T2hOiMP9Qk3_6RXsABDzpoJbv55ecCj4CcTFo1ht-3bW-kucgiL_cuRD9ld6PqqmvQyUThpOv4Sj9OE/s400/rundown.png" /></a></div>Eight teams would start the day, but only six teams would move on to Sunday to compete in the three final series at the 2024 U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship. By the end of the day, we'd know who would be competing for the three different medals and for fifth-place while the bottom-two teams would see their tournaments end as there is no seventh-place game. In saying that, let's get into the action on Semifinal Saturday as the 2024 U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship continues here on <i>The Rundown</i>!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc245l9M53oKeLPuWgzkbcpEFlKFNX97XdtEK2mYw7iHnnXbiAiuJGD9L7RNBXxppwRbZXapESmwuL2ONjyM84ZpL949f0KumjmBEs4kjIpICctm9QMEpvy_7-17J41zAfvmyqwJ9ODCmK65Cr9cqWj9oGNiuMbPs3Vh3hRNI7yKb_PR9osBNbKnjSr3BH/s435/SASStFX.png" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc245l9M53oKeLPuWgzkbcpEFlKFNX97XdtEK2mYw7iHnnXbiAiuJGD9L7RNBXxppwRbZXapESmwuL2ONjyM84ZpL949f0KumjmBEs4kjIpICctm9QMEpvy_7-17J41zAfvmyqwJ9ODCmK65Cr9cqWj9oGNiuMbPs3Vh3hRNI7yKb_PR9osBNbKnjSr3BH/s400/SASStFX.png" width="400" /></a></div>The fifth-seeded StFX X-Women and the eighth-seeded Saskatchewan Huskies met at 10am on Saturday morning as the first consolation semifinal went earlier than the usual game times at which these women play. Would that affect their play? Neither wanted to go home early, so they'd need to show up for this one! Camryn Drever was between the pipes for the Huskies while the X-Women went back to Amaya Giraudier for their puck-stopping needs.<br />
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StFX and Saskatchewan had never met prior to this game at a National Championship, and it seemed like both sides were looking for breakdowns as the first period was played. Neither side would find that needed space in the first period as both goalies were perfect in the opening 20 minutes, but both sides had chances.<br />
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A late penalty in that opening frame was the difference that the Huskies needed as Kelsey Hall punched a power-play goal home at 1:13 to put Saskatchewan up 1-0. It became 2-0 just 2:09 later when Sophie Lalor dented twine, and Brooklyn Stevely made it 3-0 on the power-play when she teed up a puck at the 6:06 mark. The Huskies were rolling in the middle frame and looked to take the three-goal cushion to the room, but Ashlyn Garnett wasn't happy about that so she made it 3-1 with 45 seconds to play, giving StFX some life as they looked to the third period.<br />
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The Huskies decided they were happy with the score as they locked down their defensive zone while seeking more chances, but neither side would find the back of the net in the final frame. As the final horn sounded, the Saskatchewan Huskies had defeated the StFX X-Women by that 3-1 score. Camryn Drever stopped 37 shots in the win while Amaya Giraudier made 18 saves as her season comes to a close.<br />
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Saskatchewan advances to the consolation final on Sunday while the StFX X-Women saw their tournament comes to an end.<br />
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CBC refuses to do highlights, so here's the full game once again.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Asq-KV6H-bA?si=CV8AgLbYO8IRH9vy" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbunoffjgWQ4WJVAZMc4PzpAy7NQC3PPB9hqpiRFKCDrBhBCqaSsJ0hpWVhfDbTY7EWjc5JFnJ7jSP-9ak3vrKLhOYOfg401N72YjaRZJz85QVkWATeSFSy-_gYyyK-YB5oDnaHE-atdonX9pBfi9fNNWAMbk3-sqIW58larZkTywqrcx8XPtoJzqocMSn/s435/UNBUSB.png" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbunoffjgWQ4WJVAZMc4PzpAy7NQC3PPB9hqpiRFKCDrBhBCqaSsJ0hpWVhfDbTY7EWjc5JFnJ7jSP-9ak3vrKLhOYOfg401N72YjaRZJz85QVkWATeSFSy-_gYyyK-YB5oDnaHE-atdonX9pBfi9fNNWAMbk3-sqIW58larZkTywqrcx8XPtoJzqocMSn/s400/UNBUSB.png" width="400" /></a></div>The second-ranked UBC Thunderbirds likely never expected to be playing in the consolation semifinal, but the same could be said for the third-seeded UNB Reds. After both teams were upset on Friday, they met on Saturday midway through the day to determine who play one more game this season. Kendra Woodland got the start for the Reds while Elise Hugens was guarding the UBC net in this one.<br />
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This game was decidely in one team's favour, and the Canada West champions were firing on all cylinders as Joelle Fiala opened the scoring at the 13:06 mark of the first period to put UBC up 1-0. Chanreet Bassi would announce her arrival with a power-play goal at 2:14 and an even-strength goal at 11:30 in the second period to push this game to a 3-0 score. Sierra LaPlante would add a fourth UBC goal at 2:49 of the third period.<br />
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I'm not here to pile on UNB because they have certainly won their way to Nationals in three-straight seasons, but one has to wonder what goes through goaltender Kendra Woodland's head after a game like today. More on this below, but UBC defeated UNB by that 4-0 score in this game. Elise Hugens stopped 17 shots for the win and the shutout while Kendra Woodland made 40 stops in her final game of her university career.<br />
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UBC advances to the consolation final on Sunday while the UNB Reds saw their tournament comes to an end.<br />
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Again, no highlights, so here's the full game.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0tBxxgV_Y5Q?si=V2QcTlkSaDhsE9J6" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyy0Ef7utvgUV0yg7dTthYQaggmf9uEaC3yJD0AmcPvoPn8lIyzDSMJJL0UQFt0jLf27oYkxw-YmFWecbM37ePkyvUGb88J8qOMeNZcOcWK1XYjViu96ZGTAmwlk-E5u6TcDzj5p2GJMdU8zRf36i-I5pxXI_NiWfbOhStcQ1m92jkEXW5bNclKYD9Pdph/s435/WATCON.png" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyy0Ef7utvgUV0yg7dTthYQaggmf9uEaC3yJD0AmcPvoPn8lIyzDSMJJL0UQFt0jLf27oYkxw-YmFWecbM37ePkyvUGb88J8qOMeNZcOcWK1XYjViu96ZGTAmwlk-E5u6TcDzj5p2GJMdU8zRf36i-I5pxXI_NiWfbOhStcQ1m92jkEXW5bNclKYD9Pdph/s400/WATCON.png" width="400" /></a></div>The top-seeded Concordia Stingers were looking to take one step closer to their ultimate goal of winning the Golden Path Trophy while the fourth-seeded Waterloo Warriors were looking to make a little more magic happen in their first visit to Nationals in program history. Obviously, there's no history between these two teams at the big dance, but I can say that Concordia is 10-2 against OUA teams so it seems like Concordia should be the favorite in all statistical measurements. Mikayla Schnarr was guarding the Waterloo net while Jordyn Verbeek was in the Concordia blue paint.<br />
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The Stingers got on the board first when Zoe Thibault found the back of the net at 5:15 to put Concordia up 1-0, and they'd take a 2-0 lead into the break when Courtney Rice dented twine with 1:48 to play in the frame. I know Waterloo is the new kid on the block in this tournament, but there were certainly times where you could see the polished play of a three-time Nationals finalist compared to how the Warriors looked, but credit to Schnarr for keeping Waterloo in this one when it seemed like it might get away.<br />
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The second period was much better for Waterloo as they seemed to find their confidence once again, but a couple of penalties allowed Concordia to flex their offensive muscles. The Warriors would deny them, though, and we'd head to the third period with that 2-0 score intact. Tatum James made things very interesting when she scored a power-play goal after a Concordia penalty carried over from the second period, and Waterloo was back in the game as they cut the deficit in half at 2-1.<br />
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That goal seemed to lift Waterloo as they looked for an equalizer, but it wasn't to be on this night as Jessymaude Drapeau netted a shorthanded goal with 1:20 to play as the Concordia Stingers shut down the Waterloo Warriors for the majority of the third period in defeating them 3-1. Jordyn Verbeek made 19 saves to send her team back to the gold-medal final while Mikayla Schnarr stopped 37 shots as Waterloo will play for the third-place honours.<br />
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The Concordia Stingers advance to the gold-medal final on Sunday while the Waterloo Warriors will move to the bronze-medal game.<br />
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CBC and highlights are like oil and water. Here's the full game between Concordia and Waterloo for your enjoyment.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zKKDYKGkfBs?si=Dln3hz7-P_x1BovD" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFhkj7epvItWCS7do7aUI3_zJ2xINJn6abtSgcZVM-aDhaKOL7FeIprRPX6TeDc5RdU7rWFgDsOLEkgPftKnwE3rvLpBJXK3aA1XdRiTjJFxlbgEmW_nuRccgwXH7I9q_WVOZUWPR8QhUwX4ErwtLox5UQH-CbGbNs-tYIcokQ2UQkzqeYXrrD9rxsHWG/s435/MTLTOR.png" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFhkj7epvItWCS7do7aUI3_zJ2xINJn6abtSgcZVM-aDhaKOL7FeIprRPX6TeDc5RdU7rWFgDsOLEkgPftKnwE3rvLpBJXK3aA1XdRiTjJFxlbgEmW_nuRccgwXH7I9q_WVOZUWPR8QhUwX4ErwtLox5UQH-CbGbNs-tYIcokQ2UQkzqeYXrrD9rxsHWG/s400/MTLTOR.png" width="400" /></a></div>With Hockey Night in Canada being an institution on Saturday nights in Canada, it's only fitting that we get a Montreal-Toronto game on this night. The sixth-seeded Toronto Varsity Blues met the seventh-seeded Montreal Carabins for the right to play in the big game, but there isn't much history between these two teams outside of a 2013 game where Montreal won 1-0. A chapter was to be written with Aube Racine in net for the Carabins while Erica Fryer took the crease for the Varsity Blues.<br />
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These two teams played with a solid pace early on, and Toronto would be the first to capitalize when Kalie Chan found room for a goal as Toronto went up 1-0 at 9:55. Both sides settled into their defensive structure after that as neither side gave up a lot of room despite chances being seen. We'd have to move to the latter stages of the third period before Montreal pulled Racine to add an attacker, and it would be a good move as Juliette Rolland scored with seconds remaining to tie the game at 1-1!<br />
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Overtime was needed, but it solved nothing. As you may know if you've followed these tournaments for a while, the berth in the final would be determined by a shootout which is pretty much the dumbest rule enforced by U SPORTS. Because of this rule, the teams organized themselves for the skills competition which saw Toronto shoot first. Five rounds of shooters would come up empty before Toronto's Ashley Delahey beat Racine over the glove, and that meant that Amélie Poiré-Lehoux had to score. She could not, and the Toronto Varsity Blues claimed the 2-1 shootout win over the Montreal Carabins to advance to the gold-medal final. Erica Fryer stopped 25 shots plus six more in the shootout for the victory while Aube Racine made 23 saves while stopping five of six in the shootout loss.<br />
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The Toronto Varsity Blues advance to the gold-medal final on Sunday while the Montreal Carabins go to the bronze-medal game.<br />
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Here's the full game including the shootout from CBC.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V7ILaxrqim4?si=ofMLqfVof_JeCbU2" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Bracket</u></h1>
Here are Sunday's matchups and the stakes for each team.<br />
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<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Rankings</u></h1>
I mentioned above about Kendra Woodland and her game today, but we really should take a closer look. After she wins a FISU gold medal, was named the 2023 U SPORTS Player of the Year, and has gone 36-13 in AUS play over the last three seasons in helping UNB get to Nationals three times, she arrives at Nationals where she and her UNB teammates are a combined 1-6 while being outscored 24-8 in those games. Her AUS numbers would put her among the best to have ever protected a net, but I'm not here to question how good of a player Kendra Woodland is because she clearly can win on the big stage as evidenced by her work at the FISU Universiade Games.<br />
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What I do question, though, is the stupidity of the national ranking system that U SPORTS employs each and every year when AUS teams that have appeared at Nationals since 1998 - UNB, Dalhousie, Moncton, UPEI, St. Thomas, Saint Mary's, and StFX - are a collective 24-81 against the rest of Canada. That's a .229 winning percentage at Nationals, yet U SPORTS expects me to believe that StFX was better than Toronto and Montreal this year?<br />
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To make matters even worse, would you believe that the AUS team with the best winning percentage hasn't played at a National Championship since 2015? The Moncton Aigles Bleues are the AUS team with the best record at Nationals, and they can't even get out of their conference any longer. Since 2015 when the field expanded to eight teams at Nationals, Saint Mary's is the AUS team with the best record, yet they haven't played on the big stage since 2018 when they finished in seventh-place.<br />
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Here's a thought: stop ranking the teams throughout the year unless you organize more interconference tournaments because the current format should never see an AUS team ranked in the weekly top-ten rankings ever again. The AUS champion has been upset in four of the last five completed tournaments, so putting them as a top-four team is virtually asking for an upset to occur just as it did this year. Either fix the system or stop ranking teams because it's very clear that the system is broken.
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Goal</u></h1>
There may be goals that win championships this season, but I'm not sure you'll ever see a goal as important as this one.<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NjpjGl1dbfo?si=S1LsH7cJ0j4R3nVv" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe>That's Brooklyn Stevely scoring on the power-play in her second game after returning to the Huskies' lineup <a href="https://thestarphoenix.com/sports/cancer-survivor-stevely-back-on-the-ice-just-in-time-for-u-sports-nationals">following treatments for ovarian cancer</a>. If that doesn't move the heart strings just a little to see Brooklyn score that goal after battling cancer and returning for Nationals, you may want to see a cardiac surgeon.<br />
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Forget game-winners because Stevely's goal was the biggest win this season in my books. I love this moment for Brooklyn and her teammates, and it might be my favorite moment from this year's tournament just because of how personal it is for her and knowing how much she loves the game. You can't keep a kid like her down, so congratulations, Brooklyn, and here's hoping you've beat cancer like the Huskies have beat so many teams over the years!
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The People In Charge</u></h1>
All you'll hear on this one is a long sigh while I shake my head.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlFjWq2t2VsbrRlM_eKLlVynM8ou896yv2tJutlWyb-LqGgs_xyXit7jMOj3sHWwN8ZZ0wXvM2P3UDlz3S1Iqepw8sxBACKPtlGxWUSuzG7iMzDKbL5WRqZOJcxTYqQ2S6wsQ947W18WVJZ_xKF0Bm__8_xlQzbZ926snB1G306qyVjT-0Uf4LEzi90HVs/s590/usportsoops.JPG" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="295" data-original-width="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlFjWq2t2VsbrRlM_eKLlVynM8ou896yv2tJutlWyb-LqGgs_xyXit7jMOj3sHWwN8ZZ0wXvM2P3UDlz3S1Iqepw8sxBACKPtlGxWUSuzG7iMzDKbL5WRqZOJcxTYqQ2S6wsQ947W18WVJZ_xKF0Bm__8_xlQzbZ926snB1G306qyVjT-0Uf4LEzi90HVs/s400/usportsoops.JPG"/></a></div>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Last Word</u></h1>
The same two teams who decided the very first National Championship in 1998 will decide this year's event in 2024. In that game, Concordia defeated Toronto 4-1, so we'll see which side prevails in this year's tournament. Clearly, the Stingers are on a mission to capture the Golden Path Trophy after losing in overtime last season to Mount Royal and being ranked as the top team for the majority of the year this year, but the Varsity Blues have shown themselves to be plucky while scoring timely goals. Tomorrow's final should be a good one.<br />
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The other two contests should be fun as well as a Canada West rivalry will heat up one last time in this 2023-24 season as UBC and Saskatchewan tangle while the bronze-medal contest will see Waterloo attempt to bring home its first-ever medal in women's hockey against a Montreal team that has two bronze-medal finishes since 2015.<br />
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Catch all the action tomorrow at Merlis Belsher Place or on <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey">CBC Sports' website</a> as the final day of action for the 2023-24 season is played in Saskatoon!<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-40327383868261339502024-03-15T23:30:00.000-05:002024-03-16T23:05:32.551-05:00The Rundown - Quarterfinals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTjUfmRyaliNwvwtIWmcT-mnhE-vDaxjJCCb_m_3vjVWpIJl4z3VvBoPaHre6T2hOiMP9Qk3_6RXsABDzpoJbv55ecCj4CcTFo1ht-3bW-kucgiL_cuRD9ld6PqqmvQyUThpOv4Sj9OE/s1600/rundown.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTjUfmRyaliNwvwtIWmcT-mnhE-vDaxjJCCb_m_3vjVWpIJl4z3VvBoPaHre6T2hOiMP9Qk3_6RXsABDzpoJbv55ecCj4CcTFo1ht-3bW-kucgiL_cuRD9ld6PqqmvQyUThpOv4Sj9OE/s400/rundown.png" /></a></div>Normally, you'be come to expect recaps on <i>The Rundown</i>, but it's a different tournament this year because I'm volunteering at it. That doesn't make the games any different, but there has been a change in my perspective in getting to see and hear some of the conversations surrounding the tournament and its participating teams. I normally just watch games through a streaming service - Canada Waste TV, for example - but I had the chance to watch games live and in-person where the best eight teams in Canada were battling for hockey supremacy. Today, you're going to get condensed recaps with reviews on everything offered at the 2024 U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship here on <i>The Rundown</i>!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-3JXPdyv0qRBnA0LmbL00sQF-KVSP8Fbtc8oJ05h1Z3BxoGWq41mRQ2UF3ZD7iMa7NKc9qX6DUIVcp8LUMDCbq1tV1JtUNTdSx7ZvgTVE64KOmci1kFd2IzJXtM1cHpmUUFBLcI9o6NiI4JA0zIx50KNs_1nW979l6ptPW3KUNFQMWqWDc6BnWLwQqke/s435/STFXWAT.png" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-3JXPdyv0qRBnA0LmbL00sQF-KVSP8Fbtc8oJ05h1Z3BxoGWq41mRQ2UF3ZD7iMa7NKc9qX6DUIVcp8LUMDCbq1tV1JtUNTdSx7ZvgTVE64KOmci1kFd2IzJXtM1cHpmUUFBLcI9o6NiI4JA0zIx50KNs_1nW979l6ptPW3KUNFQMWqWDc6BnWLwQqke/s400/STFXWAT.png"/></a></div>Waterloo's first visit to a National Championship saw them enter as the fourth-ranked team while the StFX X-Women came into the tournament as the fifth-ranked team having qualified sixteen times prior to this season's event. Needless to say, the new kids on the block were looking to cause the oft=seen AUS squad a few headaches. Amaya Giraudier was between the pipes for the X-Women while Mikayla Schnarr got herself setup in the Warriors' crease.<br />
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It seems like this appearance for Waterloo will resonate with them because Tatum James made sure the Warriors started on the right foot by scoring the opening goal of this year's event just 33 seconds into the game. Both goalies were strong for the next 39:27 following that early tally, but the third period is where things went crazy.<br />
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Sarah Bestic scored at 7:36 to make it 2-0, and Tatum James added her second goal at 11:33 to make it 3-0. StFX head coach Ben Berthiaume knew that a loss would send them to a consolation side, so he opted to pull Giraudier when Waterloo was whistled for a late penalty. That allowed James to cash in an empty-netter while shorthanded for her hat trick goal at 16:20, and it was 4-0 for Waterloo as it appeared they had this game under control.<br />
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Ireland McCloskey would score on the power-play at 17:29 to make it 4-1, but Carly Orth added a fifth goal at 17:45 and Madison Pritchard scored a late power-play goal to cap off a very impressive first appearance at a National Championship as the Waterloo Warriors prevailed 6-1 over the St. Francis-Xavier X-Women. Mikayla Schnarr stopped 20 shots for her first Nationals win while Amaya Giraudier made 22 saves in the setback.<br />
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Waterloo advances to the semifinal on Saturday while StFX moves to the consolation semifinal on Saturday.<br />
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Apparently, CBC Sports isn't doing highlights for these games which is pretty ridiculous considering the media staff that U SPORTS has at the tournament. Instead, here's the full game as posted by CBC.<br />
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DYJ-maPkZn0?si=tkudRToPelEPVLFi" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAIGgMmyxn6LYQ6WPJVRqI1UYfSi4cmmCfddGMqfV3w1UDrq1T64jEkngnH0LLVvfJuGlQKm7j13vSqUV3IuYHClJ2hshUiVplcXB7nIowdx66JbH_6e3OMA1x4EpYrOyhNm9Ls0jfFCIimZMm7HfmcuZNuV9KWA9q294o5fFSYwtathkA6TRF4yR77OP/s435/SASCON.png" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAIGgMmyxn6LYQ6WPJVRqI1UYfSi4cmmCfddGMqfV3w1UDrq1T64jEkngnH0LLVvfJuGlQKm7j13vSqUV3IuYHClJ2hshUiVplcXB7nIowdx66JbH_6e3OMA1x4EpYrOyhNm9Ls0jfFCIimZMm7HfmcuZNuV9KWA9q294o5fFSYwtathkA6TRF4yR77OP/s400/SASCON.png"/></a></div>The top-ranked Concordia Stingers were in enemy territory as they faced off against the eighth-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies. 2346 people plus a vast number of the employees and volunteers working on Friday night wanted nothing more than for the home team to take down the top-seeded team, but it was going to be a tough task. Camryn Drever was in net for the Huskies while Jordyn Verbeek was tasked with stopping pucks for the Stingers.<br />
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An early push by the Huskies was weathered by the Stingers as the home side seemed to feed off the crowd's energy, but that energy faded a little when a weird deflection off an Emmy Fecteau shot went up and over Drever, landing behind the netminder in the Saskatchewan net for the 1-0 lead at 8:13. The Huskies were keeping pace with the Stingers, but the Stingers would double their lead early in the second period when Rosalie Bégin-Cyr found the back of the net at 3:12, and Concordia held the 2-0 lead.<br />
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Despite having several glorious chances at scoring, the Huskies simply could not dent twine on those chances. Émilie Lussier would make the hole a little deeper when she punched a loose puck home from a scramble in front of the net at 12:33 as Concordia went up 3-0, and they'd ice the game when Lussier put an empty-netter on the record at 19:19 as the Concordia Stingers defeated the Saskatchewan Huskies 4-0 in their quarterfinal game. Jordyn Verbeek stopped 26 shots for the win and shutout while Camryn Drever was spectacular at times in her 37-save effort.<br />
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Concordia advances to the semifinal on Saturday while Saskatchewan moves to the consolation semifinal on Saturday.<br />
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Again, no highlights, but a full game from CBC. I can't explain it.<br />
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PRzH5qmSfhQ?si=YbKf6IRlLzsSODfG" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuvnd2ioNxzSLkaiR54tPluANw7SFp8ZXy5p36yBx-xb6-SmBvBU-2fn4NmejQCOJ3Xx4jR9S38CHvnHH1eh5NJ9NB6Puoi0wY7wLyxO2vlIJz96Om-uvSh2UQURrIdkoF-XyaFOzuz_cZslGGJ7r1OVV2m5kCIn3o0dzzZlCcZNKq2NUKyz4XIYdOwUg/s435/MTLUBC.png" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuvnd2ioNxzSLkaiR54tPluANw7SFp8ZXy5p36yBx-xb6-SmBvBU-2fn4NmejQCOJ3Xx4jR9S38CHvnHH1eh5NJ9NB6Puoi0wY7wLyxO2vlIJz96Om-uvSh2UQURrIdkoF-XyaFOzuz_cZslGGJ7r1OVV2m5kCIn3o0dzzZlCcZNKq2NUKyz4XIYdOwUg/s400/MTLUBC.png"/></a></div>The UBC Thunderbirds came in as the second-ranked team in the tournament as they squared off against the seventh-seeded Montreal Carabins. UBC defeated Montreal in the bronze-medal game in Montreal's rink last season, so there may be some lingering dislike between these two, particularly on the Montreal side. Would we see some payback? Aube Racine was in the Montreal crease while UBC had Elise Hugens in their net.<br />
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The teams traded goals in the opening frame as Mylène Lefebvre found the back of the net at 6:58 for the Carabins before Cassidy Rhodes replied at 13:45 for the Thunderbirds to keep things even at 1-1. After a goalless second period, the teams traded goals early in the third period as Joannie Garand found the back of the net 68 seconds into the frame before Sophia Gaskell scored a power-play goal at 2:38 to make it 2-2.<br />
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The funny thing is that Montreal seems to match up well with UBC in how they approach the game, and that became more and more evident as the game progressed. With just over six minutes remaining, Jade Picard struck for the Carabins as her shot beat Hugens at 13:50, and Montreal went up 3-2. Montreal simply gave the Thunderbirds no room for them to attack, and they'd close this game out with a Laurie-Anne Ethier empty-net goal at 17:59 to make it 4-2. When the final horn sounded, the Montreal Carabins had defeated the UBC Thunderbirds for the first upset of the tournament. Aube Racine stopped 23 shots for the win while Elise Hugens was on the wrong side of an 18-save performance.<br />
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Montreal advances to the semifinal on Saturday while UBC moves to the consolation semifinal on Saturday.<br />
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Highlights are so easy to make, yet CBC just wants to give you full games. Use the time markers above to find the goals.<br />
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D7EfwnxdIfg?si=99mE0zumXsytYTya" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47Fl48OhI8-ggYvpc6EsTfr2SOQnGdx-vCFsusKgaKtQQGfnY5ixSg9OoWR4o1t_JohKTPfqgI9iRsPWcRnvdwreNos9Ie71H0htMfcUMV9lCTPbULel_lvwIMf1UskWEpscy255axb5iu8apVjiscSomhomKL2zZLaPid43XxdyN2daFmYhzOCHMnXd_/s435/TORUNB.png" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47Fl48OhI8-ggYvpc6EsTfr2SOQnGdx-vCFsusKgaKtQQGfnY5ixSg9OoWR4o1t_JohKTPfqgI9iRsPWcRnvdwreNos9Ie71H0htMfcUMV9lCTPbULel_lvwIMf1UskWEpscy255axb5iu8apVjiscSomhomKL2zZLaPid43XxdyN2daFmYhzOCHMnXd_/s400/TORUNB.png"/></a></div>The third-seeded UNB Reds tangled with the sixth-seeded Toronto Varsity Blues in the final quarterfinal game this week, and this one was expected to be a defensive battle as both teams featured solid goaltending, a commitment to the defensive zone, and a handful of stars who could break open a game if they were given time and space. Erica Fryer was in the Blues' net while Kendra Woodland was between the pipes for the Reds.<br />
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These two squads spent the opening ten minutes trying to figure out the other's defensive system unsuccessfully, but things would change in the latter half of the period. Ashley Delahey would find space past Woodland at 12:32 to put Toronto up 1-0, and that lead lasted all of 49 seconds before Mackenzie Keenan's shot from the slot found the back of the net to make it 1-1. From there, the chess match continued as players fought to get to the middle of the ice, but pucks were few and far between when it came to finding those spaces.<br />
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It would take 44 minutes for one of these teams to find a wrinkle in the other's defence, but Sophie Grawbarger might have scored the prettiest goal in the quarterfinals when she went one-on-one with a defender, juked right, and sent a backhander to the opposite post where it landed inside the net with 2:21 to play. UNB couldn't find an answer to Grawbarger's tally in the final 141 seconds, and the Toronto Varsity Blues defeated the UNB Reds as both Friday games ended in upsets. Erica Fryer stopped 16 shots for the win while Kendra Woodland made 20 saves in her crease.<br />
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Toronto advances to the semifinal on Saturday while UNB moves to the consolation semifinal on Saturday.<br />
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Highlights of this game don't exist, but you can find them in the video below with the times above. Simply unbelievable.<br />
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<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Bracket</u></h1>
Here are the four games that will be played on Saturday based on the results from Thursday and Friday. Count me in as excited!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mHMv6GDB8wffhROqRcCK9ptd2wrWiFrZEOh6FTCPa7SNOvjS8nA3aqXBIwOjQmXSaVhKudiA5P2LWplNaYtAW7EcLxPeVMLMt-FWrcExLzaKzeJEsApYSQd5l58mdyG1UOl0V8mui55PajYXaniNgifcH_UKGDqKenFT8IpqMkYGO7YOnOIrG3poR4DU/s734/nationalsbracket2024C.jpg" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="734" data-original-width="713" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mHMv6GDB8wffhROqRcCK9ptd2wrWiFrZEOh6FTCPa7SNOvjS8nA3aqXBIwOjQmXSaVhKudiA5P2LWplNaYtAW7EcLxPeVMLMt-FWrcExLzaKzeJEsApYSQd5l58mdyG1UOl0V8mui55PajYXaniNgifcH_UKGDqKenFT8IpqMkYGO7YOnOIrG3poR4DU/s400/nationalsbracket2024C.jpg"/></a></div>As you can see, the Golden Path Trophy will reside in either Quebec or Ontario for next season after both Canada West and AUS teams fell in their quarterfinal matchups. Mount Royal's reign as National Champion officially ends on Sunday!
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Merchandise</u></h1>
I'm no economist, but $22 for a ticket to these games is a little pricey considering the hotel next door is very expensive thanks to this event and the flights coming into Saskatoon were extortionary. However, the hoodies, crew necks, and t-shirts that have the National Championship logo heat-pressed onto them as people wait is a new low when it comes to having merchandise available for purchase.<br />
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Shirts come in one colour - black - and mistakes were seen as there were several "50% off this shirt" shirts available where the logo was slightly askew or off-center. In short, preprinted merchandise costs U SPORTS money if they don't sell everything, so they'll heat-press the logo on as you wait for it so they can re-use the unsold clothing next year when they hold the tournament in Waterloo.<br />
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Again, I'm no economics major, but that's pretty sketchy when it comes to "high-quality merchandise", folks. Welcome to U SPORTS where it's always amateur hour.
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Food</u></h1>
Merlis Belsher Place doesn't have anything that's overly unique or impressive when it comes to their main concession stand. It does help if they have everything available that they advertise, but everything is edible and tastes fairly good. Passing marks for the concessions.
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Drink</u></h1>
Being that I spent most of time in Merlis Belsher Place as a volunteer, I wasn't doing a lot of imbibing. I will say that <a href="https://original16.ca/">Original 16</a> has a very clear presence in the rink, and the folks that were enjoying adult beverages were buying that brand. Caesars were also a very popular choice among those who were of age to purchase them, and it seems that coffee and water was being sold at a good pace. Again, nothing overly unique, but definitely some crowd-pleasers.
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The People</u></h1>
I have to say that everyone who I encountered in my experiences at Merlis Belsher Place has been ready to cheer, ready to have fun, and certainly as welcoming as anyone I've met. There have been a lot of "why are you here?" conversations in terms of coming to volunteer, but everyone is supportive when they find out that I'm a women's hockey fan. Concordia fans have offered to buy me a beer, Saskatchewan fans love that other prairie folks are helping them put this tournament on, and both parents and alumni of the Huskies have welcomed me with open arms.<br />
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I can't deny it: the crowds at the games have been awesome, and the passion for university women's hockey has been incredible!
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Last Word</u></h1>
The reviews above are all surface-level things that a fan would experience in coming to the games, and the overall aesthetic can't be denied in that Merlis Belsher Place is doing a fantastic job with this tournament. Compared to other tournaments that I've been at, this year's edition has been the best in terms of layout as the concourse has everything one could want, and nothing is more than a few minutes away.<br />
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The games on the ice have been good with some moments of brilliance, and the fans from each of the teams who have played have been loud and raucous in their support. It's been fun over the two days of quarterfinal games, and I'm hoping the games only get better before we see the tournament come to a close on Sunday.<br />
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If you can make it down, I highly recommend visiting Merlis Belsher Place to experience the 2024 U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship in Sasaktoon! It's been a blast so far, and there's more to come!<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-36143598814626618452024-03-14T12:00:00.001-05:002024-03-14T12:06:41.749-05:00The Hockey Show - Episode 599<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHbSaI02fMqqaEskM5BmdG6j4lNTAiUL0X8-OsYefIkZbcNjKfts7oyBDvNIZBgIAH3a6iXUepv4Yjg_Rftxr4t4NknW5YC0XFU3ehXecAOOvu3PFWYOc0BKl4W3bIeUBabyN0ENNHC9dFF1gyySDuuyUJHIxoLoZyNQOr1ED1vbt5-S5rHYNhutvIQ/s400/hockeyshowTeebz.jpg" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHbSaI02fMqqaEskM5BmdG6j4lNTAiUL0X8-OsYefIkZbcNjKfts7oyBDvNIZBgIAH3a6iXUepv4Yjg_Rftxr4t4NknW5YC0XFU3ehXecAOOvu3PFWYOc0BKl4W3bIeUBabyN0ENNHC9dFF1gyySDuuyUJHIxoLoZyNQOr1ED1vbt5-S5rHYNhutvIQ/s400/hockeyshowTeebz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/373/"><i>The Hockey Show</i></a>, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, made its way out to Saskatoon for the 2024 GFL U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship, presented by Connect Energy, and it's been a whirlwind of hockey fun so far. Teebz was lucky enough to watch the practices that the Concordia Stingers ran, the Waterloo Warriors ran, and was midway through watching UBC practice before sitting down with our esteemed guest tonight. Frankly, getting settled in Saskatoon was the easy part, and seeing the StFX X-Women shopping in the same grocery store was pretty awesome. That all changes at 1pm Saskatchewan time (Mountain Time), though, as the 2024 U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship gets underway at Merlis Belsher Place!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0U_Y9qq6TOU8vrNJ7pUQQBv9-KdVtu2IZgSmFfaMvF3-Pvvd_aDz1Dok5odvAkGWkW3n-BX8BFHVXXOjFJpSF0LuabR1N2Z7_wGm-qiBg9V_ztpvL4LbImW6PImRqdN4qt3yO1QD-lYIZOasr8cfND8h6HpFgnRuM6Pkt6yQiapuC3demfPufxO6Td6gH/s565/robin.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="563" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0U_Y9qq6TOU8vrNJ7pUQQBv9-KdVtu2IZgSmFfaMvF3-Pvvd_aDz1Dok5odvAkGWkW3n-BX8BFHVXXOjFJpSF0LuabR1N2Z7_wGm-qiBg9V_ztpvL4LbImW6PImRqdN4qt3yO1QD-lYIZOasr8cfND8h6HpFgnRuM6Pkt6yQiapuC3demfPufxO6Td6gH/s200/robin.jpg"/></a></div>Tonight, Teebz sits down with one of the pioneers of Saskatchewan Huskies hockey as former Huskies defender Robin Ulrich joins the show! Robin's hockey experiences have been extensive as Teebz and Robin discuss her humble beginnings in small-town Saskatchewan, being recruited before the days of internet and social media, some of the schools who wanted her to play for them, her days as a Huskies player, her days as a Huskies assistant coach, her extensive coaching career, and much more! Robin's passion for the game shines through in this interview, and both she and Teebz are excited to see the Huskies get a shot at the top-ranked Concordia Stingers tonight! Make sure you get settled in for the interview prior to the start of the 7:00pm MT game between Saskatchewan and Concordia by hearing Robin's fantastic interview on <a href="http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/373/"><i>The Hockey Show</i></a> at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via <a href="https://umfm.com/">UMFM.com</a>!<br />
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If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The <a href="https://umfm.com/">new UMFM website</a>'s online streaming player is pretty awesome if you want to listen online. We also recommend <a href="http://radio.garden/listen/cjum-fm/CRkSFWDb">Radio Garden</a> if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you <a href="https://tunein.com/">use the TuneIn app</a> found on the App Store or Google Play Store. If you use the <a href="https://tunein.com/">TuneIn app</a>, you won't be disappointed. It's a solid app.<br />
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If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to <a href="mailto:hockeyshow@umfm.com">hockeyshow@umfm.com</a>! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at <a href="https://twitter.com/TeebzHBIC">@TeebzHBIC on Twitter</a>! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard!<br />
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Tonight, Teebz chats with Huskies assistant coach Robin Ulrich about small-town life, suiting up for the Huskies, big moments in her career, coaching opportunities elsewhere, returning to the Huskies, and much more live from Sasaktoon, Saskatchwan at the 2024 GFL U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship, presented by Connect Energy, exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the <a href="http://umfm.com/">UMFM.com web stream</a>!<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-48997936454633926712024-03-13T19:00:00.000-05:002024-03-15T10:44:08.423-05:00Practice Day In Saskatoon<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzyTwz0RtnbDkGFEkZbARvVSyOBZcvy0eCiF98tQ3jP_NDM7zM-KMoA-fZ2CLsiHuX0ScMAE2Mn6exLNP9PZCzqWX0T2fee9-X61UaDfXDUtynSA010PLJBpqNTM9fkl4DUyiXuQFhxig4-owX-l9yICzARbwIYmJ59bF__xOrJF7zAyz7iRzucmdTCTU/s443/practice.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="291" data-original-width="443" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzyTwz0RtnbDkGFEkZbARvVSyOBZcvy0eCiF98tQ3jP_NDM7zM-KMoA-fZ2CLsiHuX0ScMAE2Mn6exLNP9PZCzqWX0T2fee9-X61UaDfXDUtynSA010PLJBpqNTM9fkl4DUyiXuQFhxig4-owX-l9yICzARbwIYmJ59bF__xOrJF7zAyz7iRzucmdTCTU/s200/practice.jpg"/></a></div>Having arrived successfully in Saskatoon, credentials for the 2024 GFL U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship, presented by Connect Energy, were obtained, granting me access to Merlis Belsher Place in a limited capacity. Because I didn't apply for media credentials, I don't have the same freedom as some of the reporters who will be spending time at the rink, but it's weird in that me, a volunteer, was one of the few people who was at the arena on Wednesday to watch the practices of a few teams. One of those teams I was lucky enough to watch practice was the Concordia Stingers, and I'll make the case right now that the Stingers appear to be ready for their game on Thursday evening against the host Saskatchewan Huskies.<br />
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I'm not here to pump any teams' tires, but watching Concordia practice was pretty incredible because it didn't feel like a practice as much as it looked like a confident team having fun. There were some basic drills and reinforcement of systems, but it was fun to watch the players partake in a breakaway contest where they showed all sorts of moves and skills as the goalies were left to fend for themselves.<br />
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Some of the players stood out regarding those skills. Justine Yelle, known more for her defensive play, sent two lasers by the Concordia netminders with her wrist shot - the first when she went off the left post while breaking in on the right side, and the second was a rocket over the glove of the goaltender just under the bar. I was completely unaware of how strong and how accurate her shot was because she plays in a more defensive style, but Yelle's ability to pick her spots with her shot was quite impressive.<br />
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Émilie Lavoie was having too much fun with her breakaway moves, deking and weaving down the ice before showing her quick hands. She went between the legs for one attempt that was stopped that resulted in her her looking to the sky, but her attempt down the other end of the ice saw her deke in, drag the puck on her backhand to the far post, and shelf the puck over the stretched goalie across the ice. Needless to say, Lavoie looks like she could be dangerous if she finds some room to skate.<br />
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Jessymaude Drapeau was the other player having way too much fun with the breakaways as she was deking, juking, and weaving all over the offensive zone as she pulled out her bag of tricks. Her method seemed to be to get in tight to the crease before showing off her incredible hands, leaving the netminders very little time to react. It worked once, but it seemed that Jordyn Verbeek may have known what to expect as she deked Verbeek to one side of the net before moving the puck to her backhand where it seemed like she had a yawning cage. I say that because Verbeek reached back and absolutely robbed Drapeau with the glove, denying her an incredible goal which resulted in a pad tap from Drapeau.<br />
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Clearly, the Stingers were having a good time, but there was some other work being done. Defenders, when not using their skills competition moves, were working on rimming the puck around the boards to the point where a second defender was playing the bounce to get a sense of the kick off the boards. They did that a number of times both along the ice and up along the glass, and it seemed like they had a good idea on how the puck would move if they used the boards to find a player at the point.<br />
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Meanwhile, Stingers head coach Julie Chu was chatting with the defenders at the blue line while throwing pucks in at the yellow kickplate behind the net to see how it would kick into the slot area based on her angle. It was rather amazing to watch for the US Olympian testing the kickplate at various spots for how it would send the puck back out front, and you got the sense that she's discussed the idea of purposely missing the net with a low shot with her defenders just to get that kick off the end boards for her forwards battling in front of the net. Will this come into play against the Huskies? I can't say for sure, but I feel like that's something very few coaches spend time discussing with their teams.<br />
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Overall, there was a good discussion at the end with the team tightly-huddled near Chu at the boards, and it was cool to see and hear her talking about taking care of the puck, knowing where you have to be on the ice, supporting each other, and having fun. That last part seemed to be the important part to her as there were some laughs and a lot of smiles as she spoke, and you get the sense that the top-ranked team is where they are because they do have fun playing the game. Yes, they're loaded with skill and talent, but hockey is fun for them as well - a point some coaches seem to forget.<br />
<br />
Will they win tomorrow? I'm not making that prediction here because the field seems pretty open when it comes to the eight teams competing at the 2024 GFL U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship, presented by Connect Energy, but the top-ranked team in Canada seems to be ready for the battle that looms. If they bring the same energy and fun they had today to their game tomorrow, I feel like the Huskies will have their hands full, but it seems pretty clear that the Stingers are pretty confident heading into the National Championship tournament.<br />
<br />
It all gets started tomorrow, so make sure you <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey">tune in on CBCSports</a> or get your bottom to Merlis Belsher Place for all the action!<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-46281359707033326012024-03-12T22:00:00.029-05:002024-03-15T10:50:16.351-05:00Thanks For Doing The Bare Minimum<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZpC6OrzEmXGdiRHL_1ETBD5Dxa_CR0ZkxXeri3FkhZ7CodQr5XX2w2ekQKRm7or0rTD9dRoyEY4x8BYZT9nzoNHit20pP4u_ZRN3vuC05wvMhHfTyCcgt_cxZvA3Y8IzTEgMuuauE0wNBOUo_B0qXCIRLFGF1RRH-_-ioX_8kJXQ7IgoQUPu20zRIaUQ/s400/wiggum.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZpC6OrzEmXGdiRHL_1ETBD5Dxa_CR0ZkxXeri3FkhZ7CodQr5XX2w2ekQKRm7or0rTD9dRoyEY4x8BYZT9nzoNHit20pP4u_ZRN3vuC05wvMhHfTyCcgt_cxZvA3Y8IzTEgMuuauE0wNBOUo_B0qXCIRLFGF1RRH-_-ioX_8kJXQ7IgoQUPu20zRIaUQ/s200/wiggum.gif"/></a></div>I struggle with the idea that one person can call all the shots when it comes to a mainstream media outlet. It would seem that one particular news outlet that rhymes with "Jockey Clues" has a women's hockey section that's controlled entirely by one person, and his efforts in reporting stories from the Canadian university game are subpar at best. Forget that he rarely pays attention to what's happening at the U SPORTS level in Canada because that's not why I'm here tonight. Instead, the reason is because when he does decide to pound out an article about the Canadian university game, it feels like doing the bare minimum is the effort he gives. Frankly, I'm tired of it.<br />
<br />
I've tried to ignore some of the disrespect this particular media outlet gives U SPORTS women's hockey, but it's becoming much harder for me to bite my tongue when I see the types of mistakes made when it comes to spelling players' names wrong. The first rule we had when broadcasting was get a player's name correct. They earned the right to wear the jersey and be on the ice, so the very least we could do was pronouncing and spelling a player's name correctly. The outlet in question, however, seems not to care for this particular detail.<br />
<br />
I can forgive an accent left off a name as we still know who that player is thanks to the name being spelled correctly. Should the accent be there? Absolutely since the player includes it when she signs her name. I'll overlook the accents missing on a number of players' names <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/womens/college/team-by-team-preview-usports-national-championships">in this article published today</a>, but we need to have some serious discussions about the effort of this writer to cover Canadian university women's hockey with any sort of knowledge about the teams and players.<br />
<br />
Let's start with the general numbers. Since February 1, the author in question has published 28 NCAA stories compared to just six U SPORTS stories. Four of those U SPORTS stories were who won each conference, so it's a question as to why it was posted on "The Jockey Clues" without some actual coverage of the playoffs for each of the teams. The other two was a piece on Concordia finishing their season 25-0-0 while the second was the piece linked above and <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/womens/college/team-by-team-preview-usports-national-championships">here again</a>. In none of the pieces was anything more than a simple recap given with a few player stats mixed into the paragraphs.<br />
<br />
Effort aside, what bothers me the most is the disrespect shown by Ion Keddeny in misspelling names that are easily verifiable and absolutely crucial for his stories. Again, accents aside on Concordia's Émilie Lussier's and Rosalie Bégin-Cyr's names, how on earth does UBC netminder Elise Hugens have her name misspelled so badly?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBZnM_cbjie2KgHUxUl34MoiitLKza5OxZF5avAGHdL7NWX9KXHwYrN4ofytgTHV6dFD7EdtIP8xmpU8dzUZDQPXm99SmEJTVEJriiOlKfZATZkZK3RbdfBM-2O7t-Gc0wWtxGYm0U1Jz1eQ8JzYJrDXOuXMZmzxkDMQThDgpfK-wuKMkosqrcRlYtb_n/s716/huggins.JPG" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="96" data-original-width="716" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrBZnM_cbjie2KgHUxUl34MoiitLKza5OxZF5avAGHdL7NWX9KXHwYrN4ofytgTHV6dFD7EdtIP8xmpU8dzUZDQPXm99SmEJTVEJriiOlKfZATZkZK3RbdfBM-2O7t-Gc0wWtxGYm0U1Jz1eQ8JzYJrDXOuXMZmzxkDMQThDgpfK-wuKMkosqrcRlYtb_n/s400/huggins.JPG"/></a></div>Perhaps Ioan Kennedee doesn't watch Canada West hockey enough to know it's Elise HYOU-GINS (hard G), but you'd think he'd make the effort to know how Elise's last name is spelled if he was writing articles about women's hockey, right? Perhaps not.<br />
<br />
Of course, knowing that a player won a FISU gold medal last season would mean he likely knows her name, but it seems Waterloo's Leah Herrfort doesn't even get her name right in multiple articles. Below is the article from today (Heffort???) and the second example is from Iain Kokomo's March 11 article about Waterloo winning the OUA championship where he wrote the same name. How does this happen?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_azsVymL7jxeww1yxGAeSa9qHyapqJZSK5wKeat5SEotIO89L3yZVLDcwnN6FjwAWMsgVGYhu9gfWInGEUIBRYntWayMcTxQsJ4t2VsBOnC6bAKaFDD9qYChA4hFeb4l6MmKUkmHvp9Yb9CurOivU3xHfbZ2UGxii6yAgzMfeb2ciDUCVo7NeUnEELOqS/s717/heffort.JPG" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="173" data-original-width="717" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_azsVymL7jxeww1yxGAeSa9qHyapqJZSK5wKeat5SEotIO89L3yZVLDcwnN6FjwAWMsgVGYhu9gfWInGEUIBRYntWayMcTxQsJ4t2VsBOnC6bAKaFDD9qYChA4hFeb4l6MmKUkmHvp9Yb9CurOivU3xHfbZ2UGxii6yAgzMfeb2ciDUCVo7NeUnEELOqS/s400/heffort.JPG"/></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqjn9GoC-Ti7s3H8pJnqNZ6ZThkdN5a9TxAD4LPp5A78EkhTY67FQNRb6ACed2kOTK3i1HWiylhAqvlLZNBPlQUu_XvR9byBrux6_Du7GFFMSOh0leK287Cu1C9IsdP5PLDv4PA1nO7kkX6R8o_1Sg-y8dzAcvV5NEmCX8Hkx-BFsjOgn-EKtgraIh9R8/s715/heffortMAR11.JPG" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="67" data-original-width="715" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCqjn9GoC-Ti7s3H8pJnqNZ6ZThkdN5a9TxAD4LPp5A78EkhTY67FQNRb6ACed2kOTK3i1HWiylhAqvlLZNBPlQUu_XvR9byBrux6_Du7GFFMSOh0leK287Cu1C9IsdP5PLDv4PA1nO7kkX6R8o_1Sg-y8dzAcvV5NEmCX8Hkx-BFsjOgn-EKtgraIh9R8/s400/heffortMAR11.JPG"/></a></div>Leah Herrfort's name isn't unknown to U SPORTS hockey fans as the dynamic forward has been Waterloo's standout player for a couple of seasons. Her efforts at the FISU Universiade put her on the map in Canadian university hockey as one of the best players in the game, and she's followed that up with Waterloo's first appearance at Nationals. Yet, according to the guy writing all these women's hockey articles for a major publication, "Leah Heffort" is the player to watch.<br />
<br />
He was at it again when talking about UBC's victory in Canada West as Eion Kennebunkport was <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/womens/college/ubc-womens-hockey-three-peats-as-canada-west-champions">naming key players in UBC's run</a> to the banner this season on March 4. Former McGill Martlets and current T-Birds forward Makenzie McCallum - no "C" in her first name - is playing her fifth and final year at UBC, and she was a key contributor all season long. Our author, though, decided that "C" was necessary.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKB75GwdJAzUHlPG45_lK-So0GQ2JI1TNcxDsb0_Wps6I1tFTzN8RC-9KdQtYlvmDmNWyLdaTUo9WYFEiG_ajlKgP2adUGiDB4Sze5Q4w5AdmYKYoSH8F3G2NjcE1xjFNrBEIKbfRdhUBfC12-3KJhXj2wnW1CSdyxniDyJQZ6xwXllFgSe6SESrncvvQ/s718/McCallumMAR4.JPG" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="68" data-original-width="718" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKB75GwdJAzUHlPG45_lK-So0GQ2JI1TNcxDsb0_Wps6I1tFTzN8RC-9KdQtYlvmDmNWyLdaTUo9WYFEiG_ajlKgP2adUGiDB4Sze5Q4w5AdmYKYoSH8F3G2NjcE1xjFNrBEIKbfRdhUBfC12-3KJhXj2wnW1CSdyxniDyJQZ6xwXllFgSe6SESrncvvQ/s400/McCallumMAR4.JPG"/></a></div>I'll be honest in saying that I've made the same mistake, but I verify those names before hitting "publish" because I hold these women in high regard. Regarding Miss McCallum's name, I've made a point to get it right whenever she's lightning the lamp for the Thunderbirds which was often this season, and it shouldn't be hard for a journalist working for one of the major publications to verify the players' names he's used in his stories. But that seems just theoretical here.<br />
<br />
Of course, publishing accurate information would also be in Ean Kenedi's best interest. He made a bold claim that, while partially true, needed one word to make it entirely accurate. On February 17, he wrote about the Concordia Stingers <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/womens/college/concordia-completes-perfect-25-0-0-season">finishing their season at 25-0-0</a>, and he made this bold statement to begin the article.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNl3FY0O0UdQGbMVKFwEpplpz-mGU21yUWhbhdpGOs_Y1wkZ2fAgyQU49WvyYG_ofPC4SfbnCiBGI4tnS3bzQqVDeHKkzp67RA-ET3e8uM1x4Hknrzl1zku_UxI5HHEmFyQX77C0eiYfb9-vjIs3PpYSmiobL6s61LJujjnbhFQn3Mh0FbIMEAPXanEYPL/s714/StingersFeb17.JPG" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="134" data-original-width="714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNl3FY0O0UdQGbMVKFwEpplpz-mGU21yUWhbhdpGOs_Y1wkZ2fAgyQU49WvyYG_ofPC4SfbnCiBGI4tnS3bzQqVDeHKkzp67RA-ET3e8uM1x4Hknrzl1zku_UxI5HHEmFyQX77C0eiYfb9-vjIs3PpYSmiobL6s61LJujjnbhFQn3Mh0FbIMEAPXanEYPL/s400/StingersFeb17.JPG"/></a></div>The only problem with that statement is that the UNB Reds men's team went 30-0-0 this season. Being that UNB is in Canada, that would blow a hole through that statement. Had the author simply qualified his statement by adding "No women's team in Canada," this statement would be true. However, his lack of a qualifier on his statement is proven false by that powerhouse team in Fredericton coached by Gardiner MacDougall.<br />
<br />
I had mentioned earlier that Iann Kinidee's effort in writing some of these articles was rather terrible, and he went back to that level of effort for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/womens/college/team-by-team-preview-usports-national-championships">U SPORTS National Championship preview</a> he published today. Most of the examinations of these teams are simply statistical reviews of their top players, but it seems he opted to do even less when he got to the Toronto Varsity Blues.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDfgMLNvpmI-vTazCB6GGh3uoEwKNvPeTdBg8fCYfbXVOukoJiLRIV07vZwBnw-W85WNHL2Co_HDqmLZjt2SqsmJYEA4Puf0hK_8SPBJc1YqwEOpBblLdXsnudeE0kHesHSb1XshHmo0snv2UoL1qSX1leVp___xUf4Cuil_XHuWaY3BTYap-F8DsyGUE/s703/toronto.JPG" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="703" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDfgMLNvpmI-vTazCB6GGh3uoEwKNvPeTdBg8fCYfbXVOukoJiLRIV07vZwBnw-W85WNHL2Co_HDqmLZjt2SqsmJYEA4Puf0hK_8SPBJc1YqwEOpBblLdXsnudeE0kHesHSb1XshHmo0snv2UoL1qSX1leVp___xUf4Cuil_XHuWaY3BTYap-F8DsyGUE/s400/toronto.JPG"/></a></div>How does Toronto lack individual star power? Taylor Trussler led the team in goals (10) and points (23), and she's their legitimate offensive star. Alongside her, you'll find Taylor Delahey, Sophie Grawbarger, and Kaitlyn McKnight who finished the season with 9, 8, and 7 goals, repsecively. On the blue line, Emma Potter is a standout player, and her return to the lineup in Saskatoon will boost the Varsity Blues immensely. Yes, Toronto's strategy is based on sound defence, but don't claim there aren't star players in the lineup, especially when Trussler finished tied for second in playoff scoring. That's just terrible research being done for this article.<br />
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Of course, there's this line that Aeon Fluxitty decided to write in setting up Montreal's preview that is woefully misinformed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnZSR0N-oR4mDMWDKm4UWK5PoeHwhYWLMWay6MPW_aYO74Pp_gXq0ojRKndppKe7vgTlLoHONnuI3oC29iU_K1r8WfeZdUW3Sb5KU0qZPS8FBws9dOgFJoF3EBzQdJ1RxxlIsEulX0iRNSrnq57sUiuFqlxLYWQR85NMor1QXHhwRGhzV_IwnxVPqO-mM/s705/montreal.JPG" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="117" data-original-width="705" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnZSR0N-oR4mDMWDKm4UWK5PoeHwhYWLMWay6MPW_aYO74Pp_gXq0ojRKndppKe7vgTlLoHONnuI3oC29iU_K1r8WfeZdUW3Sb5KU0qZPS8FBws9dOgFJoF3EBzQdJ1RxxlIsEulX0iRNSrnq57sUiuFqlxLYWQR85NMor1QXHhwRGhzV_IwnxVPqO-mM/s400/montreal.JPG"/></a></div>For those who aren't aware, Montreal finished in third-place in the RSEQ this season. They went 0-4-1 against the Stingers, so they did pick up a point in their first meeting of the season in a 2-1 overtime loss before recording a win over the Stingers in the playoffs. A couple of notes would include that while Montreal surrendered the fewest goals (16) when playing the Stingers of all RSEQ teams, they also scored the fewest (3) while being shutout three times.<br />
<br />
The reason I'm pointing this out is that the Ottawa Gee-Gees went 0-3-2 against the Stingers this season while beating them once in the playoffs as well. Ottawa scored nine times in those games and was not shutout by the Stingers this season while allowing 20 goals in those games. That -11 goal differential is better than Montreal, and those two points earned in the overtime losses is better than what Montreal earned. Again, doing the research matters when writing matter-of-fact statements, and it seems that research is the last thing our author does. Assuming it's done at all.<br />
<br />
You can't claim to a news outlet for women's hockey if you can do the basics like getting names and simple facts correct. Masquerading as "a supporter for women's hockey" when you're misspelling players' names and publishing incorrect information isn't doing the game any help, and those of us who know better aren't paid to be your editor. If you're going to lead the push for women's hockey media, then do it. Otherwise, get out of the way and let those of us who know these players tell their stories correctly.<br />
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On behalf of the above writer's poor effort, I apologize to all of the teams and players at this year's U SPORTS National Championship. You all deserve better than a half-assed article written by a guy who makes it clear he doesn't care about U SPORTS women's hockey.<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!<br />
<br />
<i><b>***UPDATE:***</b> I tweeted at the author to, at the very least, get players' names right, and it seems he went back and fixed one of the more egregious errors he made with a player's name.</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-i4VH9VykJ2T_ltDZsN9OjsRakEy6MIqsUaMDOS9M0ewAWDcw1QrmLgTh1m1wISpfq7je2iyZvvqq9GNWYo3yDWZGDtewJRntTuJgbZEwAWRe0RXVnbZ0mb1znwr4bvjQluDIuiEjN91p-ttmbo_qfntJGs4usBeHxXNBMoXQmPhu8r4fovZdqk5tC2e/s691/herrfort.JPG" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="86" data-original-width="691" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi-i4VH9VykJ2T_ltDZsN9OjsRakEy6MIqsUaMDOS9M0ewAWDcw1QrmLgTh1m1wISpfq7je2iyZvvqq9GNWYo3yDWZGDtewJRntTuJgbZEwAWRe0RXVnbZ0mb1znwr4bvjQluDIuiEjN91p-ttmbo_qfntJGs4usBeHxXNBMoXQmPhu8r4fovZdqk5tC2e/s400/herrfort.JPG"/></a></div><i>Based on that fix, I had hoped that Elise Hugens would see her name fixed, but that didn't happen. I'm hopeful he'll go back and review his article once more since I tweeted at him again, but it seems the UBC netminder will play as "Huggins" as per this author.</i>Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-13839352648805815872024-03-11T20:30:00.000-05:002024-03-12T19:50:08.251-05:00Last-Minute Preparations<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGza6Sd9OwUjFwmryxtayTBDRdn_bHoMrryhnyFukXTorsxSPOjfgw9McfktTDejlKreqxdkFwUAX6TK8vE51es-UdMJtnq2Ri0eFkZyYTnpY-0s-16uvbIGuSMzGzDmDcQkmEwKz__jAeYW9dK61sQyfNhyphenhyphen2PuZiht47aZX8COBsSPNq_hhJqejsU3NHX/s299/packing.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGza6Sd9OwUjFwmryxtayTBDRdn_bHoMrryhnyFukXTorsxSPOjfgw9McfktTDejlKreqxdkFwUAX6TK8vE51es-UdMJtnq2Ri0eFkZyYTnpY-0s-16uvbIGuSMzGzDmDcQkmEwKz__jAeYW9dK61sQyfNhyphenhyphen2PuZiht47aZX8COBsSPNq_hhJqejsU3NHX/s200/packing.jpg"/></a></div>I feel pretty confident that no one would mistake the suitcase to the left for my own. Besides those clothes being designed for women, it seems obvious that this woman is fashionably and trendy - two things I am not. I do pack a bag well, though, and I'll have everything I need with me when I arrive in Saskatoon for the 2024 GFL U SPORTS Women's Hockey Championship, presented by Connect Energy. Today, though, I need some time for last-minute preparations.<br />
<br />
Some thoughts from the last few days in hockey:<br />
<ul><li>John Tortorella's suspension and fine are ridiculous when it's clear that he was doing hat he's paid to do: get an explanation from the referee about the calls made against his team. Was he wrong not to leave the bench? Absolutely, and that should warrant a fine <b>OR</b> a suspension, but not both. I still believe Wes McCauley owes John Tortorella an explanation, but it seems like that won't happen.</li>
<li>I'll write more about this in the future, but Arizona's proposed arena site reportedly <a href="https://twitter.com/RadarBleu/status/1767025897771585702">has no infrastructure below the ground</a>. That means no sewer or water services, so we're still a decade from a new arena in the desert. It's time for the NHL to pull the plug on this disaster, and bookmark Phoenix as a potential expansion site in the future.</li>
<li>Former Leksands IF head coach <a href="https://ottawa.thepwhl.com/en/jordan-colliton-comes-to-ottawa-to-learn-and-grow">Jordan Colliton was hired by the PWHL Ottawa team</a> in what appears to be a video coaching role. Colliton worked with the Mount Royal Cougars prior to her opportunity in Sweden, but she was relieved of her head coaching duties in November after Leksands struggled early in the SDHL season. It's good to see her land on her feet with another former MRU coach in Carla McLeod, and Colliton should fit nicely with the team in Ottawa.</li>
<li>Speaking of the Coyotes, teammates Dylan Guenther and Jack McBain - roommates in Phoenix - somehow opted not pay their water utility bill, <a href="https://arizonasports.com/story/3544188/arizona-coyotes-dylan-guenther-has-water-turned-off-after-he-doesnt-pay-utility-bill/">forcing the water company to shut off the water</a> earlier this week. Insert your own jokes here about the Coyotes and forgetting to pay bills, but that's a terrible look for these two players and their team. According to Guenther, "We thought the electricity and the water was kind of a two-in-one and turns out it wasn't." Perhaps there needs to be a basic class for all rookies on how to live as an adult?</li>
</ul>I need to finish a few things before the open road beckons, so that's where I'll leave that today. Discuss among yourselves, and we'll figure stuff out when the wheels come to a stop in Saskatoon. I'm expecting it to be a blast at the U SPORTS Women's Hockey Championship, so we'll see how things go this week!<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-34183327107555494822024-03-10T23:30:00.001-05:002024-03-11T08:41:53.482-05:00The Rundown - Elite Eight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTjUfmRyaliNwvwtIWmcT-mnhE-vDaxjJCCb_m_3vjVWpIJl4z3VvBoPaHre6T2hOiMP9Qk3_6RXsABDzpoJbv55ecCj4CcTFo1ht-3bW-kucgiL_cuRD9ld6PqqmvQyUThpOv4Sj9OE/s1600/rundown.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTjUfmRyaliNwvwtIWmcT-mnhE-vDaxjJCCb_m_3vjVWpIJl4z3VvBoPaHre6T2hOiMP9Qk3_6RXsABDzpoJbv55ecCj4CcTFo1ht-3bW-kucgiL_cuRD9ld6PqqmvQyUThpOv4Sj9OE/s400/rundown.png" /></a></div>There are no more second chances. The final eight teams were known for a week, but there was still some shuffling to do in terms of who would be seeded where for the 2024 GFL U SPORTS Women's Hockey Championship, presented by Connect Energy, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan beginning on Thursday. Everything is single-elimination from this point forward, so the team that executes its game plan best while making the fewest mistakes will stand atop the mountain in Saskatoon. Getting there, though, is entirely why this tournament is must-watch action! Let's find out who is playing whom in the opening round taking place on Thursday and Friday, and take a deeper look into the matchups here on <i>The Rundown</i>!
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Final Game</u></h1>
The OUA's McCaw Cup needed to be decided, and that game was played last night. The Toronto Varsity Blues hosted the Waterloo Warriors in the final, and both teams were looking to lockdown a top-four seed at the National Championship. These two teams came into the single-game, winner-takes-all game with impressively-low goaltending numbers as they've gone all-in with the "defence wins championships" idea. Mikayla Schnarr got the start for the Warriors while the Varsity Blues had Erica Fryer defending their cage.<br />
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This won't be your normal recap as I'm condensing it, but the teams traded first period goals as Toronto's Juliette Blais-Savoie opened the scoring at 6:03 before Waterloo's Carly Orth tied the game at 14:04. From there, it was the goaltender show as both Schnarr and Fryer put on a show in their respective creases making saves, at times, they had no business making. Breakaways were stopped. Goalmouth scrambles were denied. Robberies were happening all over the ice.<br />
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Because of Schnarr's and Fryer's performances, this game hit overtime tied at 1-1 and with Toronto leading 21-17 in shots. Toronto took immediate control of overtime with a handful of good chances that were denied, but they kept coming as they looked to be in complete control. That was the case until a turnover at their own blue line.<br />
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JqeiiDLhu8g?si=Hl-negnj6Ax6KADD" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Carly Orth stripped the puck off Juliette Blais-Savoie's stick at the blue line, setting up the odd-player rush, before feeding Paige Rynne driving the net who buried the puck for Waterloo's first OUA championship in the program's 22 year history! The overtime victory will give Waterloo a top-four seeding at Nationals after being ranked as high as tenth this season, so the Warriors finished this season strong. Mikayla Schnarr stopped 25 shots in the championship win while Erica Fryer made 16 saves in her silver-medal performance.<br />
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With that win, we now know who should be ranked higher and lower from each conference. Creating the matchups at Nationals can now be done, and we can play a tournament next week.
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Brackets</u></h1>
All eight teams have been sorted and placed into the bracket. The 2024 National Championship looks like the image below:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglec2juxWkfM3EOBBZy3P8B7RIKimnBUr_3WBkLIOOmtJOXZ6n4_axZEvd9u5IPxivhnlCGYed9Mtl7ZbtMEdITDtOI-805MkqMY-EaBN3UC5iHuAkOr2y0bvalvvIteIsNLorZL7_B_i7KYCWzjWWpUzoNHsjMGTMHTZZA5Uh0IDzQkDVk5NYrVqvlMOu/s1010/seedings1.jpg" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" height="400" data-original-height="1010" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglec2juxWkfM3EOBBZy3P8B7RIKimnBUr_3WBkLIOOmtJOXZ6n4_axZEvd9u5IPxivhnlCGYed9Mtl7ZbtMEdITDtOI-805MkqMY-EaBN3UC5iHuAkOr2y0bvalvvIteIsNLorZL7_B_i7KYCWzjWWpUzoNHsjMGTMHTZZA5Uh0IDzQkDVk5NYrVqvlMOu/s400/seedings1.jpg"/></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAIGgMmyxn6LYQ6WPJVRqI1UYfSi4cmmCfddGMqfV3w1UDrq1T64jEkngnH0LLVvfJuGlQKm7j13vSqUV3IuYHClJ2hshUiVplcXB7nIowdx66JbH_6e3OMA1x4EpYrOyhNm9Ls0jfFCIimZMm7HfmcuZNuV9KWA9q294o5fFSYwtathkA6TRF4yR77OP/s435/SASCON.png" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAIGgMmyxn6LYQ6WPJVRqI1UYfSi4cmmCfddGMqfV3w1UDrq1T64jEkngnH0LLVvfJuGlQKm7j13vSqUV3IuYHClJ2hshUiVplcXB7nIowdx66JbH_6e3OMA1x4EpYrOyhNm9Ls0jfFCIimZMm7HfmcuZNuV9KWA9q294o5fFSYwtathkA6TRF4yR77OP/s400/SASCON.png"/></a></div>There's no doubt that Concordia will have a target on them no matter who they play, and they get the hosts in the Saskatchewan Huskies first. Concordia is 2-0 all-time against Saskatchewan at National Championships including a 4-2 win for the bronze medal in 2018, but Saskatchewan will likely be watching the Ottawa and Montreal games where Concordia was defeated in the playoffs. The other meeting was in 2022 when Concordia beat Saskatchewan in the semifinal to advance to the gold-medal game.<br />
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If there is a bonus for the Huskies, the Stingers play a similar style compared to UBC, so there may be some opportunity where the Huskies have experience against that style of play. Saskatchewan can't worry about the shot counter as Concordia will pepper the net with pucks, but they can worry about converting the chances they'll find. Concordia isn't perfect defensively, so getting chances and scoring on those chances - including the power-play - could force an upset in this game. If the Huskies can capitalize on chances while playing their normal brand of suffocating defence, they can win.<br />
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On the other hand, the Stingers can score at will at times, and that's no better exemplified in the Stingers outscoring their opponents 23-4 in Game Three situations. The Stingers will jump all over mistakes like sharks in chum-filled waters, and that can help if their speed can pressure the Huskies into mistakes. If the Stingers can convert turnovers and use their speed to create chaos, they should advance.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuvnd2ioNxzSLkaiR54tPluANw7SFp8ZXy5p36yBx-xb6-SmBvBU-2fn4NmejQCOJ3Xx4jR9S38CHvnHH1eh5NJ9NB6Puoi0wY7wLyxO2vlIJz96Om-uvSh2UQURrIdkoF-XyaFOzuz_cZslGGJ7r1OVV2m5kCIn3o0dzzZlCcZNKq2NUKyz4XIYdOwUg/s435/MTLUBC.png" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuvnd2ioNxzSLkaiR54tPluANw7SFp8ZXy5p36yBx-xb6-SmBvBU-2fn4NmejQCOJ3Xx4jR9S38CHvnHH1eh5NJ9NB6Puoi0wY7wLyxO2vlIJz96Om-uvSh2UQURrIdkoF-XyaFOzuz_cZslGGJ7r1OVV2m5kCIn3o0dzzZlCcZNKq2NUKyz4XIYdOwUg/s400/MTLUBC.png"/></a></div>UBC and Montreal will get reacquainted after UBC defeated Montreal in the bronze-medal game last season. That was the only victory for UBC in the three meetings these teams have had historically as Montreal crushed UBC 8-0 in 2016 gold-medal game and won 5-3 at the 2013 Nationals. There won't be any love lost between these two teams as they write another chapter into their history in Saskatoon.<br />
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If Montreal wants to win, they need to recreate the game they played against Concordia where they closed gap space quickly, defended the net with everything they had, and capitalized on the few chances they were given. UBC will likely outshoot and outskate the Carabins in this game, so they'll need a big effort defensively. The Carabins can find themselves in good standing if they remain disciplined as they do have a decent power-play. Stopping UBC will be tough, but they've dealt with Concordia all season so they can pull off the upset.<br />
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The Thunderbirds will look to create chaos in the offensive zone with their speed and passing, but they are effective in getting players to the front of the net where Montreal likes to collapse. If they can get pucks through the humanity that ends up in front of the Montreal net, the Thunderbirds will find themselves in good standing. UBC can't be frustrated by the traffic, and they'll have to be disciplined defensively because Montreal's power-play did strike against Concordia. If they can play their brand of hockey, UBC should be skating in a semifinal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47Fl48OhI8-ggYvpc6EsTfr2SOQnGdx-vCFsusKgaKtQQGfnY5ixSg9OoWR4o1t_JohKTPfqgI9iRsPWcRnvdwreNos9Ie71H0htMfcUMV9lCTPbULel_lvwIMf1UskWEpscy255axb5iu8apVjiscSomhomKL2zZLaPid43XxdyN2daFmYhzOCHMnXd_/s435/TORUNB.png" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47Fl48OhI8-ggYvpc6EsTfr2SOQnGdx-vCFsusKgaKtQQGfnY5ixSg9OoWR4o1t_JohKTPfqgI9iRsPWcRnvdwreNos9Ie71H0htMfcUMV9lCTPbULel_lvwIMf1UskWEpscy255axb5iu8apVjiscSomhomKL2zZLaPid43XxdyN2daFmYhzOCHMnXd_/s400/TORUNB.png"/></a></div>The Toronto Varsity Blues have met the UNB Reds only once at Nationals, and that was last season when the Blues beat the Reds by a 4-1 score on the consolation side of the tournament. This year's game will send one team to the consolation side, so there's a little more on the line for this second chapter in these teams' histories.<br />
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Toronto has shown a dedication to defence throughout the OUA playoffs, surrendering three goals only once in the seven games they've played. That defence will need to continue to be stout in Saskatoon, but they will get a boost with the return of Emma Potter following her suspension. The offensive rearguard should help Toronto push the play more than what was seen against Waterloo, so that could benefit the Varsity Blues against a solid Reds squad. If Toronto's defence can play as well as it has while the offence capitalizes on chances, Toronto could record a second win against the Reds.<br />
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The Reds have been on a tear through the AUS Playoffs with a 5-1 record, and that one loss was a double-overtime 2-1 loss to the Saint Mary's Huskies. The StFX X-Women scored just one goal in two games, so the Reds have cranked up their defensive play in the weeks leading up to the Nationals. Where things need to be boosted might be in the offensive side of the puck where they've scored three goals twice in six games. They'll still need to capitalize on chances they get because they haven't scored a ton of goals, but the Reds could conceivably defend their way into a semifinal berth.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-3JXPdyv0qRBnA0LmbL00sQF-KVSP8Fbtc8oJ05h1Z3BxoGWq41mRQ2UF3ZD7iMa7NKc9qX6DUIVcp8LUMDCbq1tV1JtUNTdSx7ZvgTVE64KOmci1kFd2IzJXtM1cHpmUUFBLcI9o6NiI4JA0zIx50KNs_1nW979l6ptPW3KUNFQMWqWDc6BnWLwQqke/s435/STFXWAT.png" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd-3JXPdyv0qRBnA0LmbL00sQF-KVSP8Fbtc8oJ05h1Z3BxoGWq41mRQ2UF3ZD7iMa7NKc9qX6DUIVcp8LUMDCbq1tV1JtUNTdSx7ZvgTVE64KOmci1kFd2IzJXtM1cHpmUUFBLcI9o6NiI4JA0zIx50KNs_1nW979l6ptPW3KUNFQMWqWDc6BnWLwQqke/s400/STFXWAT.png"/></a></div>
The fourth game that will take place in the quarterfinal pits the newcomers in the Waterloo Warriors against one of the most frequent visitors at Nationals in the StFX X-Women. Waterloo has never been to a National Championship, so they're writing history with every minute they play. The StFX X-Women have played 45 games at Nationals, and they haven't experienced a lot of success based on their 11-34 record. They do have a 2011 silver medal and a 2013 bronze medal, but it should be noted they've finished in the lowest spot seven times at Nationals.<br />
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StFX's record against OUA teams is actually pretty incredible as they're 8-8 at Nationals against teams from Ontario. They did lose to Toronto in the fifth-place consolation final last year, but they beat Queen's in 2018 and Guelph in 2015. StFX can score against teams who don't put up a wall as they showed against St. Thomas, but they ran into UNB's wall in the final. They'll need to find ways to get pucks on net against Waterloo, but they should be able to use their speed to beat the Warriors' defensive system to get to the front of the net where they'll find chances. Defensively, they need to lock down their zone, but the X-Women could make noise if they can light the lamp.<br />
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Waterloo's run has seen the Warriors beat unranked Laurier and unranked York before winning a single game against Toronto. That's not to say they can't beat good teams, but they may benefit from a single-elimination game because they only have to win three periods. In much the same way that Nipissing had a deep run in 2022, Waterloo is looking for the same magic as they got incredible goaltending, defence that held the fort, and some key scoring at times through the OUA playoffs. If they can withstand StFX's offensive push and get to the X-Women's net, Waterloo could earn a semifinal berth to confirm their standing as the fourth-seeded team.<br />
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I'm not making any predictions here because I'm going to be in Saskatoon, but let me just say that this field is wide open for any of these eight teams to make a push for a gold medal. Winning that first game will put those teams in line for a medal of some colour, but it's true that winning that first game may be the toughest for all these teams. We'll see how everything goes!
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Radio Show</u></h1>
Thursday's edition of <i>The Hockey Show</i> will be recorded in Saskatoon as I'll be sitting down with three former Huskies to discuss their careers and experiences at Nationals. The fun part is that all three players have played at a National Championship in different years and under different circumstances, so the discussion could be very interesting to hear their perspectives on what they experienced. I'm already excited to chat with these individuals, so make sure <a href="https://umfm.com/player">you have the radio tuned to UMFM</a> on Thursday while you <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey">watch the action on CBCSports.ca</a>! Keep an eye out for the schedule!
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Last Word</u></h1>
All eight teams who will play in Saskatoon deserve some kudos for their outstanding seasons. Yes, one team will be crowned as the National Champions next week on Sunday, but these eight teams have overcome adversity, found ways to win, executed their systems, and now stand three wins from immortality. All of them have sought this opportunity, and now it stands before them.<br />
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There will be heartbreak for seven teams at some point, but none of those teams should feel like they didn't accomplish something special. There are 27 other teams who are watching from home, and all of them would trade their seasons to be where these eight teams currently stand. All eight teams playing this week have proven that they're the best eight teams when the chips are on the table, and they deserve to be competing for Canadian university hockey's greatest honour. They are our best and brightest student-athletes!<br />
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Cheer loudly if you're at the games. Watch on CBCSports' website as much as you can. Witness the great moments of this tournament like the overtime goal scored by Mount Royal to win it all last season and the game-tying goal with seconds to play to push the game to overtime. This week is the last chance for you to show your support for Canadian university women's hockey, so be noisy about it. The women will hear you in Saskatoon one way or another, and I know they appreciate your support.<br />
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I have some kilometers to cover as I'm heading out to the 2024 GFL U SPORTS Women's Hockey Championship, presented by Connect Energy, so we'll see you in Saskatoon, folks!<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-31609681709067439582024-03-09T23:00:00.000-06:002024-03-10T09:50:48.162-05:00Communication Matters<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPffJ-nk6JaE0suvPldZYO2kRdFXSfGp-1HqTYXS-rDA9_UICSn-KRcUZJPQcZGYL62d-GlcbMtDvEJYFwqAongWFm21iBLP3CA87xKzvfVFeg5W7NFf36mDI7Ej1wSgJUZ-tcaWtUPlyQSfbC1R1N8mKKk43CUBUT17lTDaBncJUJhng4JH5kbSqupuQ/s338/tortorella.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbPffJ-nk6JaE0suvPldZYO2kRdFXSfGp-1HqTYXS-rDA9_UICSn-KRcUZJPQcZGYL62d-GlcbMtDvEJYFwqAongWFm21iBLP3CA87xKzvfVFeg5W7NFf36mDI7Ej1wSgJUZ-tcaWtUPlyQSfbC1R1N8mKKk43CUBUT17lTDaBncJUJhng4JH5kbSqupuQ/s200/tortorella.JPG"/></a></div>There have been a number of times in John Tortorella's career where he's been angry on the bench. That look on his face to the left is one of seething anger, and it was seen today as the Philadelphia Flyers and Tampa Bay Lightning met in Florida after he was tossed from the game midway through the first period by referee Wes McCauley. For as much as John Tortorella has shown that he's less inclined to blowing up over specific situations that may have set off the old Tortorella in the past, his interaction - or lack thereof - with McCauley tonight seemed to anger him like we haven't seen in some time. And it's likely going to set him back a few bucks as well.<br />
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I'm not here to defend either side in this conflict as Wes McCauley likely can justify assessing a game misconduct to John Tortorella while Tortorella was understandably was upset from how his team started the game combined with not getting an explanation on a penalty with which he didn't agree. As we see with most breakdowns in communication, bad things usually come of that, and we certainly had a situation tonight that would have had a better resolution with some communication between McCauley and Tortorella.<br />
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Things didn't start well for the Flyers, so you knew Tortorella wasn't going to be in a pleasant mood. However, Tortorella became irate after a tripping call against Tampa Bay's Michael Eyssimont was changed to a tripping call against Philadelphia's Ronnie Attard, but referees McCauley and Brandon Schrader were having none of Tortorella's protest. Consider the powderkeg lit at this point.<br />
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Shortly thereafter, Garnet Hathaway was given a ten-minute misconduct penalty for bumping Anthony Cirelli during a line change following a timeout, and the Lightning would use those advantages to score their fourth goal which set Tortorella off on a tirade for what he perceived was one-sided officiating. And while I'm not defending Tortorella's outburst in any way, his anger towards McCauley and Schrader clearly came from what he perceived as having all the calls go against the Flyers, and he let them know about it.<br />
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As far as I can tell, there were no cameras that picked up what Tortorella did or said that caused McCauley to respond as he did, but moments after the Brayden Point goal to make it 4-0, John Tortorella was ejected from the game which set him off again. This time, though, he made it clear he wasn't going anywhere without an explanation as to what the officials were thinking. Check it out.<br />
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FkQEEvmFvMo?si=C2__nmwb0NWoPMzG" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>As you can see in the video, Tortorella wanted an opportunity to speak with McCauley over what had been called, and he wasn't going anywhere until McCauley came to the bench for "a discussion". McCauley refused that invitation and, instead, enforced the game misconduct penalty he had given Tortorella as it seems he had heard enough from the Flyers' bench boss on this night.<br />
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It's hard to blame Tortorella for wanting an explanation when he believed his team was getting a power-play only to have that call reversed, but to lose Hathaway for ten minutes following a timeout would probably need some sort of explanation. I'm not saying that Hathaway didn't deserve the misconduct, but things were already going poorly for the Flyers by that point so it was upm to McCauley, as the guy who is paid to keep order, from allowing this situation to break down even further. Which it did after Tampa Bay scored again.<br />
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I'll also point out that I'm sure McCauley had heard enough from Tortorella up to the point where the fourth goal was scored, and I assume that McCauley had simply had enough when it came to Tortorella through the first ten minutes of this game. Normally, a bench minor penalty would send a message that McCauley was done with Tortorella, but McCauley apparently didn't want to see Tortorella on the bench for the remainder of this game. As an official, he has that right, but there should also be ample explanation that this could be the ultimate result of Tortorella's hounding of the officials.<br />
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"I've never seen that," Flyers centre Sean Couturier said postgame about Tortorella's ejection. "Did he really deserve to get kicked out honestly after what he said? He didn't say much."<br />
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Let me clear: neither side did right in this situation. Tortorella wanted an explanation so he could understand how every penalty called went against his team in the opening ten minutes, and Wes McCauley had seemingly heard enough from Tortorella over thos ten minutes. McCauley likely should have managed the situation with Tortorella better in order to have avoided the outcome we got, and Tortorella likely should have laid off the officials through the first ten minutes. Sometimes, though, emotions get the better of people.<br />
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"I think he was just trying to make a point that we felt like we might not have been getting our fair shake," Flyers associate coach Brad Shaw said postgame. "It's an emotional game at times and we all get elevated blood pressure."<br />
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Shaw's correct in that the game can take you on a roller coaster of emotions, and this game unfortunately led to anger, confusion, and frustration for one side. As an official, I've been told that managing these types of games can be difficult, and I know that both McCauley and Schrader are professionals when it comes to officiating in the NHL so this likely can and should have been managed differently. However, McCauley appeared to be done with Tortorella's voice on this day, and he excused him from the game so that he could manage the game better. Sometimes, that's how the puck bounces.<br />
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I'm sure Tortorella and McCauley will cross paths again in the NHL, and there will likely be a joke or two made about what happened here tonight. As we know, a lot of jokes are based on truths, but I suspect these two long-time personalities in the NHL will be able to laugh this one off after the season is done.<br />
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It just goes to show how vital communication is in the game of hockey. Whether it's two teammates working together, a coach explaining a system, or an official explaining a call, communication can prevent things from bubbling over like they did in Tampa tonight. Both McCauley and Tortorella are normally good communicators, but it seems communication broke down on this night.<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-9598811688257744732024-03-08T20:30:00.000-06:002024-03-09T11:32:13.626-06:00Doing The Prep Work<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeofeOdUFALmjxAkNMjwlYKVH-PZYvo17REkH-gy0TPC88AyNGvQpfcRXM_7FfLknjOAAsX-JqjfAVozu9j8r1PD0WMyvKF6O89mlscQumOvAbFZAdcImw_kxwlOXkHB3jJ8FBGg0gXz9lE-wBfmwFbgnubivQ1e9kOGuI2-ys6vknkhzWNJ8_iRRogPNZ/s250/math.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeofeOdUFALmjxAkNMjwlYKVH-PZYvo17REkH-gy0TPC88AyNGvQpfcRXM_7FfLknjOAAsX-JqjfAVozu9j8r1PD0WMyvKF6O89mlscQumOvAbFZAdcImw_kxwlOXkHB3jJ8FBGg0gXz9lE-wBfmwFbgnubivQ1e9kOGuI2-ys6vknkhzWNJ8_iRRogPNZ/s200/math.gif"/></a></div>As we get set for the U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship that's taking place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan from March 14-17, there's always some prep work to do in figuring out which players and which teams could and should make an impact at the tournament. Being one of the few places where people come to find information, HBIC has always felt it was imperative to get this information right, but a lot of analysis is done through historical trends, games, and information. Where does one go to get all that information in one place? Well, it seems like HBIC is going to do the heavy lifting there again.<br />
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If you've been following this blog since April of last year or longer, you likely <a href="https://hockey-blog-in-canada.blogspot.com/2023/04/a-u-sports-grid.html">saw the grid I posted</a> that showed every team's finish that has appeared at the National Championship since 1998 when the first tournament was played. It was used by a few people at the tournament last season in Montreal because it provided a historical perspective on the tournament, but I admit that it was incomplete. In saying that, I went back to work on making it better.<br />
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The one thing that I felt was missing from the historical look at how the tournament was won and lost were the head-to-head matchups between teams. Obviously, there are teams who have played at a number of tournaments and those who have played less than five games total. The McGill Martlets have 55 games at National Championships to their name while the Alberta Pandas have 47 contests in which they played. Would it surprise you to know that the team with the third-most games in which they've appeared at the StFX X-Women and that they'll either tie or move past Alberta this season depending on results? That kind of information matters.<br />
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The historical look at team-vs-team also gives us some interesting data on how teams have fared at the tournaments over the years. McGill and Alberta won a number of medals over the course of the years, so you know their records must be pretty good. According to the data, McGill has a .655 winning percentage at Nationals against all competition while Alberta has a .702 winning percentage. StFX, meanwhile, has just two medals in school history, and their winning precentage of .244 reflects the struggles they've had against their competition. A large part of that problem is their 0-12 record against both McGill and Alberta, but that's how the matchups align.<br />
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Team-vs-team records also give us some insight into the overall success of conference-vs-conference as well. If either UNB or StFX can get a matchup against Toronto or Waterloo, the winning percentage of the AUS-vs-OUS is .405 - not great, but better than the alternatives. I say that because the AUS has a .111 winning percentage against Canada West and .172 against RSEQ teams all-time. In short, these trends, combined with a team's individual head-to-head record, give us a fairly good idea on the chances of success for each team at the upcoming tourament.<br />
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For the Saskatchewan Huskies, they also can factor in how past hosts have done at the tournament. Only twice have the hosts won the gold medal - in 1998 at the very first CIS Championship when Concordia won, and in 2003 when the Alberta Pandas hosted and won the tournament. In the 21 years since Alberta turned the feat, only Western has come close when they were the silver medalists in 2018. Home-ice advantage might be a thing in a series, but a single-game elimination proves it's not much help.<br />
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The good news is that the host team has only finished at the bottom of the tournament three times - in 2007 when Ottawa finished sixth, in 2010 when StFX finished sixth, and in 2014 when St. Thomas finished sixth. Since the expansion to eight teams in 2015, no host team has ever finished in eighth-place, but both Calgary in 2015 and UPEI in 2019 have finished in seventh-place. And just for the record, if Saskatchewan does meet top-ranked Concordia in the quarterfinal round, Saskatchewan is 0-2 all-time against the Stingers with a 4-2 loss in 2018 and a 2-0 loss in 2022 on their record.<br />
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Remember that this look at the history of the tournament doesn't factor in that teams feature different players and systems over the years. StFX and Toronto have played five times in their history, but only once in the last decade where Toronto won 4-0 in 2023. Should we be giving the same weight to the four meetings that happened long before that 2023 game? I'm not sure that a 3-1 Toronto win in 1999 matters to anyone when the vast majority of the players who meet today hadn't been born yet. We need to remember that history may tell a story, but that story is far from being complete or relevant in determining results at this year's tournament.<br />
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There's a reason why the games are still played, and I think Mount Royal showed everyone why that's important last season. Historical trends, past performances, and team-vs-team analysis may give us an idea as to who has the best chance of winning a game or the tournament, but Mount Royal showed everyone last year that the only game that matters is the next one. With the right preparation, some timely scoring, solid defence and goaltending, and a pinch of luck, any team competing at the tournament can win the whole thing.<br />
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Get ready for a fun tournament in Saskatoon, folks.<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-1082151564458492792024-03-07T10:00:00.003-06:002024-03-14T12:09:59.587-05:00The Hockey Show - Episode 598<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHbSaI02fMqqaEskM5BmdG6j4lNTAiUL0X8-OsYefIkZbcNjKfts7oyBDvNIZBgIAH3a6iXUepv4Yjg_Rftxr4t4NknW5YC0XFU3ehXecAOOvu3PFWYOc0BKl4W3bIeUBabyN0ENNHC9dFF1gyySDuuyUJHIxoLoZyNQOr1ED1vbt5-S5rHYNhutvIQ/s400/hockeyshowTeebz.jpg" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHbSaI02fMqqaEskM5BmdG6j4lNTAiUL0X8-OsYefIkZbcNjKfts7oyBDvNIZBgIAH3a6iXUepv4Yjg_Rftxr4t4NknW5YC0XFU3ehXecAOOvu3PFWYOc0BKl4W3bIeUBabyN0ENNHC9dFF1gyySDuuyUJHIxoLoZyNQOr1ED1vbt5-S5rHYNhutvIQ/s400/hockeyshowTeebz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/373/"><i>The Hockey Show</i></a>, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back tonight with news from across a number of leagues as several North American leagues begin to prepare for playoffs while one other is just gearing up for another season of incredible hockey. With U SPORTS one week away from its annual tournaments to determine the best men's and women's team from Canadian universities, we have an update on that event as eight men's and eight women's teams get set to battle for supremacy! We get into it tonight on <a href="http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/373/"><i>The Hockey Show</i></a> at 5:30pm CT!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirA8Tuy_DxiBwjtFGBsspimuoN46D6DAxBgPW8ik9ac6uhfU_HZYlydtYNBbbauvMHdMo3DHEdrTdc4IJNF5G2zdKL4Sl2j8XjnJGJ6HSrpYz_zI8QqhzB4Z1BT8W08r7bf46k449WWiWVWu1QbO7lHDS65kTW_NJizrwU5cWbZTjOrFEwvQgvTuLb56u_/s500/news.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirA8Tuy_DxiBwjtFGBsspimuoN46D6DAxBgPW8ik9ac6uhfU_HZYlydtYNBbbauvMHdMo3DHEdrTdc4IJNF5G2zdKL4Sl2j8XjnJGJ6HSrpYz_zI8QqhzB4Z1BT8W08r7bf46k449WWiWVWu1QbO7lHDS65kTW_NJizrwU5cWbZTjOrFEwvQgvTuLb56u_/s200/news.gif"/></a></div>Tonight on the program, Teebz and Jason get to chatting about the PWHL's playoff format and why it's good, the corporate shenanigans seen recently with the PWHL jerseys, the NHL trade deadline deals already happening, an NHL team signing a former NHL player playing in the AHL, two Canada West players on the move in the ECHL, the 2024 AIHL season beginning shortly, and we'll make sure you have the info you need for the U SPORTS National Men's and Women's Hockey Championships. In short, we have a jam-packed show from all corners of the globe tonight on <a href="http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/373/"><i>The Hockey Show</i></a> at 5:30pm CT, so get yourself tuned in on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via <a href="https://umfm.com/">UMFM.com</a>!<br />
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If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The <a href="https://umfm.com/">new UMFM website</a>'s online streaming player is pretty awesome if you want to listen online. We also recommend <a href="http://radio.garden/listen/cjum-fm/CRkSFWDb">Radio Garden</a> if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you <a href="https://tunein.com/">use the TuneIn app</a> found on the App Store or Google Play Store. If you use the <a href="https://tunein.com/">TuneIn app</a>, you won't be disappointed. It's a solid app.<br />
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If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to <a href="mailto:hockeyshow@umfm.com">hockeyshow@umfm.com</a>! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at <a href="https://twitter.com/TeebzHBIC">@TeebzHBIC on Twitter</a>! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard!<br />
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Tonight, Teebz and Jason talk playoff formats, names on jerseys, player moves, a new season down under, a university season coming to a close, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the <a href="http://umfm.com/">UMFM.com web stream</a>!<br />
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<b>PODCAST: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NaKlE5HeIKRsuK0dOIqliSPZKLAYn00I/view?usp=sharing">March 7, 2024: Episode 598</a></b><br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-22272060615494225232024-03-06T22:00:00.000-06:002024-03-08T23:11:58.047-06:00A U SPORTS ECHL Trade<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTekhfNzZGYYzN9T17wTbYMkTyv3Lg2oP9hWDd768VmhsDiGv4SSV-lEcYFACb_JCxYToOHdrBjDx7IC9skoYG8lP-SYhL8bKTItEJEiTDy3_6btgiIFRab0WdjD1hJ-bhvlwZoRopJI_s9wGaFjLL8Uu45JGIbjc6_T-Vi0qEgkxIV7Ll92sXKKFoTfU/s593/bladesrush.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="593" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKTekhfNzZGYYzN9T17wTbYMkTyv3Lg2oP9hWDd768VmhsDiGv4SSV-lEcYFACb_JCxYToOHdrBjDx7IC9skoYG8lP-SYhL8bKTItEJEiTDy3_6btgiIFRab0WdjD1hJ-bhvlwZoRopJI_s9wGaFjLL8Uu45JGIbjc6_T-Vi0qEgkxIV7Ll92sXKKFoTfU/s200/bladesrush.jpg"/></a></div>As you likely know from reading this blog, I keep an eye on some of the Canada West players who have gone on to play professionally in leagues across the world. One of the leagues that features a number of former U SPORTS players is the ECHL, and we were treated to a trade yesterday when two teams swapped forwards that have interesting backgrounds. Both forward played for U SPORTS teams before embarking on their ECHL careers, so this is a trade that caught my attention almost immediately. And while no one likes to be traded, my hope is that both players find some permanancy with their new teams!<br />
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The ECHL announced on Tuesday that the Florida Everblades acquired forward Jimmy Soper from the Rapid City Rush in exchange for forward Brett Davis. Davis was a high-scoring sniper in Canada West with the Manitoba Bisons before signing with the Everblades this past summer while Soper played one season in Waterloo with the Laurier Golden Hawks in the OUA where he didn't have the greatest success statistically. They didn't play during the same era as Soper is four years older than Davis, but it's still pretty cool to see two U SPORTS players being swapped in this ECHL deal.<br />
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Davis spent two seasons with the Bisons from 2021-23 after having a solid WHL career that saw him drafted by the Dallas Stars in the sixth-round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft as the 163rd-overall pick. He spent time with Lethbridge, Kootenay, and Red Deer over his five seasons in the WHL with his best season coming in 2017-18 with Kootenay when he played 72 games, scoring 25 goals and adding 33 assists. Landing at the University of Manitoba in 2021, Davis played two seasons in Canada West with the Bisons where he scored 20 goals and added 26 assists in 36 games.<br />
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Soper's route to the ECHL took a far different path than Davis' journey. Soper spent one season in the OHL with Kitchener where he scored one goal and had two assists in 50 games for the Rangers in 2013-14. The following season saw him land in the Maritimes Hockey League with the Truro Bearcats before he hung up the skates for an entire season. However, Soper would be back on the blades in 2016-17 when he suited up for the OUA's Laurier Golden Hawks in the OUA, notching two goals and two assists in 22 games.<br />
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The Federal Prospects Hockey League's Danville Dashers gave him a shot, and Soper lit up the league with 13 goals and 17 assists in 24 games, prompting the SPHL's Macon Mayhem to sign him for the remainder of the 2017-18 season. Soper would play the next three seasons with Macon where he'd get a couple of call-ups from the ECHL - two games and no points with the Newfoundland Growlers, and 29 games where he scored three goals and three assists with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. He just couldn't stick, though.<br />
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Soper's break came in 2021-22 when the ECHL's Tulsa Oilers signed Soper after a 22-point season with Macon, and he decided to up his offensive output as he scored 13 goals and 30 assists in 69 games for the Oilers. They brought him back for a second season where he scored 16 times and added 12 helpers in 36 games as he became a fan favorite, but the Oilers dealt Soper to the Norfolk Admirals for Tag Bertuzzi. One week later after playing no games for Norfolk, the Admirals dealt him to the Rapid City Rush where he'd close out the 2022-23 season with seven goals and 12 assists in 28 games.<br />
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While his scoring slowed this season to seven goals and 16 assists in 55 games, it seemed like Soper was still contributing for the Rush. However, he and his 23 points were dealt to Florida for Davis who brings his three goals and ten assists in 33 games to the Rush. Perhaps this trade will work for both sides as Davis and Soper get a chance to embrace new roles on their new teams as both players have shown flashes of brilliance at various levels throughout their careers.<br />
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I don't usually post ECHL trade stories during the week as most ECHL transactions are player moves to the reserve roster and back, but this one was different because it involved a couple of players with Canadian university ties. No player ever likes to be traded as it means uprooting his life and a disruption to a normal routine, but as one of the few places that talks about Canadian university hockey - specifically Canada West hockey - it's a neat little footnote on a deal that virtually no one else seemed to report.<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-33513909610269943802024-03-05T23:30:00.016-06:002024-03-05T23:50:05.792-06:00Who Does This Help?<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQZxqaibrmpXXXrwP7YWm-QtC2RBRlDlR_lbp-5JFAlVRORHsM1S5tS8us1rCcR8X82qH03PCdeigwqYG5nnar8uXXSk0oI2VSBsQlMHdoJ66hd1cQU35ZWLCUQwkwkTMe9l3UGuouxBuURLxBJmQXoXoymwj3rr5ORe6b1dNd-qo5aiIXURkDcCLhXwI/s1102/molson.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="1102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQZxqaibrmpXXXrwP7YWm-QtC2RBRlDlR_lbp-5JFAlVRORHsM1S5tS8us1rCcR8X82qH03PCdeigwqYG5nnar8uXXSk0oI2VSBsQlMHdoJ66hd1cQU35ZWLCUQwkwkTMe9l3UGuouxBuURLxBJmQXoXoymwj3rr5ORe6b1dNd-qo5aiIXURkDcCLhXwI/s200/molson.jpg"/></a></div>Hockey fans are rather astute. Many know facts and figures about the game that show their dedication to players and teams while others have spent years going over history to bring forth tidbits of knowledge that are relevant today. One thing that all hockey fans likely will agree on at this point in time is that ads on jerseys aren't going away, and this is becoming more and more obvious with teams selling chunks of jerseys and equipment to interested parties. The PWHL has been using this revenue to help build their brands, but their latest partnership seems a little off in the execution.<br />
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Names on the backs of jerseys have been something seen since 1977 in the NHL despite <a href="https://hockey-blog-in-canada.blogspot.com/2011/08/where-shirts-have-no-names.html">one team's attempt to circumvent the rule</a> implemented at that time. The NHL hasn't deviated from wearing them across the shoulders very often, and that now the traditional place one would find a player's name in almost all leagues. Women's professional hockey has seen names both above and below the numbers depending on which league was being watched, but almost every amateur and university league wears them across the shoulders just as men's and international women's hockey does.<br />
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Wearing the name below the number does have some advantages, but a significant disadvantage can clearly be seen in this game action featuring the Connecticut Whale and the Montreal Force.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjinOEZSdPeLGMPknXnVh3HBBflDGLZBJl7u60SG_vkcJXtBXtzy59xemgxUiOYnIeW84TsfzkktHlFPYSk7AHMIBB7o_63VXh78owB_3Yn6vFXq4bC_khU3dBmYWJ-Oxmg5F9fgEIvmu93o6Y6woBzqQa2IAjnmeZ2pwPqR_njBD8DpiNw3YeQkyX3pV/s652/phf.jpg" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="652" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnjinOEZSdPeLGMPknXnVh3HBBflDGLZBJl7u60SG_vkcJXtBXtzy59xemgxUiOYnIeW84TsfzkktHlFPYSk7AHMIBB7o_63VXh78owB_3Yn6vFXq4bC_khU3dBmYWJ-Oxmg5F9fgEIvmu93o6Y6woBzqQa2IAjnmeZ2pwPqR_njBD8DpiNw3YeQkyX3pV/s400/phf.jpg"/></a></div>Of the three players seen in this photo, only Catherine Daoust's name can be read. The other two players' names are indistinguishable thanks to how their jerseys bunch up, and the Connecticut Whale player who appears to have scored has her number partially obscured by her ponytail. Long hair in women's hockey is very real, and I always preferred, as a broadcaster, that the namebars be across the shoulders to help identify players when numbers were hidden by hair.<br />
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You may be asking why I'm talking about name placement on jerseys, and it's because the PWHL and Molson announced a multi-year partnership deal today that saw Molson purchase the area across the shoulders where names are normally found, and they'll be putting their logo there. Again, ads on jerseys aren't anything new in the PWHL as companies like Canadian Tire and Air Canada are featured prominently on jerseys, and that revenue is going into the league's coffers. In other words, business as usual.<br />
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The problem, however, is that Molson decided to use their advertising buy as <a href="https://www.thepwhl.com/en/professional-womens-hockey-league-pwhl-announces-partnership-with-molson">a way to sell female empowerment</a> through a new campaign called "See My Name." Beginning on Friday which, coincidentally, is International Women's Day, Molson's name will appear across the shoulders while player names will be moved below the jersey number, citing that player names are "usually covered by the players' hair" which led to Molson "covering its name so hers can be seen."<br />
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Montreal and Toronto will be the first to wear the jerseys with the names below the numbers which, I should point out, is being called a "pilot project". The release was quick to note that this move of the names is "a first step of many in Molson's mission to help elevate female hockey players."<br />
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You might be saying, "Teebz, all of that sounds good, so why are you complaining? After all, the league gets some additional advertising revenue, and Molson gets some good PR."<br />
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My question is why are they doing it now? Where was Molson back in September and October as this league was getting off the ground? Why is Molson only partnering with the PWHL despite their claims of this initiative fostering "greater inclusivity and equality in sports, sending a powerful message that disproportionately represented female athletes deserve to be seen, recognized and celebrated"? And perhaps most importantly, why is this change being made mid-season rather than making it a league-wide change in the off-season?<br />
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Hockey fans aren't dumb. Molson joining the PWHL as a jersey sponsor would have been enough of a news release for fans to accept as a good business move, and this faux empowerment garbage would already be built into that sponsorship. If you want to support women's hockey, feel free to dump as much money as you can on the sport, Molson. But don't come at us with this self-serving initiative that gets your logo on TV more. As I stated above, I prefer seeing the names on shoulders so I can figure out who did what when ponytails and longer hair is obscuring the number.<br />
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And let's talk about that number situation for a second because a player's number is unique to them while playing for a team or several teams. If one mentions #99, #88, #66, #68, #4, or #9, the names that pop into one's head are likely Gretzky, Lindros, Lemieux, Jagr, Orr, and Howe. It's the same with women's hockey when listing off numbers like #29, #24, #19, #21, and #11. For those who may be wondering, that would be Poulin, Spooner, Jenner, Knight, and Roque. We identify players by their numbers - even moreso when we don't know a player - so which matters more: name or number?<br />
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Putting the name on the bottom of the jersey where it can bunch up and be obscured is likely no better than the name being obscured by hair or a ponytail. If Molson wanted to raise the profile of a number of players, they can feature them in commercials, offer free hockey cards of players, and put their numbers in advertising (yes, Spooner's #24 has all the perfect makings for a two-four commercial). There doesn't need to be some campaign launching with two-thirds of the season already played that sees the namebars get moved. That's just dumb, and it really makes no sense when you consider that the players' names are pushed to the lower third of the jersey by a brand normally associated <i>with men</i>.<br />
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I'll give Molson a sliver of credit, though, as they already produced one commercial featuring a number of players. Does it actually achieve what it sets out to do? The jury's out on this one, but here's that commercial so you can judge for yourself. Have a watch.<br />
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iDDECejGQQo?si=wyvLbShRx2UMIUa1" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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You want to show "greater inclusivity and equality in sports," Molson? Drop some sponsor money on other levels of women's hockey without seeking some sort of reward. The PWHL is a good start if you're trying to change your own image, but this boost has to happen at all levels of women's hockey where equality and inclusiveness matter so much more. You can't do that, though, if you're busy patting yourself on the back. Y'know, where players' names are normally found.<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-70588999145623497792024-03-04T20:30:00.000-06:002024-03-05T23:50:21.237-06:00PWHL Playoffs: A New Format<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-aMVYlxii2aC_o5mQGn7-tx7Z0zfqqIVrzv_MT1SCL1Vm1AtX2qrK2TMu0HldySD0aLvNsKLVHxThOQxcmer2tvrL3exJOWpzLKcOUJk7IjXv7JW57hUVTMGH3YA93g_ayBdxq3WPu0YsChXC5z6zHjp0HGiEtH9RYNvgMnnIvhOi4IS1xh-g2sAeHGd/s690/PWplayoffs.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-aMVYlxii2aC_o5mQGn7-tx7Z0zfqqIVrzv_MT1SCL1Vm1AtX2qrK2TMu0HldySD0aLvNsKLVHxThOQxcmer2tvrL3exJOWpzLKcOUJk7IjXv7JW57hUVTMGH3YA93g_ayBdxq3WPu0YsChXC5z6zHjp0HGiEtH9RYNvgMnnIvhOi4IS1xh-g2sAeHGd/s200/PWplayoffs.png"/></a></div>There have been a number of developments over the last few days that I pushed this story back a few times, but it seems appropriate to post it today since the PWHL Playoffs will be upon faster than we likely realize. It's always a bit of a head-scratcher when it comes to how to find a suitable format for a six-team league, but we've seen the RSEQ operate with six teams the last couple of seasons with little trouble. However, the PWHL isn't going with the a traditional two-round format like we see in the RSEQ. Instead, the PWHL has come up with a few rules they've borrowed from other leagues, and it should make the playoffs little more interesting when they start.<br />
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Just as a note before we get started: that trophy in the image above is one I mocked up, and is <b>NOT</b> anything official from the PWHL. While it would be fun to have a modern trophy, there clearly isn't anywhere for the league to add team names of the champions unless they could add layers onto the bottom of the trophy I selected. What should be clear is that my choice of trophy will likely resemble nothing that the PWHL ultimately selects for its annual champion.<br />
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When it comes to the playoffs, the PWHL will reward the top-four teams with playoff spots beginning on May 6. There won't be a 3-vs-6 or 4-vs-5 play-in game or anything - the top-four teams make the dance to see if they can win the championship. That's pretty straightforward, so things feel like a traditional postseason so far.<br />
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Where things get a little more fun will be the rule that allows the first-place team to select their semifinal opponent. Several European leagues use this rule to help build rivalries and engage fans and the PHF used it for a while, so I suspect that's the purpose for this rule being implemented in the PWHL - stoke the rivalries between teams. Can you imagine a Toronto-Montreal or Montreal-Ottawa first-round matchup? It could happen regardless of where the lower-placed team finishes as the first-overall team will choose their opponents.<br />
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The PWHL also imposed a 24-hour time limit on the first-place team choosing their opponent. Obviously, teams need to be aware of where they're going when it comes to travel so I understand why it's being imposed, but I'd expect a decision within twelve hours for whoever finishes in first-place. It's not like many first-place teams will choose the second-place team, especially if they've had close games all season, so expect to hear a decision quickly for whichever teams finishes atop the PWHL mountain.<br />
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Both the semifinal series and the final series will be best-of-five series with the higher-seeded team hosting Games One, Two, and Five. This seems like a bit of a mistake to me considering that a team could be up 2-0 in the final with two chances to win the championship on the road, so maybe this will be reviewed and changed to a format that allows a higher-seeded team to win in front of their own fans in the future. Regardless of what I believe, the 1-2-5 for higher-seeded teams is how this year's playoffs will be played.<br />
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In the spirit of traditional hockey, games requiring overtime will be decided by playing five-on-five until a winning goal is scored. I love this idea so that players don't get stapled to the bench unless it's a coaching decision, but it also truly enhances the idealism of "win as a team". As exciting as three-on-three overtime is, playoff hockey is a different beast where all members of the team who are dressed should, in theory, get a chance at being the heroine of the story.<br />
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For those two teams who aren't taking part in the playoffs, the PWHL has decided to employ the "Gold Plan", created by Adam Gold, that rewards teams who continue to play hard right through to the end of the season. These two teams participating in the Gold Plan will compete for the top pick in each round of the 2024 PWHL Draft. The team with more points will draft first in each round; the other team will draft second in each round.<br />
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What is this "Gold Plan", you ask? It's actually a way to keep things competitive, but here's the explanation from the PWHL:<blockquote><i>"Once a team is mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, it begins earning ‘Draft Order Points’ in all subsequent games (including all regular-season games that begin following a team’s elimination), using the league’s standard points system that awards three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime or shootout win, one point for an overtime or shootout loss, and zero points for a regulation loss. The team with the most Draft Order Points at the conclusion of the regular season will earn the first selection in each round of the draft. The non-playoff team with the fewest Draft Order Points will select second in each round of the draft."</i></blockquote>Pretty reasonable, right? The only problem I see is if one team is left behind in the standings while the other five remain competitive. Obviously, that team that's at the bottom of the standings would reach the "Gold Plan" mark earlier than other teams, and it would almost certainly allow that team to bank Gold Plan points. Does that team need some help? Absolutely based on their standing, but one has to hope that a team battling for fourth-place simply won't throw in the towel and start planning for next season with weeks to go.<br />
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In the event that two teams find themselves in the thick of the Gold Plan's competition, the team with the most regulation wins after being eliminated from the playoffs will earn that coveted first-selection right. If the teams are tied in regulation wins, the team with the most combined overtime and shootout wins after being eliminated will earn the top pick. If they're somehow still tied, the team with the fewest overall regular-season standings points will earn the first selection. Again, fairly straightforward.<br />
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The blend between the traditional playoff ideas and the new wrinkles introduced should make the PWHL Playoffs interesting. At the very least, it will be must-watch television for that series where the first-place team chooses their opponent. Does that give the team who was selected a little more motivation to do whatever it takes to beat first-place since first-place likely believed they had the best chance to advance with their choice? That series could be fun if the lower-seeded team comes in with a little fire!<br />
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What are your thoughts on this playoff format - good? Not a fan? Indifferent? Feel free to leave a comment, and we can discuss your likes and dislikes about it. I suspect the Gold Rule won't have a huge effect this season, but as the PWHL grows, it will have a larger effect on the draft. One thing is certain, though, and that's counting me as a fan of this playoff format for the PWHL.<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-63422153515953379712024-03-03T23:00:00.030-06:002024-03-03T23:00:00.126-06:00The Rundown - Canada West Final<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTjUfmRyaliNwvwtIWmcT-mnhE-vDaxjJCCb_m_3vjVWpIJl4z3VvBoPaHre6T2hOiMP9Qk3_6RXsABDzpoJbv55ecCj4CcTFo1ht-3bW-kucgiL_cuRD9ld6PqqmvQyUThpOv4Sj9OE/s1600/rundown.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTjUfmRyaliNwvwtIWmcT-mnhE-vDaxjJCCb_m_3vjVWpIJl4z3VvBoPaHre6T2hOiMP9Qk3_6RXsABDzpoJbv55ecCj4CcTFo1ht-3bW-kucgiL_cuRD9ld6PqqmvQyUThpOv4Sj9OE/s400/rundown.png" /></a></div>And then there were two. The Alberta Pandas made the journey west to Vancouver for the Canada West Final as the UBC Thunderbirds were in search of their third-straight Canada West banner. This series pitted the top-two teams from the Canada West regular season against one another, and the winner of this best-of-three weekend would also earn the lone qualification berth at Nationals for the Canada West conference while second-place would see the season end. In short, this was an all-or-nothing Canada West Final for bragging rights, the Canada West banner, and a top-four seeding in Saskatoon! Who gets that honour? Let's find out on <i>The Rundown</i>!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMH_iXzbdbs-uMWaztdX3Q2uNGq4NdOMIAegjP7SYcXF6Vf_XlDNw67gIJ_1YF-CgX8AaozpG3tmxUAM6vRx-oOBOmgjNDjCijJZc4P_PxrdxFXHmibOEEaBpOScUmOT7F0sekiyOCtDAjkEXOn66yiPwyQG0SMJiBC64325XX-HLzPgPvOU0xe7mads-/s435/ALBUBC.png" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMH_iXzbdbs-uMWaztdX3Q2uNGq4NdOMIAegjP7SYcXF6Vf_XlDNw67gIJ_1YF-CgX8AaozpG3tmxUAM6vRx-oOBOmgjNDjCijJZc4P_PxrdxFXHmibOEEaBpOScUmOT7F0sekiyOCtDAjkEXOn66yiPwyQG0SMJiBC64325XX-HLzPgPvOU0xe7mads-/s400/ALBUBC.png"/></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvh6EXXS98n_yPDMg8n8Of_YikI5umrLhrNMJKhUlK_gHtIj_w4jBJRRZKNd3sclewMfAm1wHLA2uDomxumq6CynnbPQPr3dB0AaAlF79_-dy9SIvnG_zkkyvIv8upCqk2IeYKj4D15zJxc-jp_gIMoO9KysOENZMxyyE1JKbKifLNd3YmJ7nPRxy4kgw/s1600/GameOne.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="30" data-original-width="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvh6EXXS98n_yPDMg8n8Of_YikI5umrLhrNMJKhUlK_gHtIj_w4jBJRRZKNd3sclewMfAm1wHLA2uDomxumq6CynnbPQPr3dB0AaAlF79_-dy9SIvnG_zkkyvIv8upCqk2IeYKj4D15zJxc-jp_gIMoO9KysOENZMxyyE1JKbKifLNd3YmJ7nPRxy4kgw/s1600/GameOne.png"/></a></div>UBC may have held the advantage over Alberta with a better season-series record, but those stats in the playoffs mean nothing when players elevate their games to new levels and teams play above their heads. One of these two teams would need to rise to the occasion in this series by earning a Game One victory, and that advantage could help in securing a championship. Halle Oswald was in the Pandas' net while Elise Hugens stood in front of the UBC iron in her end of the ice.<br />
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The Pandas wasted no time getting on the board in this game. Izzy Lajoie's backhander was easily stopped by Hugens, but she left the rebound in a perfect spot for Natalie Kieser to bang it home as the Pandas grabbed the 1-0 just 27 seconds into the game. The teams settled into their back-and-forth battle after that early goal as the goalies made saves to keep the opposition from celebrating.<br />
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A UBC penalty midway through the period did little to help the Pandas, and UBC may have gained a little confidence from that. They certainly grabbed a lot more confidence when, off a set play thanks to Joelle Fiala's win, Graced Elliott cut behind her from the right side and unleashed a laser that beat Oswald at 15:16 for her second goal, and this game was tied 1-1. That score carried into the break with the Thunderbirds holding an 11-9 edge in shots.<br />
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The second saw UBC establish its offensive game thanks, in part, to the power-play. An early penalty on the Pandas would see them kill the penalty, but not the pressure. That offensive pressure resulted in Sophia Gaskell one-timing a Rylind MacKinnon feed past the screen, past Oswald, and into the net at 6:07 to put the Thunderbirds up 2-1. The parade to the penalty box continued as UBC killed a penalty before Alberta killed an extended power-play.<br />
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That longer kill seemed to give Alberta some life as they were awarded a power-play with a little over six minutes in the frame. UBC did a good job in keeping Alberta from setting up, but they'd strike late when Brooklyn Tews' shot got by the traffic in front of Hugens and found twine at 15:30 for the power-play marker, and the game was tied at 2-2. Alberta would get a late power-play in the frame, but that opportunity didn't help as these teams hit the second intermission tied 3-3 with UBC holding a 30-11 shot margin.<br />
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The third period started with UBC killing off the remainder of that late penalty, and Alberta would be whistled for the next one. However, UBC couldn't score with the advantage, and that seemed to perk up the Pandas. Cassidy Maplethorpe's shot was tipped by Madison Willan past Hugens at 6:37 as Willan's third goal made it a 3-2 game for Alberta. UBC would get the next power-play just before the midpoint of the period, but that advantage was killed.<br />
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Time started to look like another enemy for UBC to face as the clock counted down, but good teams find a way and UBC made it happen. On a scramble in front of Oswald, the puck hit a body and came to rest to left side of Oswald where Annalise Wong found it, and her quick shot to the far post found twine at 16:14, and this game was tied 3-3! Neither team could find the back of the net before regulation time expired, and, if you wanted more build-up, we were heading to free hockey in the Canada West Final!<br />
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The first ten minutes of overtime solved nothing. The second overtime period moved to a 20-minute frame, and we'd see an Alberta penalty that the Pandas killed off with no harm. The back-and-forth saw Alberta hold an 8-4 after 30 minutes of overtime play, but these two teams were still tied 3-3 after 90 minutes as UBC held the 50-24 shot advantage.<br />
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The third overtime period didn't last long. Off the left half-boards, Joelle Fiala found a path to the middle of the ice, and she wired a wrist shot past the screen in front of Oswald to the near post that went off the iron and in for the game-winner at 2:54 as the UBC Thunderbirds claimed the triple-overtime victory over Alberta by a 4-3 score! Elise Hugens picks up her third win after stopped 22 shots in 92:54 of work while Halle Oswald likely deserved a better fate after stopping 47 shots in that same 92:54 of action.<br />
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UBC now leads the series 1-0 over Alberta.<br />
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Highlights of this triple-overtime thriller are below!<br />
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ei3qBCHfLSc?si=PR9VVaRudhS7y39D" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Up4bzkl-0OA8gTflsl8Rbt1NSLL_SeZITpw34ouuf_70-mRg0GXBav4Qb0WUOLIYHJ14ao35vEpB74OKywJ4JPqm7Anw8u2A6ey8Ud0NrUmQnzObXR2tPZZFcuyvQ-OVZs-eRXT-cBGCjLM17k0SjcwQHfdckQsrWfsgrQGlMvfvwXFA-rtfjuI9wYtx/s1600/GameTwo.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="30" data-original-width="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Up4bzkl-0OA8gTflsl8Rbt1NSLL_SeZITpw34ouuf_70-mRg0GXBav4Qb0WUOLIYHJ14ao35vEpB74OKywJ4JPqm7Anw8u2A6ey8Ud0NrUmQnzObXR2tPZZFcuyvQ-OVZs-eRXT-cBGCjLM17k0SjcwQHfdckQsrWfsgrQGlMvfvwXFA-rtfjuI9wYtx/s1600/GameTwo.png"/></a></div>The storylines for Game Two were pretty clear. UBC was looking to end the series with a sweep of the Pandas. The Pandas were looking to extend it to a third and deciding game with a victory. The biggest question for both teams might be the fatigue factor after playing 90 minutes the day before. These teams only had about 20 hours between the final whistle and the drop of the puck to start Game Two, so I was keeping an eye on shift length and energy. Halle Oswald and Elise Hugens stood in their respective ends 200-feet apart for this rematch.<br />
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Just like in Game One, we didn't have to wait long for the scoreboard to change. A turnover at the UBC blue line forced by Cassidy Maplethorpe allowed Jadynn Morden to skate into the high slot where she picked the glove corner on Hugens at 4:49 for the 1-0 Alberta lead. That seemed to light a fire under UBC as they started to pressure the Pandas at times, but the Alberta defence and goaltending held strong through the majority of the period. A late scramble around the Alberta net would see Olivia Buckley finally whack a loose puck across the goal line with eight seconds left in the frame, and that goal made it a 1-1 game at the break with UBC holding a 15-4 shot count.<br />
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The second period was played far more evenly between the two teams are far as the shot totals were concerned. Each side had a power-play, but neither could capitalize on the advantages. As we saw one night earlier, the goalies were sharp through the period, and my concerns over fatigue weren't being held by the two teams. However, after a goalless second period, the 1-1 game continued into the third period with UBC leading 26-12 in shots.<br />
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UBC was whistled for a penalty early in the frame, and Alberta went to work. Madison Willan fired the puck from the right circle only to be stopped by Hugens, but Morden jammed away at the puck in front and pushed it across the goal line as her second goal and first power-play goal made it a 2-1 game for the Pandas at 5:08. The two teams continued to look for opportunities to score as neither was satisfied with the score, it seemed, but the defences held strong. A late power-play for UBC went by without a goal, and they'd finish the game on the power-play after Alberta was whistled for an infraction with less than 40 seconds to play. Oswald and the Alberta defence would remain stout, though, as the Pandas prevailed by that 2-1 score over the Thunderbirds! Halle Oswald stopped 35 shots for her third playoff win while Hugens made 19 saves in the setback.<br />
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With the Alberta win, the series is tied 1-1 with Game Three scheduled for 3pm PT on Sunday!<br />
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Highlights of this game are below!<br />
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RR_coi2EV2w?si=YgR_slQQfVLHLzI7" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkQEh7OWM1dU94OX_ECFur60VUUq0it0ZTpUsdqLzq-pHNeg3jjwpEvVzSKPTNHdLUTdpcrIp3ZgutlPE58S635LUXPFTApwBjiSwIALh2Vfu5owDSRnZqPxSZk6t9Fr3IIs5smSkKys2SDxgcbzKfTRw5-od0n7-UO7dfPu6p0B4-KG9fbz0vV45V84a/s1600/GameThree.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="30" data-original-width="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkQEh7OWM1dU94OX_ECFur60VUUq0it0ZTpUsdqLzq-pHNeg3jjwpEvVzSKPTNHdLUTdpcrIp3ZgutlPE58S635LUXPFTApwBjiSwIALh2Vfu5owDSRnZqPxSZk6t9Fr3IIs5smSkKys2SDxgcbzKfTRw5-od0n7-UO7dfPu6p0B4-KG9fbz0vV45V84a/s1600/GameThree.png"/></a></div>Do or die. Win or go home. There is no tomorrow for one team after this game unless we're talking about the 2024-25 season. The rubber match between the UBC Thunderbirds and the Alberta Pandas would send one of these teams to Saskatoon while the other will likely have a thousand questions about where things went off the track after a solid season. Let's find out who's getting a new banner as Halle Oswald and Elise Hugens took to their respective creases at either end of the rink.<br />
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UBC pressed early in this game as they were looking to improve their chances of going to Saskatoon with an early goal. They'd get that break when, off a broken play in front of Oswald, Makenzie McCallum would find the puck in the slot and zip a shot past Oswald as she spun, giving UBC the 1-0 lead with her second goal at the 5:38 mark. A couple of penalties stalled Alberta's hopes of finding an answer midway through the frame, but Oswald and the defence would give nothing else up to the Thunderbirds. At the end of 20 minutes, UBC held the 1-0 lead and the 13-5 shot count.<br />
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The second period saw Alberta kill off an early penalty before they began to take control thanks to a couple of UBC penalties before the midway point of the period. That momentum seemed to keep the Pandas hungry as they looked for goals, and they'd find one late when Cassidy Maplethorpe found Madison Willan all alone in the slot where she buried the puck past Hugens for her fourth goal, and the game was tied 1-1 at the 17:02 mark. It seemed like we were heading for the break with the even score, but a late rush by Alberta saw Abbey Soyko's shot on net result in a pile of humanity in Hugens' crease where Maia Ehmann pushed the puck across the line with 30 seconds remaining, and the Pandas would take that 2-1 lead into the room despite UBC leading 19-16 in shots.<br />
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I don't think anyone would be surprised that UBC exploded out of the gates in third period as the defending Canada West champs needed a goal. It took them 101 seconds as Sierra LaPlante's long shot from the point beat a screened Halle Oswald cleanly, tying the game at 2-2. UBC killed off a penalty shortly after that goal, and that seemed to energize them again. They continued to throw everything towards the Alberta net, and it would pay off just past the midpoint of the period when, after a couple of blocked shot, the puck found Cassidy Rhodes on the right face-off dot, and she wired the puck to the back of the net for her second goal as UBC went up 3-2 at 10:46.<br />
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Alberta needed a response if they wanted to keep their season going at the very least, so they pressed back. UBC was solid in keeping Alberta from finding a lot of space, and time became the enemy of the Pandas. As the clock ticked down, Oswald went to the bench for the extra attacker, but it would Annalise Wong who iced this game with an empty-netter from the left face-off circle after tracking down a cleared puck. The UBC Thunderbirds claim their third-straight Canada West championship on the strength of a 4-2 win over the Alberta Pandas. Elise Hugens picked up her fourth win after making 22 stops while Halle Oswald played her final Canada West game that saw her make 31 saves on this night.<br />
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UBC eliminates the Alberta Pandas in three games, and they will move on to the U SPORTS National Championship in Saskatoon from March 14-17 as the Canada West qualifier.<br />
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Highlights of the final Canada West game of 2023-24 are below!<br />
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kP8b-4dg_2c?si=W3ljoTkfF9MroxuI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Champs</u></h1>
Let's give the champs their due credit because the UBC Thunderbirds had another incredible season. A third-straight Canada West banner will hang in their rink starting next season, and there's no reason to believe they won't compete for a fourth banner next year. Before they get to that task, though, there will be a celebration tonight, and then it's back to work as they get themselves ready for Saskatoon as they may be the second-ranked team at the tournament. We'll see how things turn out in the next week, but congratulations to the 2024 Canada West Champions in the UBC Thunderbirds!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGSWsHEfTC88zVUDO6gRbOsA6klW5yLIBkj07xVhIaWCjA_cXYvz3UzbC_t-BJZrBSNOfaHfHU1-I_cK9u9YqwmasRavFcKzE0lfhCvro70w_3DHTvc0OZM0T5MW7iju6V5QSn55wyBXsWgUvjEUCMAkznzvQmbjlWJheQxZedoTu-VyUgF_0_C2pMKH8/s1043/champs.jpg" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="1043" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeGSWsHEfTC88zVUDO6gRbOsA6klW5yLIBkj07xVhIaWCjA_cXYvz3UzbC_t-BJZrBSNOfaHfHU1-I_cK9u9YqwmasRavFcKzE0lfhCvro70w_3DHTvc0OZM0T5MW7iju6V5QSn55wyBXsWgUvjEUCMAkznzvQmbjlWJheQxZedoTu-VyUgF_0_C2pMKH8/s400/champs.jpg"/></a></div>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Field</u></h1>
Thanks to the other conferences completing some key series today, we now know who will be landing in Saskatoon in two weeks. Honestly, this seems more like a class reunion based on who's coming.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMNAAUYh5lgDacovBwhFrPgIOGUt6-JxAisdga1aOEZi2eHNWW-yaUOZ5_l0U1bR2ehDqA5V9eWKA8o4yHfQpD1kquSrGOWoO5-Y5KCisa2qv6pXQfxOisSQG4WDjoxrafFotwuLTyNjpQnNb1Fs3UYByrS2B3jhf-RS1tr6L_YwEE7b-pQSJoucMWvX5/s579/airportboard.jpg" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="579" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMNAAUYh5lgDacovBwhFrPgIOGUt6-JxAisdga1aOEZi2eHNWW-yaUOZ5_l0U1bR2ehDqA5V9eWKA8o4yHfQpD1kquSrGOWoO5-Y5KCisa2qv6pXQfxOisSQG4WDjoxrafFotwuLTyNjpQnNb1Fs3UYByrS2B3jhf-RS1tr6L_YwEE7b-pQSJoucMWvX5/s400/airportboard.jpg"/></a></div>Six of the eight teams playing in Saskatoon will be back for the second-straight year while all of Concordia, UBC, and UNB are at Nationals for a third-straight season. The only teams who weren't there last year are the Saskatchewan Huskies who will make their second appearance in three years, and the Waterloo Warriors who are making their first appearance ever. Needless to say, there could be some hostilities renewed depending on who meets whom in those opening-round games on March 14 and 15.
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>To Be Decided</u></h1>
The rankings for the tournament will likely be revealed later in the week next week as there are still two series that have to be decided. In the AUS, the UNB Reds shutout the StFX X-Women tonight to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three AUS Final, and that series could be decided on Tuesday with a second UNB win. If a third game is needed, that would take place on Friday, March 8. Needless to say, keep an eye on the AUS results because the last U SPORTS Top-Ten saw StFX ranked as the sixth-best team while UNB was the ninth-best team. A UNB win would change those rankings for sure.<br />
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The other series is actually just a single game as the McCaw Cup is a one-game, winner-takes-all game that will be played between the Toronto Varsity Blues and the Waterloo Warriors. Eighth-ranked Toronto advanced to the final after they eliminated the third-ranked Guelph Gryphons today by a 1-0 score to win that series 2-1. Waterloo booked their berth in the final after they solved York's magic with a 3-0 win to take that series by a 2-1 count. The McCaw Cup will be played Varsity Arena in Toronto next Saturday, and a Waterloo win could mess up the rankings once more.
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Last Word</u></h1>
It's a Thunderbirds world and we're all just living in it as they thrive. The UBC Thunderbirds have put together their own little dynasty in Canada West over the last three seasons, and that makes for good hockey in Canada West as they push the other eight programs to match their firepower and skill each and every year.<br />
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Giving the champs some credit for their play is easy, but I should note that there were some incredible efforts from all nine Canada West teams this year. Frankly, the fact that Canada West hasn't gone to an eight-team playoff seems silly considering how close each series was, but I don't get a say in how things are run. If I did, I can guarantee you that things would be quite different with marked improvements on a number of fronts. Again, effort counts.<br />
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As much as I'm getting closer to walking away from writing this blog, I know I still have a lot of people to thank for their support throughout the years. I don't know if I'll ever reach that moment of getting everyone's names on here, but I do know that a lot of people in cities other than my own have been readers and supporters of this work I put in on Sundays. I'm very grateful for you all.<br />
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I know that some appreciate it because it's a place where the women's game is celebrated without any reservations. I know some like seeing their daughters or granddaughters or sisters get some recognition for their efforts on the ice. I know some are interested in the other games and other teams where they may know players who are playing. I know others read because it's the only outlet that runs a column on Canada West women's hockey every week.<br />
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It's that last point that I'll finish this column on because I truly feel like Canada West has dropped the ball on so many things, but a simple weekly recap on their website wouldn't be hard to do. They'll claim that paying someone for that service isn't something they're set up to do, but there's more than enough sponsorship and advertising dollars out there that one could make it happen on the Canada West website very easily. Based on the raw numbers from my blog, I can tell you that there would be a devoted readership.<br />
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Not once have I been contacted by Canada West about helping out or publishing <i>The Rundown</i> on their website. Not once have they ever contacted me about any of the content I run - good or bad - in these articles. Not once have they asked me why I do it, what purpose there is for it, or what value I see in doing it. Frankly, it's hard to understand why I did this for so long when they try so hard to make it seem like I don't exist to them. Then again, maybe I truly don't.<br />
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I realize that when I walk away from HBIC, there will be a void left here during the Canada West women's hockey season. I apologize to all of you who read this column for that reality here and now because I don't see anyone stepping in to do the same work I've done. If I may be very blunt, it would be something I'd cherish doing in the future if there was even a remote sign of life at Canada West when it comes to realizing the value of a weekly recap and partnering with <i>The Hockey Show</i> where we feature interviews with players, but people who claim to be smarter than me seem to find no value in the long hours of radio coverage, written coverage, and video coverage that I've provided for free for so long. Ignorance is bliss, I guess?<br />
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It's hard to love something that doesn't love you back or, at the very least, acknowledge that you exist once in a while. But that's ultimately how our university sports system works in Canada, it seems. As Dean Martin would say, "Ain't that a kick in the head."
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>Leave On A Good Note</u></h1>
I'm not leaving this article with that downer note, though. I have far too much respect for the people on the ice and on the benches to let Canada West ruin a night and a season of amazing hockey!<br />
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Congratulations once more to the 2024 Canada West champions in the UBC Thunderbirds as they celebrate their third-straight Canada West championship! I want to give a big applause to the Alberta Pandas, the Mount Royal Cougars, the Calgary Dinos, the Saskatchewan Huskies, and the Manitoba Bisons for their excellent seasons in reaching the playoffs. And I want to fist-bump each of the Trinity Western Spartans, the Regina Cougars, and the MacEwan Griffins for their efforts all season long.<br />
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There can only be one winner, so we'll see what happens in 2024-25! Enjoy your summers for the seven teams not going to Saskatoon, and we'll see what kind of shenanigans UBC and Saskatchewan can cause at Nationals in two weeks' time!<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-39044727301010125212024-03-02T10:30:00.000-06:002024-03-03T07:58:09.024-06:00Sportsmanship, Skill, and Steelheads<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBy6yRkYfu-9eImdvp2REPs2Wt4ASqjbxVU3CdkVLI4jFqoWZ5pPoyeq0hYVwExbDOpVXzalKWEbiZA16OzSlBXxDnMu6RdMai2PZcRF8P3hrcaRclpe31KoKvw-ZT05lPc40Y9fJwtPiz07nWMkjjA0z0ZqMXA55hYX-unUVeD8fxOBadm7q3O-Auugxr/s374/blake.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBy6yRkYfu-9eImdvp2REPs2Wt4ASqjbxVU3CdkVLI4jFqoWZ5pPoyeq0hYVwExbDOpVXzalKWEbiZA16OzSlBXxDnMu6RdMai2PZcRF8P3hrcaRclpe31KoKvw-ZT05lPc40Y9fJwtPiz07nWMkjjA0z0ZqMXA55hYX-unUVeD8fxOBadm7q3O-Auugxr/s200/blake.jpg"/></a></div>With college and university hockey seasons coming to an end, it's a good idea to watch rosters in the ECHL because players who have shown a high level of skill will be making the jump from university into the minor-professional ranks. U SPORTS is no different as we often see players leave the last few months of school hanging in the balance while they chase their dreams, and one player who is embarking on that path is a recent Canada West award winner after having an outstanding season with the Mount Royal Cougars. Announced earlier today, the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads have signed 2024 Canada West Men's Hockey Sportsmanship and Ability award-winner Connor Blake to a deal!<br />
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As we mentioned on <i>The Hockey Show</i> this week, Blake played big minutes for the Cougars against Canada West's best players as a fifth-year defender. He finished the season with 30 points in 28 games, but earned the award thanks to his high hockey IQ, his skill with the puck, and his ability to defend cleanly as he recorded just eight penalty minutes this season. In his four seasons with Mount Royal, Blake totalled 15 goals, 71 assists, and just 33 penalty minutes as he became one of Mount Royal's steadiest players.<br />
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"He really embodies all of the qualities of an exceptional student-athlete," Bert Gilling, Head Coach of the Cougars, said in regards to Blake's award. "He has been an awesome captain and deserves a ton of credit for the success of our team this year. Among his greatest qualities, what really stands out are his character and class. He plays the right way and has been an impactful player."<br />
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That's high praise from his coach, so it's pretty clear that Blake's a special player. There weren't many games in the 104 Canada West contests that he played where he went unnoticed. As Gilling stated, he was an impacful player as he played in all situations for the Cougars, and he distributed the puck extremely well as evidenced by the assists he earned. The Idaho Steelheads also recognized these traits in Blake, it seems, and they decided to reach out to see if he wanted to play at the next level as they offered him a contract to join the team for the remainder of the season!<br />
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After seeing Owen Headrick succeed on the Idaho blue line, I imagine the Steelheads are always looking for another solid, two-way, puck-moving defender. Connor Blake fits that description, and he looks like he'll fit well with the second-overall team in the ECHL standings. Idaho does like to score as they lead the ECHL in goals scored with 239, so Blake's vision and passing ability should help the offensive side of the game for the Steelheads. Where they could use some help is on the defensive side of the game as they've surrendered the tenth-most goals in the league, so getting Blake's defensive skills along with his ability to defend without taking penalties is an immediate boost to the Steelheads' blue line.<br />
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The Steelheads were hoping for that boost tonight as they hosted the Utah Grizzlies, and Connor Blake made his debut wearing #51! His game was fairly uneventful - no points, no penalties, no shots - but his first dabble into professional hockey didn't come with any minuses either. It wasn't all good, though, as the Grizzlies scored once in each period while holding the Steelheads to a single first-period goal as Utah prevailed 3-1 in Connor Blake's first ECHL game.<br />
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Blake will get another chance to earn his first ECHL win next weekend as the Steelheads make the journey across the continent to St. John's, Newfoundland for a date with Newfoundland Growlers on Friday, March 8. That three-game set is part of a six-game road trip where the Steelheads will finish their Canadian travel in Trois-Rivières where he can visit with former Cougars teammate Nolan Yaremko! And while the two former teammates will be on opposite sides, their presences in those games is a testament to the Mount Royal program's ability to produce solid hockey players.<br />
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Here's hoping that Connor Blake can find his footing in the ECHL quickly and he starts piling up points like he did on the Mount Royal blue line. He's a fantastic player who has a bright future, and it seems like it's only a matter of time before the ECHL knows his name as well as we do in western Canada.<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-9999519348141949042024-03-01T22:30:00.000-06:002024-03-02T09:17:13.491-06:00Berries On Ice<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_8vUpnssUSGaZju6LdbbS1jS8W1PWhpci1F5LbWqrvr5NkKV0xwsJcH9RazwAXfCidA6Y3mOdp2lz6624IQJrLc2N_W3AzajJVF7jo8Ah6t0kSkYJiOylYpKk6EajBoU22NIh6rPZSm1z5LIG7iZLhU-dRQmTVymqjnquVIRqGQBdzo6LGTFaip_qR42/s320/berriesice.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_8vUpnssUSGaZju6LdbbS1jS8W1PWhpci1F5LbWqrvr5NkKV0xwsJcH9RazwAXfCidA6Y3mOdp2lz6624IQJrLc2N_W3AzajJVF7jo8Ah6t0kSkYJiOylYpKk6EajBoU22NIh6rPZSm1z5LIG7iZLhU-dRQmTVymqjnquVIRqGQBdzo6LGTFaip_qR42/s200/berriesice.jpg"/></a></div>If I had told you that there were Berries on the ice tonight, you might question my grasp of sentence structure in English as well as thinking of the image to the left. Some places use berries frozen inside ice cubes as a way to flavour water or seltzer, and I'm sure people enjoy that. I'm not sure I would because I like bolder flavours, but I'm also not a lemon-in-water guy either. However, there actually were Berries on the ice tonight in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan as the WHL's Saskatoon Blades ran a bit of a crossover promotion with the <a href="https://saskatoonberriesbaseballclub.ca/">new Western Canadian Baseball League team</a> in that city as the Saskatoon Berries hit the ice tonight!<br />
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I'm not usually a fan of hockey teams promoting another team in their city because hockey teams are already fighting for entertainment dollars from fans. This one falls into the exception category for me, though, because Saskatoon berries <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/berries-bloom-early-in-saskatchewan-1.3665004">are a real berry</a>, the Saskatoon Berries baseball team has yet to play a game as an expansion team in the WCBL, and the Blades are doing what other WHL teams have done in rebranding themselves for one night as a fun way to sell a few more tickets. Would it be cool for the Blades to keep this rebranding? Not in my eyes because they have their own brand, but for one night? It works as a fun promotion to help both teams!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqcJna6Z3eJrEYBEvE8swW_meimdl5Vk-kBAZsTyp0_EM9jP-u6gkTyhZ0w7l9w0GSveVn5FktXQSJsnNrd1iTdz3vmDjAGYJhODLbqmCWsz3dTE0MWOqNR2OqpDhdbCKL1wSczVKX0PjU7U4D8-mLqbZFd61jp3h39UMd1BrnwcLutXYwmJ50QCtkbz7/s316/berriesjersey.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqcJna6Z3eJrEYBEvE8swW_meimdl5Vk-kBAZsTyp0_EM9jP-u6gkTyhZ0w7l9w0GSveVn5FktXQSJsnNrd1iTdz3vmDjAGYJhODLbqmCWsz3dTE0MWOqNR2OqpDhdbCKL1wSczVKX0PjU7U4D8-mLqbZFd61jp3h39UMd1BrnwcLutXYwmJ50QCtkbz7/s200/berriesjersey.png"/></a></div>The jerseys worn by the Blades tonight look pretty good as shown to the right. The Berries' distinctive logo has been slightly altered to show the Berry holding a hockey stick rather than a baseball bat, but the colour scheme for this jersey works nicely. I did have concerns that it may resemble the jersey worn by the QMJHL's <a href="https://www.collectosports.com/en-CA/gpc/_media/Image/V60ROEH2019-0.jpg">Rimouski Oceanic</a> or the <a href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57e97d10ff7c50b43a1cb2ff/1548111010177-8UO2ZMXVMG5STBGIV0TU/blank.jpg">Chicoutimi Sagueneens</a> based on colours, but the Blades did well to create a unique jersey for the Berries. The light blue makes for a nice contrast to break up the darker purple colour, the hockey stripes work well to keep it looking like a hockey jersey, and the logo is prominently featured. Overall, a solid design for the Berries franchise!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOx5MlCZvnDES8obYQqezAq-Rbkk5b6b-bun9y6ogCUjC3ADTRyQHAdTY7rwdBM3Suw7GSG0jrqJiQy05lT-mbHGb8Xwn67f_1romkrytkfgEQsalaBU4pb_wmVzPWkChcO4NKYF11YM_6qFFz1i74VfN9Ha48LIcgG033r7Idl0N6BxUEQFlJv-gn18Ol/s1920/berriesgameday.jpg" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOx5MlCZvnDES8obYQqezAq-Rbkk5b6b-bun9y6ogCUjC3ADTRyQHAdTY7rwdBM3Suw7GSG0jrqJiQy05lT-mbHGb8Xwn67f_1romkrytkfgEQsalaBU4pb_wmVzPWkChcO4NKYF11YM_6qFFz1i74VfN9Ha48LIcgG033r7Idl0N6BxUEQFlJv-gn18Ol/s400/berriesgameday.jpg"/></a></div>As the above gameday graphic shows, the Berries were hosting the Lethbridge Hurricanes in tonight's game. After a scoreless first period, Saskatoon's Easton Armstrong notched the Berries' first score on the ice when Trevor Wong hit Armstrong driving the net on a 2-on-1, and Armstrong's redirection dented twine just 68 seconds into the middle frame for the 1-0 lead! The Berries were rolling!<br />
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The only problem was that the Hurricanes seemed to figure their side of the ice out and scored the next four goals en route to a 4-1 win. Clearly, things didn't go the way the Berries wanted, but that's the way the puck bounces sometimes. Despite the setback, the Blades remain in first-place in the WHL with a 42-12-2-3 record and 89 points while the Berries stand at 0-1 in their hockey record, and they'll try to flip that record on the diamond when they take the field for the first time against Regina on May 25.<br />
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Overall, the Berries may have lost the game, but it's pretty clear they're going to look good whether they're on grass or ice. If you have a few extra bucks kicking around, the Blades are <a href="https://fans.winwithdash.com/event/65e1625727261800081adfd7">selling their Berries jerseys via auction</a>. Having a Saskatoon Berries jersey might be a cool addition to your closet, so check that auction site out. More importantly, though, make sure you catch the Berries on the diamond this summer as they look to win a WCBL championship!<br />
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Kudos to the Blades for helping a new team in the Saskatoon market find a little traction, for having some fun, and for creating some solid jerseys for the event. Outside of the final score, this looked like a fun night of hockey! And there's never anything wrong with having a berry good time at the rink, right?<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-37829893282519491732024-02-29T09:00:00.005-06:002024-03-01T08:42:46.234-06:00The Hockey Show - Episode 597<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHbSaI02fMqqaEskM5BmdG6j4lNTAiUL0X8-OsYefIkZbcNjKfts7oyBDvNIZBgIAH3a6iXUepv4Yjg_Rftxr4t4NknW5YC0XFU3ehXecAOOvu3PFWYOc0BKl4W3bIeUBabyN0ENNHC9dFF1gyySDuuyUJHIxoLoZyNQOr1ED1vbt5-S5rHYNhutvIQ/s400/hockeyshowTeebz.jpg" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHbSaI02fMqqaEskM5BmdG6j4lNTAiUL0X8-OsYefIkZbcNjKfts7oyBDvNIZBgIAH3a6iXUepv4Yjg_Rftxr4t4NknW5YC0XFU3ehXecAOOvu3PFWYOc0BKl4W3bIeUBabyN0ENNHC9dFF1gyySDuuyUJHIxoLoZyNQOr1ED1vbt5-S5rHYNhutvIQ/s400/hockeyshowTeebz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/373/"><i>The Hockey Show</i></a>, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is going to get you set and ready for the two big tournaments heading to Toronto and Saskatoon, respectively, as U SPORTS looks to crown its men's and women's hockey champions for the 2023-24 season. While not every conference has decided who will be representing them at these two events, our hosts will discuss the likelihood of who you'll see competing. Both men's and women's hockey have had an outstanding run this year at the U SPORTS level, so make sure you tune into <a href="http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/373/"><i>The Hockey Show</i></a> at 5:30pm CT tonight to get all the details on who may be travelling in March for hockey!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_P8THUy7rNVdvgFPNUH4Kw6_OHp88InCwyu3_wfWtP20Jn1EVl6pXZwEmKoiviXLbX2Y4dq1jkBxuxgo9fx_bw5N9HGepSvKUZRu7ziSvCkh4DNsIsuP0JuGWgrbTYpbl9bjQNXvjuR9DVbAnqqCbky6BqK5g8Pi48hSHz0pp3aaj-UgK4WTHysSBjFgH/s400/thereweretwo.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_P8THUy7rNVdvgFPNUH4Kw6_OHp88InCwyu3_wfWtP20Jn1EVl6pXZwEmKoiviXLbX2Y4dq1jkBxuxgo9fx_bw5N9HGepSvKUZRu7ziSvCkh4DNsIsuP0JuGWgrbTYpbl9bjQNXvjuR9DVbAnqqCbky6BqK5g8Pi48hSHz0pp3aaj-UgK4WTHysSBjFgH/s200/thereweretwo.gif"/></a></div>Being that it's a Leap Day, Teebz and Jason are going to leap into the U SPORTS men's and women's hockey playoff picture to get you up to speed on who's in, who's out, who's still figuring their next few weeks out, and what to expect when the eight teams finally arrive in either Saskatoon or Toronto. The Canada West Awards were also handed out to a number of outstanding players, and our hosts will look at those winners' seasons as well. If you've been needing an update on everything U SPORTS National Hockey Championships, the two hosts will likely talk about it tonight! Expect predictions, prognostications, discussions and more about the two biggest university hockey championships in Canada tonight on <a href="http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/373/"><i>The Hockey Show</i></a> at 5:30pm CT on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via <a href="https://umfm.com/">UMFM.com</a> as Teebz and Jason get you the info you need!<br />
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If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The <a href="https://umfm.com/">new UMFM website</a>'s online streaming player is pretty awesome if you want to listen online. We also recommend <a href="http://radio.garden/listen/cjum-fm/CRkSFWDb">Radio Garden</a> if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you <a href="https://tunein.com/">use the TuneIn app</a> found on the App Store or Google Play Store. If you use the <a href="https://tunein.com/">TuneIn app</a>, you won't be disappointed. It's a solid app.<br />
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If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to <a href="mailto:hockeyshow@umfm.com">hockeyshow@umfm.com</a>! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at <a href="https://twitter.com/TeebzHBIC">@TeebzHBIC on Twitter</a>! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard!<br />
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Tonight, Teebz and Jason discuss the teams who have qualified, teams who are still in the hunt, the surprise upsets, the award winners, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the <a href="http://umfm.com/">UMFM.com web stream</a>!<br />
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<b>PODCAST: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d0cSp5Eu4L_UX9XkODj9Uywa6lsPzV42/view?usp=sharing">February 29, 2024: Episode 597</a></b><br />
Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice! Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-38138548382547725642024-02-28T20:00:00.004-06:002024-03-01T21:11:27.935-06:00A Better Response, But...<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3kfqY8r5YcCe6lLK0siAAaeuLK4y1JeQYhhs05i5KB8n37M9XYDtMv1wSFYEXBfH0xaco6-_CMkzWtWWuCg4ugBUvW0tzAq47k_14TsmTf5f9UcQZaiuVu5P-BTsUUHAn2H-6tXk86lmpQaEsEguXw6OzXT-kOmU_ivxFo1XBrJvtvYLrKCVjEvRGxQk/s433/murphy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="433" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3kfqY8r5YcCe6lLK0siAAaeuLK4y1JeQYhhs05i5KB8n37M9XYDtMv1wSFYEXBfH0xaco6-_CMkzWtWWuCg4ugBUvW0tzAq47k_14TsmTf5f9UcQZaiuVu5P-BTsUUHAn2H-6tXk86lmpQaEsEguXw6OzXT-kOmU_ivxFo1XBrJvtvYLrKCVjEvRGxQk/s200/murphy.jpg"/></a></div>You may know Abbey Murphy for her work with Team USA at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship, or the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship, but you'll normally find her on a sheet of ice in Minnesota. Murphy has been a Minnesota Golden Gophers women's hockey player since 2020, and she's shown all sorts of exceptional ability that has allowed her to skate at three consecutive IIHF World Women's U18 Championships before jumping to the senior American National Team. In short, Abbey Murphy can play the game.<br />
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What makes Minnesota so great is that they have a pile of fantastic NCAA women's hockey programs in the state. Along with Wisconsin to the east, Minnesota is one of those places where NCAA women's hockey is thriving, and the competition among the teams within the state is fierce. Whether it's Minnesota, Minnesota-Duluth, Minnesota State, St. Thomas, St. Cloud State, or Bemidji State, anytime two of these teams meet on the ice, there's usually intense competition.<br />
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There should be no surprise that these teams have contempt for one another at times, but it seems Abbey Murphy may have dialled it up a few notches after she capped off Sunday's game between Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth with an empty-net goal that resembled one recently seen in the NHL. Here's the video of Murphy's goal.<br />
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YZwu_ZfaDqg?si=zrdqochDCqJtCs3_" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Let me be blunt by saying that if clapbombing a puck into an empty net becomes some new trend that everyone does, it loses its spectacle. I'm not reading deeper than what MUrphy did was score a goal, but the chirping after the play when the Bulldogs player skated by and was directed away by the official seems to show some bad blood between these two squads. If Minnesota-Duluth needed a villain, it seems Abbey Murphy will be that person.<br />
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What Murphy did was similar to what Ottawa's Ridly Greig did against Toronto, and the intention was the same as he blew off some frustration while icing the game for his team. If people want to read deeper into these goals, one is certainly welcome to write whatever narrative one likes. My entire outlook on this goal is that if Minnesota-Duluth doesn't like what Murphy did, don't let her have that opportunity. Otherwise, an empty-net goal scored with a slapshot is no different than any other empty-net goal.<br />
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Clara Van Wieren clearly didn't like it as she was the player who went over to Murphy after the goal, and it seems she said something to Murphy that caused the Gophers forward to say something back. Clearly, Van Wieren sent whatever message was necessary in her mind, and Murphy had her own thoughts on the matter. What should be noted is there was no violent outburst from Van Wieren after the goal - she responded like a well-adjusted and rational human being.<br />
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In games between these two fierce rivals, this ramps up the dislike for one another for the next meeting. With WCHA Playoffs beginning on Friday, the Bulldogs and Gophers may not see one another again, though, as the Gophers enter the playoffs as the third-ranked team while the Bulldogs are the fourth-ranked team. Unless there's an upset or these two can knock off the teams ahead of them, there won't be a chance to renew the hostility seen in Sunday's game.<br />
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I'll give Clara Van Wieren and the Bulldogs some credit for not overreacting like Morgan Rielly did, but it's just an empty-net goal. If you don't like how Abbey Murphy scored that goal, don't give her that opportunity. On the other side of the coin, Abbey Murphy shouldn't make slapshot empty-netters a habit either.<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-40982592283516661402024-02-27T22:00:00.000-06:002024-02-28T19:17:28.996-06:00A Strong Hockey Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVR7iU5T6ai6CpQTOz3ja7E0-5P3k4rX5Jq9KaIDC2GZ5hY5IphytQAKI6KZ0RTnpq3k888q6exvPMR_iGBytpQLuMtQEV2ON_zb1IDpo-p53k8fwVX3jz0Z3IzTNxqa2EOxIOwWbZ18_3of-M6UCNUii81Xx5WTpyR3cwXfNGvA7CUqqrjtsL-Np1_oK5/s915/bettmandaly.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="915" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVR7iU5T6ai6CpQTOz3ja7E0-5P3k4rX5Jq9KaIDC2GZ5hY5IphytQAKI6KZ0RTnpq3k888q6exvPMR_iGBytpQLuMtQEV2ON_zb1IDpo-p53k8fwVX3jz0Z3IzTNxqa2EOxIOwWbZ18_3of-M6UCNUii81Xx5WTpyR3cwXfNGvA7CUqqrjtsL-Np1_oK5/s200/bettmandaly.jpg"/></a></div>Normally, having important dignitaries coming to one's city is usually a chance to roll out the red carpet. And perhaps the carpeting was changed for this evening at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, but the arrival of NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly wasn't really an opportunity to celebrate as they were in the city for business - specifically, the lack of business the Jets seem to be experiencing as per the team's owner. Tonight, the "dynamic duo" of Bettman and Daly sat down with the media and worked to reassure fans that the NHL team's situation in Winnipeg isn't as bad as everyone seems to be making it out to be.<br />
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For the most part, there wasn't much fencing with the Commissioner as some reporters seemingly want to do. Bettman matter-of-factly stated that the Jets had a problem, they were working to fix it, and the NHL believes that everything will work out betweent the team and its fanbase. Yes, season tickets sales have to be increased, but Bettman sees no long-term chaos coming for the Winnipeg franchise.<br />
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"I don't view this as a crisis," Bettman said. "But I do believe, as with any team in any market, there needs to be collaboration between community and the fan base and the club. And I believe ultimately it will be here."<br />
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After CBC's <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/true-north-nhl-viability-bettman-1.7126207">Bartley Kives wrote a sobering article</a> that contains more truth than speculation on the team's long-term future, I do believe that Gary Bettman is being honest when he says that Winnipeg is a "strong hockey market". Jets fans are some of the best in the league when it comes to supporting their team, but Bettman and Chipman recognize that the margin for error in the league's smallest market doesn't allow for a lot of wiggle room when things don't go well.<br />
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Echoing Kives' article when it comes to the investments made in and around Canada Life Centre in downtown Winnipeg, Bettman made sure Jets fans heard some reassurances about the market and the team's long-term viability based on ownership strength.<br />
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"This is a place where hockey matters," Bettman told reporters. "I believe that this is a strong NHL market. I believe that ownership has made extraordinary commitments to the Jets, to this arena, to the downtown area, involving hundreds of millions of dollars, and I’m not sure why people are now speculating that somehow they're not going to be here."<br />
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Again, Bettman's stating the very obvious in a way that doesn't give away the secret. David Thomson, one of the planet's richest men, owns the Canada Life Centre, and he wants to see butts in seats so he can continue to profit off the financing of the arena in Winnipeg. This is why the Manitoba Moose play there, this is why they work to attract all the biggest concerts, and this is why they are the top venue in Winnipeg for shows like Cirque de Soleil and Jerry Seinfeld.<br />
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By having an arena that has a guaranteed 13,000 people coming in for hockey on 41 nights per year means that his cut of ticket sales, concession sales, merchandise sales, and parking fees all remain strong. If the Jets were to leave, Thomson, as co-owner, would be the living embodiment of cutting one's nose off to spite one's face. Letting the main tenant for his hockey arena - the tenant that he co-owns! - leave for another city would hit him hard in the pocketbook as the arena's owner. In short, it's not happening.<br />
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Again, playing in the NHL's smallest market has it's challenges when it comes to making profits, but the Jets have been doing well enough for a while that a few down years on the ice haven't hurt them financially. What has hurt them is their interactions with fans who sought other ticket options rather than full season-ticket packages. Bettman made reference to this, but he kind of swept it under the rug despite trying to turn it into a positive.<br />
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"At the end of the day, we could go through a litany of reasons, that either are true or are speculated to be true, as to how the attendance situation got to where it is — it kind of doesn't really matter," he said. "Because teams go through different ups and downs. I believe that the season-ticket base and the attendance will evolve back to where it was."<br />
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It doesn't matter? It sure seemed like it mattered to Mark Chipman when he spoke to Chris Johnston. But, please, do go on.<br />
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"I share Mark's view," he continued. "But Mark isn’t issuing any deadlines — he's focused on what he can do to make sure the fanbase is maximally engaged, and I applaud the effort. We're not operating under the Sword of Damocles, or on a razor's edge — this is part of the evolution of what franchises sometimes go through. I remember a number of other Canadian franchises, for example — some of them considered to be small-market — where the season-ticket base aged out, and they had to go rebuild it with younger fans. It happens."<br />
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Ok, fair point. I do recall Edmonton and Ottawa facing similar issues in years gone by, and they've seen an upswing in support since then. Edmonton has two of the most exciting players in hockey skating for them, so that helped their cause immensely. Ottawa changed ownership, has seen a focus on drafting good players, and they're trying to turn the corner. Winnipeg can claim it has both, so let's be honest in saying that this problem lies at the feet of the front office who sell the game rather than making idle threats about the viability of this team.<br />
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Not surprisingly, people don't like, if you'll excuse the borrowing of a phrase, the Sword of Damocles held to their throats when it comes to supporting an entertainment product at the prices the Jets are charging without some sort of return on the investment. Yes, you get to see NHL hockey, but that's also available on TV. Give me a reason to come to the rink, and I'll make the effort. Offer better giveaways; give me some sort of solid entertainment before, during, and after the game; and, by all means, make me feel like my fanship and my dollars matter to you.<br />
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"This is a team that's widely regarded around the league as a model franchise," deputy commissioner Bill Daly added to the press conference. "Well-run from top to bottom, has a competitive hockey team, puts a competitive hockey team on the ice, spends to the cap, but also invests in the community. We wish we had 32 of these."<br />
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From an NHL perspective, I don't doubt that everything Daly stated is true. True North Sports and Entertainment has done everything the NHL has asked of them to the letter, and they don't rock the boat very often when the waters get a little rough. From the hockey side of things, Bettman and Daly will never have an issue with an ownership group and a team that does what its told and never complains. The Jets are, in one phrase, easy for the NHL to like.<br />
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The drop in attendance had nothing to do with how the Hockey Operations Department was running the team, though, so this pat on the back for the organization is moot. Jets fans aren't complaining about how the team is run, but they are complaining about their experiences at the arena and when dealing with the account managers employed by the Jets. The Hockey Operations Department has causes some ripples with player moves, but these moves aren't why fans are unhappy with their experience at the rink. This comment by Daly unfortunately missed the point entirely.<br />
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With respect to this problem being a mountain that developed from a molehill, the Jets are starting to see the attendance climb once again, and part of that is due to the Jets putting a good product out on the ice. Competing for top-spot in their division, conference, and overall is certainly worthy of a few extra butts in seats, and the Jets have seen that happen since Christmas.<br />
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The catch here is that while attendance is returning, this "problem" will always be something the Jets have to address each day because Winnipeg is a blue-collar town with a white-collar mentality. That's not a dig on my hometown, but it's a matter of economical balance - disposable income is tight right now, so people are prioritizing things differently. If people feel like their hard-earned dollars aren't valued, that money will be redirected to something else. The Jets, unfortunately, are feeling that squeeze right now.<br />
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Knowing that, what advice does the NHL Commissioner have for fans?<br />
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"Get over your anxiety and come to games," Bettman offered as a solution. "There's no better way to deal with anxiety than rooting for your hometown team."<br />
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I'm not sure from where Gary's getting this diagnosis of anxiety, but let me be blunt in saying that people not coming to Jets games has very little to do with anxiety. If anything, people were anxious when Mark Chipman dropped the veiled threat of the Jets potentially not being viable here, but this is a clear message to the brains behind the operations that people aren't satisifed with the entertainment value they're being charged. Jets fans have made that clear by taking their money elsewhere or by re-prioritizing what's important in their lives.<br />
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The good news for the Winnipeg Jets is that there is an immense amount of community pride for this team, and everyone who was a season-ticket holder is willing to engage with the Jets with ideas on how the franchise can attract those dollars back that have migrated to other entertainment options. If some of those ideas are put in place, the flow of money and the fans will return to the rink and this entire exercise will be nothing more than something to study for academics.<br />
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At the end of the day, the customer isn't always right, but happy customers will almost always be returning customers. That's the part that the Jets need to embrace if they're going to be one of the top entertainment choices in this city. I have no doubt that the Jets will turn this around if they listen, and that turn-around will be because Winnipeg is as, Commissioner Bettman stated, a "strong hockey market".<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-56154126771188846082024-02-26T18:00:00.002-06:002024-02-26T18:00:27.811-06:00Denied A Doughnut<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvQM9FSaJmK2Nw5U5W-9kJPc4YpclCBFW5TAFIuEqkFbBMbaRvcLy29Flnf13cx1O519mcU6S2dPnV3to4NyLCQY0u-OBoq-DpA_sWY4wwJLZCXFMN3tEgXanyWz7x85FxKZn0J16nrGa3vBiSVVQdTQWpo_M9W3fgNKUnVuYqQd9PK3RjXyXPXUz3E3x/s517/mattdavis.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvQM9FSaJmK2Nw5U5W-9kJPc4YpclCBFW5TAFIuEqkFbBMbaRvcLy29Flnf13cx1O519mcU6S2dPnV3to4NyLCQY0u-OBoq-DpA_sWY4wwJLZCXFMN3tEgXanyWz7x85FxKZn0J16nrGa3vBiSVVQdTQWpo_M9W3fgNKUnVuYqQd9PK3RjXyXPXUz3E3x/s200/mattdavis.jpg"/></a></div>The masked man to the left is Calgary-born netminder Matt Davis. Davis guards the net for the NCAA's University of Denver Pioneers where he's 12-4-3 this season with a 2.82 GAA and a .901 save percentage. Davis played a couple of seasons in the AJHL with the Spruce Grove Saints before spending one season with the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers, but his numbers have been pretty consistent throughout his career no matter where he was playing. While this season has seen him play games for Denver than any before, I'm not certain that what happened Saturday night has ever happened to Davis in his career. What we need to ask is how well do people know the rulebook at the NCAA level when it comes to what Davis did Saturday night!<br />
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With Denver leading 2-0 over the University of Miami-Ohio Redhawks late in the first period, there was a delayed penalty awaiting to be called on Miami's Ryan Sullivan for holding. That prompted Davis to head to the bench for the extra attacker as Denver had possession in the Miami zone, and that's where we'll go to the video below.<br />
<iframe width="400" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RLJE-HkbK4c?si=ewmPwPi7X8b_ieai&start=104&end=129" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>As explained in the video, the centering pass by Tristan Broz is deflected by Miami's Robby Drazner which causes the puck to go off the boards and down the ice before it ends up in Denver's net. Because Miami didn't gain possession of the puck, the delayed penalty wasn't called, and end result was the Miami goal stood, the penalty was finally called, and Denver went on the power-play as they led 2-1. For the record, Denver would win this game by an 8-1 score.<br />
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It's technically not an own-goal by definition, but that's not why we're here. Instead, Davis stopped all 27 shots he faced on the night, and was in no responsible for the puck that slid down the ice after the deflected pass caused it to come to rest in his net. Let's find out how well you know the rule book because, technically, he wasn't scored on and stopped every shot sent his way, so he should receive a shutout, right? Or maybe an asterisked shutout? After all, <a href="https://denverpioneers.com/news/2024/2/25/du-pioneers-hockey-miami-recap-2024-february-24">Denver published the recap with a headline</a> that seems to indicate that Davis will see an increase to his shutout total this season. Are they correct?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEr11VaqfTU2IEPpmBkRXrMpih9Xfqp-28cgYlHrWOQJXJ6yPTvi9jLYXSobD3gGUh8jcxD_MUa6qTk-uKjwksOS_1v8d254A6yjSE3IFaENrLMU9yDPsa7cW3zdK2vhSooKGV3UK-tBawhQRaGzks6lwUrQmBzNYiYD7T7_Nc-RWWV2ihUlMGllsJ2Fk/s767/headline.JPG" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="86" data-original-width="767" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEr11VaqfTU2IEPpmBkRXrMpih9Xfqp-28cgYlHrWOQJXJ6yPTvi9jLYXSobD3gGUh8jcxD_MUa6qTk-uKjwksOS_1v8d254A6yjSE3IFaENrLMU9yDPsa7cW3zdK2vhSooKGV3UK-tBawhQRaGzks6lwUrQmBzNYiYD7T7_Nc-RWWV2ihUlMGllsJ2Fk/s400/headline.JPG"/></a></div><br />
It turns out that the Denver writer was incorrect in his headline as Matt Davis will not see his shutout total increase as per the <a href="http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Stats_Manuals/IceHockey/2021.pdf">NCAA's Ice Hockey Statisticians’ Manual</a>. Section 6, Article 3 on goaltending has a note that reads, <i>"Note: Empty-net time (i.e., during a delayed-penalty call) does not preclude a goaltender from being awarded a shutout. If a goal is scored during an empty net situation, then the goalie does not receive a shutout."</i><br />
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So there you have it: case closed on whether this was a shutout in the eyes of the NCAA - it was not. While I'm not here to call out the writer doing the recaps for the Denver Pioneers, it seems that headline is somewhat inaccurate since Davis will get credit for the win and making 27 stops on 27 shots, but he does not get an increase in the shutout column for his efforts on Saturday.<br />
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Some will say, "Teebz, everyone knows it's not a shutout if you get scored on," but this is one of those weird moments in hockey where Matt Davis didn't get scored on over the course of the game, yet he doesn't get to record a shutout. It's the same as when two goalies split a shutout - neither gets credit for the shutout - despite both goalies denying every chance. Of course, that's the risk a team and a goalie take when they opt to throw the extra skater on as an errant pass can end up in the vacated net. And there goes the shutout.<br />
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After this weekend, Denver sits in third-place in the NCHC, two points up on Colorado College and four points back of St. Cloud State. Denver will play St. Cloud State on March 1 and 2, so things could very interesting if they can post a couple of wins, and they'll finish off the regular-season schedule with a home-and-home with Colorado College, so Denver truly may control their own destiny when it comes to where they'll finish in the conference.<br />
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Of course, goaltender Matt Davis will be a big part of that finish with how he's played, and we'll see if he can record an authentic shutout in the final four games as opposed to having one taken away because of a deflected pass that took the right angle off a bounce while he was trying to help his team!<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-37594611911320739242024-02-25T23:30:00.005-06:002024-02-26T16:24:38.779-06:00The Rundown - Semifinals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTjUfmRyaliNwvwtIWmcT-mnhE-vDaxjJCCb_m_3vjVWpIJl4z3VvBoPaHre6T2hOiMP9Qk3_6RXsABDzpoJbv55ecCj4CcTFo1ht-3bW-kucgiL_cuRD9ld6PqqmvQyUThpOv4Sj9OE/s1600/rundown.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTjUfmRyaliNwvwtIWmcT-mnhE-vDaxjJCCb_m_3vjVWpIJl4z3VvBoPaHre6T2hOiMP9Qk3_6RXsABDzpoJbv55ecCj4CcTFo1ht-3bW-kucgiL_cuRD9ld6PqqmvQyUThpOv4Sj9OE/s400/rundown.png" /></a></div>Four teams remained in the picture for the lone Canada West berth at the 2024 GFL U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship as the weekend began, and that number would be cut in half by the time Monday arrived on the calendar. The two Calgary-based teams were taking their respective shows on the road to Vancouver and Edmonton as the Calgary Dinos met up with the UBC Thunderbirds while the Mount Royal Cougars would tangle with the Alberta Pandas. Would the extra week of hockey benefit the visitors? Would the bye week enjoyed by both UBC and Alberta benefit them in their preparations for their opponents? We'll answer those questions as semifinal action is on the menu this week here on <i>The Rundown</i>!<br />
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Before we get to the games, here's a quick reminder of the bracket.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0xEp4A-VB4_5E07k2C0RsOJPBiYd-FgGxlD-GoaZtaBI62gTI1pm1MmIJI1T_xUH8gS3Rj6iL3TVVWnQJm16JrLngWFyZtyjkaT7whPXL3DFAmovoRTWdIylFeYLnE04mBFpzrTZM_YcCchQy5B0k0AsfY_yc1Uvdrfs7-fdY-MVbUM1FBFiQK0AdU06/s765/2024Semifinals.png" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="765" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0xEp4A-VB4_5E07k2C0RsOJPBiYd-FgGxlD-GoaZtaBI62gTI1pm1MmIJI1T_xUH8gS3Rj6iL3TVVWnQJm16JrLngWFyZtyjkaT7whPXL3DFAmovoRTWdIylFeYLnE04mBFpzrTZM_YcCchQy5B0k0AsfY_yc1Uvdrfs7-fdY-MVbUM1FBFiQK0AdU06/s400/2024Semifinals.png" width="400" /></a></div>If you're wondering about those 3pm PT start times for Calgary-UBC, the UBC Thunderbirds men's hockey team was also hosting a series this weekend as the Alberta Pandas were the guests. I guess the women's team drew the short straw when it came to game times, but the games will be played in Vancouver starting in mid-afternoon.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIndAdMTweB9rT4qhp2Q-rhBI4VaKvmuCYdINwyN-2IjYp7TXPfDun7qPFIJq3GHRwqp0uLebD0WTwOR9WqTv07kvjhiBXCXB0k3ojLp72ukDQz3OJkdKPBeeLNIBd7OwePLl27ry4AL13EwG2NVSqfXE1r1ODBIBElG9NDxlTnz8Pw4AdKJ3avGMVaPVf/s435/CGYUBC.png" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="58" data-original-width="435" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIndAdMTweB9rT4qhp2Q-rhBI4VaKvmuCYdINwyN-2IjYp7TXPfDun7qPFIJq3GHRwqp0uLebD0WTwOR9WqTv07kvjhiBXCXB0k3ojLp72ukDQz3OJkdKPBeeLNIBd7OwePLl27ry4AL13EwG2NVSqfXE1r1ODBIBElG9NDxlTnz8Pw4AdKJ3avGMVaPVf/s400/CGYUBC.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTebsRfJbTt0EsWBDcx14DA6OP1uiKMWgMCIykqSvXcomL1KvJAa1slSWocKdBWTh_OOAg5bWNZMuVKse82xA-NK_2jth-Nh1jhiY877AxEF-V41e3wklz6sv-OFAlqohu7h4ry5ktyGOzzQVTu3kHZTwJDIrj9t4cmKGmydWmyYIlNoLjb2-sf3QafLy4/s1600/GameOne.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="30" data-original-width="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTebsRfJbTt0EsWBDcx14DA6OP1uiKMWgMCIykqSvXcomL1KvJAa1slSWocKdBWTh_OOAg5bWNZMuVKse82xA-NK_2jth-Nh1jhiY877AxEF-V41e3wklz6sv-OFAlqohu7h4ry5ktyGOzzQVTu3kHZTwJDIrj9t4cmKGmydWmyYIlNoLjb2-sf3QafLy4/s1600/GameOne.png" /></a></div>We'll start with those early games as the Dinos and Thunderirds kicked the weekend off on Friday afternoon. As mentioned last week, the Dinos were the only team to defeat the Thunderbirds in regulation time and on UBC ice this season, so one had to wonder if that was in the back of the minds of the players on both sides of the puck. One had to wonder if Gabriella Durante's shutout streak would continue into this series after Calgary's masterful defensive performances against Saskatchewan one week ago, but UBC is also a vastly different team than the Huskies. Gabriella Durante got the start for the Dinos in this game while Elise Hugens took her skills to the Thunderbirds' crease.<br />
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If there was one thing Calgary could carry into this series, it's that they had killed off 12-straight power-plays for their opponents. The only problem, as stated above, is that UBC isn't Saskatchewan, and they struck early on the power-play when <a href="https://twitter.com/ubctbirds/status/1761177954141569073">Chanreet Bassi's shot from a sharp angle</a> found space under the bar past Durante, and the Thunderbirds went up 1-0 at 4:29 off Bassi's marker. A couple of UBC penalties would slow the momentum they had from that early goal, but the Dinos couldn't convert on those advantages. Two Calgary penalties later in the frame wouldn't hurt the Dinos, but the T-Birds took the one-goal lead to the break as they led 9-4 in shots.<br />
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The second period saw both teams looking for more scoring chances, but neither was willing to trade an offensive chance if it meant a defensive lapse. UBC did own more of the offensive zone time in this period, but the Dinos met the challenge. With no penalties being called and no goals being recorded, UBC carried their 1-0 lead into the third period after leading 19-9 on the shot counter.<br />
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Calgary, needing to find an equalizer upped their offensive tempo as they looked to strike. The Thunderbirds were doing well before Brooke Dennett decided to show off her hands. Getting the puck off the half-boards, Dennett made a great move to the middle past UBC defender Sierra LaPlante before <a href="https://twitter.com/DinosWHKY/status/1761190056902181253">firing a backhander through Hugens</a> at 6:39, and we had a 1-1 game. That goal seemed to kick the Thunderbirds back into attack mode as they'd restore their lead when Bassi went tape-to-tape to Jacquelyn Fleming at the top of the Calgary crease for the tap-in t make it a 2-1 game at 10:26.<br />
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Despite a late power-play against the Thunderbirds where the Dinos pulled Durante for the extra attacker, the Dinos could not solve Hugens or the UBC defence for a second time on this day as UBC grabs the series lead thanks to a 2-1 victory. Elise Hugens picks up the win with a 16-save effort while Gabriella Durante made 29 saves in the setback. I should also note that Durante's shutout streak ended at 157:13 with that Bassi goal in the opening frame, but that's still a heckuva run from Gabriella Durante in these playoffs.<br />
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UBC now leads the series 1-0 over Calgary.<br />
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I almost choked on my coffee as I was writing this because the UBC Thunderbirds did a highlight reel from this game! Kudos to UBC for this effort - it is appreciated! Here are today's highlights!<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Eb2fz1i7498?si=OBS9v7UdXBNwCHfo" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><br />
<br class="separator" div="" style="clear: both;" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwP2seiEgvyVJmhOjOKFg8NvSBZkJU7zQdU9n8CZIOhjMSReeH04JC8qvzrQ-vIkiP-GMMWtJnTlPINM458noFlj-YHANi4AhwbQYWPBoGtVFTlC22dYKZaqcIPEHSJNNQ4e-Mco43LqBwdz7_CuBqSoaw7tYX_lIoIhacDmSMC0pEo6trFWFZZuaXVBZs/s1600/GameTwo.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="30" data-original-width="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwP2seiEgvyVJmhOjOKFg8NvSBZkJU7zQdU9n8CZIOhjMSReeH04JC8qvzrQ-vIkiP-GMMWtJnTlPINM458noFlj-YHANi4AhwbQYWPBoGtVFTlC22dYKZaqcIPEHSJNNQ4e-Mco43LqBwdz7_CuBqSoaw7tYX_lIoIhacDmSMC0pEo6trFWFZZuaXVBZs/s1600/GameTwo.png" /></a>With Calgary having been in this same predicament one week earlier, they knew the stakes they were facing. Down a game in a best-of-three series meant that was must-win from this point on, so the Dinos had to bring their best on Saturday. For UBC, they were looking to close out this series and book their appearance in the Canada West Final for the third-straight season, but sending the Dinos into extinction for this season was proving to be a tough task so UBC had to be ready for another tightly-contested game. Gabriella Durante and Elise Hugens took their spots in front of their respective nets as the rematch got underway.<br />
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UBC clearly wanted to put this one away early as they brought the firepower and peppered the Dinos' net. The only problem was that Durante was writing a different story as she was in denial mode in the opening frame. The game was decidedly in favour of UBC in shots, but Calgary moved the puck well. They simply couldn't get many clean chances at Hugens. The scorekeepers had an easy time of it in the opening frame as there were no penalties and no goals, and we'd move to the second period with these teams tied at 0-0, but with UBC up 10-4 in shots.<br />
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Calgary wasn't waiting around for an invitation to get the scoring started. Just 62 seconds into the middle frame, a puck was chipped to Rebecca Clarke by Jada Johns, and Clarke's quick shot found the net on the blocker side past Hugens as Calgary grabbed the 1-0 lead. Again, the Calgary goal seemed to spark the Thunderbirds as they brought the heat, but Durante was equal to the task as she denied the T-Birds once again. Undeterred, UBC pressured throughout the frame, but the story was Durante and the Dinos' defence as they kept UBC quiet. At the end of 40 minutes, Calgary stood with the 1-0 lead, but UBC owned a 24-11 shot margin.<br />
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The third period saw UBC begin with some urgency as they looked for an equalizer, but the Dinos did a good job is skating with their checks. A shortened power-play for either side didn't help the scoring situation, and the teams would continue to battle. With time winding down and becoming an enemy of UBC, they pressed even more which gave Calgary a chance thanks to a breakaway, but that chance was turned aside by Hugens. With a final flurry of chances, the Thunderbirds could not solve Durante or the Dinos on this day, and the Calgary Dinos claimed the 1-0 victory in Game Two! Gabriella Durante picked up her third win and third shutout with a 32-save clean sheet while Elise Hugens stopped 14 shots in this game.<br />
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With the Calgary win, the series is tied 1-1 with Game Three scheduled for 3pm PT on Sunday!<br />
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Another round of applause for UBC because they have highlights!<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xf2TA-5MANA?si=23BsWrJJmpMZvK9u" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiKeWW3hEXXxhqb0ZZcewDGH7zcl3Hi_MeVRHxAY7GNdBwvHVu4rH_ukDQ3-qVOVPjcwqhja1gI-rtIhh7iYebWAK8PUA-58kGvQXpr_asXhPDsYkpCYBZUgAX6KqZlNX8u6Xev0iHJtDWUiojU3cHlpGgLwP_-Tb5_nZOp7h7Wq3Z93rgM0GY92VVpP7/s1600/GameThree.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="30" data-original-width="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEiKeWW3hEXXxhqb0ZZcewDGH7zcl3Hi_MeVRHxAY7GNdBwvHVu4rH_ukDQ3-qVOVPjcwqhja1gI-rtIhh7iYebWAK8PUA-58kGvQXpr_asXhPDsYkpCYBZUgAX6KqZlNX8u6Xev0iHJtDWUiojU3cHlpGgLwP_-Tb5_nZOp7h7Wq3Z93rgM0GY92VVpP7/s1600/GameThree.png" /></a></div>There isn't much to write about a Game Three because it's win-or-go-home time for both sides. UBC obviously wants another shot at a Canada West banner while looking to secure the Canada West berth for Nationals. Calgary was looking to continue their Cinderella run after knocking off the Huskies while advancing to a Canada West Final in which no one would have thought they'd be playing. For the third time in three days, Gabriella Durante stood 200-feet from Elise Hugens as this one got underway.<br />
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I'm not one to talk about "Cinderella" runs or anything, but the last two weekends saw the Calgary Dinos play inspired, outstanding hockey against teams that were statistically better in most categories than them. Today, they were bettered by a team who simply has more weapons in their quest for a Canada West banner. It started in the first period when Cassidy Rhodes scored off an offensive face-off win just 3:44 into the game to put UBC up 1-0. That became a two-goal lead when Madisyn Wiebe found twine after deflecting a Sophia Gaskell shot at 18:20, and UBC carried that lead into the break despite them only having a 9-8 advantage in shots.<br />
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UBC made life even more difficult for Calgary in the third period as Ashton Thorpe potted a rebound off a Makenzie McCallum shot at 3:16. That combo would make it a 4-0 game at 9:55 when Thorpe's initial individual effort was stopped, but McCallum knocked home the rebound from in close. 2:25 after that goal, Grace Elliott's leg was the point of deflection on a Joelle Fiala shot, and that redirected puck got by Durante for the 5-0 lead. While the game certainly wasn't over by any means, a five-goal deficit would be difficult to overcome in most circumstances for any team. That would be the hole the Dinos were in as UBC finished the second period with the 5-0 lead while being up 23-17 in shots.<br />
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I'll credit the Dinos for not just rolling over in this one as Brooklyn Fry's long point shot just after an early power-play expired went through traffic and beat Hugens at 5:33 to make it 5-1. UBC was all about preserving its lead while the Dinos pressed, and they'd find a second goal when Josie McLeod's shot appeared to go off a body and past Hugens at 14:01, but time was now the bigger enemy for the Dinos. They'd pull Durante early to try and force the issue in their comeback, but that would be put to rest when Chanreet Bassi teed one up on the rush from the right circle and buried the final nail in this one as the UBC Thunderbirds skated to the 6-2 victory, eliminating the Calgary Dinos in three games. Elise Hugens picked up her second win on a 27-save night while Gabriella Durante stopped 24 shots in her final game this season.<br />
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UBC eliminates Calgary in three games, and they will move on to the Canada West Final where they'll host the series.<br />
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There's another highlight package! Isn't life better with highlights?<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hVhnN0b8QDg?si=Up0PEXh9NeC2KGw0" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYy8rsB-ShnHKc0f9w8TKyYnZysZLhcT_DPGpCWrjM9MLINupmAbaSHO0UstNJzozrap4G0Y-5Z5jaT39XbPknhfgS-bt4yW4q-9SbIVcEQNjQhyz4GZvgPQsKkvRoRQDO_0GBqyjMktAdHSO_VGDbCcauqH0xOz3MTt2uv7pbtRgw9OHOpcYT_sJO0Br/s436/MRUALB.png" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="57" data-original-width="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYy8rsB-ShnHKc0f9w8TKyYnZysZLhcT_DPGpCWrjM9MLINupmAbaSHO0UstNJzozrap4G0Y-5Z5jaT39XbPknhfgS-bt4yW4q-9SbIVcEQNjQhyz4GZvgPQsKkvRoRQDO_0GBqyjMktAdHSO_VGDbCcauqH0xOz3MTt2uv7pbtRgw9OHOpcYT_sJO0Br/s400/MRUALB.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Tk9aAJa3wdYkl_9fpKXdezL5U_j1svE1c7E8nk6XgZEmC1n_M4svpi5hqWv6d0P1SFvKmllnGXBUx9Ne4c1uaVTOcxSZvc22JMEL17s-FeGzNFYDpqh2Q7RNt0DLM8klBjXoqVTjW3LGLI7ogvkfkZa7SmY-dD7Y5G7Ta_-7kVvvUpGg72KGTQ7ehX0N/s1600/GameOne.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="30" data-original-width="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Tk9aAJa3wdYkl_9fpKXdezL5U_j1svE1c7E8nk6XgZEmC1n_M4svpi5hqWv6d0P1SFvKmllnGXBUx9Ne4c1uaVTOcxSZvc22JMEL17s-FeGzNFYDpqh2Q7RNt0DLM8klBjXoqVTjW3LGLI7ogvkfkZa7SmY-dD7Y5G7Ta_-7kVvvUpGg72KGTQ7ehX0N/s1600/GameOne.png" /></a></div>Thanks to these two teams being the second- and third-seeded teams in Canada West, the rivalry between Alberta and Mount Royal would have another chapter written into it this season. As you may recall, Mount Royal needed three games to send Alberta home last season before the Cougars went on to shock the university hockey world with their National Championship effort. I suspect the Pandas haven't forgotten about that, and will want to make sure that doesn't happen again as they have their own championship dreams. Kaitlyn Ross was out in the Mount Royal blue paint while Halle Oswald was protecting the Pandas' net.<br />
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As expected, these two teams played a very even period through the opening minutes as neither side allowed any room to move in the offensive zones. An early Mount Royal penalty didn't help the Pandas, and an Alberta penalty minutes later was an opportunity missed for the Cougars. Later in the frame, Madison Willan was knocked down in the slot before Jadynn Morden got a shot away, and the rebound was left in front where Willan had recovered as she swept the puck past the left pad of Ross to make it 1-0 for Alberta at 14:38. Mount Royal would look to tie the game before the break, but the Pandas carried the 1-0 score into the break along with a 10-9 edge in shots.<br />
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Alberta found their legs in the second period as they egan to control play. However, before the midway point, a turnover allowed Breanne Trotter to find Aliya Jomha in the high slot, and Jomha wired her third playoff goal inside the post to tie the game at 1-1 at 8:45. The tie game lasted all of 1:51, though, as a turnover at the Cougars' blue line allowed Maia Ehmann to find Allison Reich in the slot, and Reich went high glove-side on Ross to make it 2-1 at 10:36. Alberta continued to press after the goal, but the Mount Royal defence and Ross worked in tandem to keep it a one-goal game. After 40 minutes, the Pandas led 1-0 while holding a 21-13 shot margin.<br />
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Mount Royal knew they needed to score, and they upped their offensive pressure right out of the gate. Despite their chances, Oswald was showing why she was named a Second Team All-Star this season. A late penalty called on the Cougars killed their efforts to pull Ross and play with six players, and that sealed the deal on a 2-1 Alberta Pandas victory. Halle Oswald picked up the win with a 22-save effort while Kaitlyn Ross stopped 24 shots in the setback.<br />
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Alberta now leads the series 1-0 over Mount Royal.<br />
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It seems Alberta got the same message as UBC because they made a highlight reel as well! Here are those highlights!<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LSTUSNVD-go?si=7DjdJot8Bql9vkkp" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsSgha6GO40vLwALJmAwV5lQ-kDXvtQCrZu9F2LanNh0o0q5ZgC90ktFd_toyr1SkniovhR9UaQPYrXAKiLJ2bbIQ9-FEUgrb9abEyix-qR57WXdjOBsZyjke7n52KyG41DP7Oedm3IvADwh70pJyi_YauQ6CNmrpgqBmv4LPl4lkz-B927jyTZsTOp5N/s1600/GameTwo.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="30" data-original-width="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSsSgha6GO40vLwALJmAwV5lQ-kDXvtQCrZu9F2LanNh0o0q5ZgC90ktFd_toyr1SkniovhR9UaQPYrXAKiLJ2bbIQ9-FEUgrb9abEyix-qR57WXdjOBsZyjke7n52KyG41DP7Oedm3IvADwh70pJyi_YauQ6CNmrpgqBmv4LPl4lkz-B927jyTZsTOp5N/s1600/GameTwo.png" /></a></div>The defending national champions were on the ropes as the Mount Royal Cougars were in must-win territory after the Pandas won on Friday night. The Pandas were looking to close out the series and get ready for the Canada West Final, but it wouldn't be easy. The fourth- and fifth-ranked teams as per the national rankings were back for Game Two as Kaitlyn Ross and Halle Oswald were back in their respective creases for this game.<br />
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The first period was all about the defence as neither side was looking to give any looks at the net for the opposition. An early Alberta power-play didn't generate much offence, and the Mount Royal power-play that followed was virtually a power outage as well. The good news, though, is that the pressure generated by the Cougars allowed Aliya Jomha to find Breanne Trotter, and her quick one-timer beat Oswald at 5:53 to put Mount Royal up 1-0. From there, the two teams went back into complete denial mode as very few shots found their targets. Through one period of play, Mount Royal held the one-goal lead while the teams were tied 3-3 on the shot counter.<br />
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Things got back to normal on the offensive sides of the puck in the second period as both Mount Royal and Alberta found the net with shots more often. The only problem was that the netminders weren't letting anything get past them. Two Mount Royal power-plays in the first ten minutes did nothing to help the Cougars, and the final ten minutes of the period saw both sides trying to solve the goalies. At the end of 40 minutes, Mount Royal still had the 1-0 lead and owned a 13-12 edge in shots.<br />
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The third period was played much like the second period where chances were had, but both sides were quick to limit additional chances. Midway through the period, though, a centering pass was poked away by an Alberta defender, but Kiana McNinch whipped a shot from the slot past Oswald off the broken play and it was 2-0 for Mount Royal at 12:21. Alberta was granted a power-play minutes later that was killed by the Cougars, and the Pandas finished the game on the power-play, but nothing came from that either. When the final horn sounded, the Cougars had prevailed with the 2-0 win! Kaitlyn Ross picked up her third win and second shutout afetr stopping 21 shots while Halle Oswald made 21 saves on the night.<br />
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With the Mount Royal win, the series is tied 1-1 with Game Three scheduled for 7pm MT on Sunday!<br />
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More highlights from the Pandas! Enjoy this highlight reel!<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k7PYeeULlf8?si=S4wzcFqHRRQF9UYb" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw25M3BMjNMqmdzDNDL4gfr808ZvD79sWvaee49v_h6CTUjrIrsPfcJ-xIeiPjWMc-Q2c-uWXrQadgq9jh8NsBvsN76ciAzyCptQnVITAXkIyptJYPEZo6uqU8veB9CMhTjOG0_KbTxK5BohtbL3aHRn6rKm8qKudWfU3Y_S6NvJ0NRGGY0LsMDlGtlA7/s1600/GameThree.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="30" data-original-width="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw25M3BMjNMqmdzDNDL4gfr808ZvD79sWvaee49v_h6CTUjrIrsPfcJ-xIeiPjWMc-Q2c-uWXrQadgq9jh8NsBvsN76ciAzyCptQnVITAXkIyptJYPEZo6uqU8veB9CMhTjOG0_KbTxK5BohtbL3aHRn6rKm8qKudWfU3Y_S6NvJ0NRGGY0LsMDlGtlA7/s1600/GameThree.png" /></a></div>There was little room for error in this one as both the Pandas and the Cougars knew the results of being on the wrong side of the score. A win today would send the Pandas to Vancouver in search of another Canada West banner while a win for the Cougars would keep their national title defence alive as they hunted for their first Canada West banner. One team would move on while the other would prepare for next season as Kaitlyn Ross and Halle Oswald stood 200-feet from one another for the third time this weekend.<br />
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The Pandas made the first move in securing a Canada West Final berth just 61 seconds into this game when Allison Reich cricled the net into the right corner before throwing a centering pass into the middle that found the blade of Madison Willan, and Willan did what she does best in giving the Pandas the lead with her second goal of the playoffs. That early goal seemed to set the stage for the game as both sides ratched up the offensive pressure at both ends of the ice. A couple of Mount Royal penalties in the period helped Alberta's shot total, but did nothing for their goal total, but a rather quick period in terms of pace and tempo came to an end with Alberta leading 1-0 and up 14-10 in shots.<br />
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The second period was more of the previous 19 minutes of hockey as these two teams traded chances only to watch the netminders and defences turn them aside. As this period progressed, it seems as if the Cougars lost a step as the Pandas had more offensive zone chances through the latter half the period, but both sides would hit the second intermission with nothing to more to show for their efforts. After 40 minutes, Alberta still held the 1-0 lead, but jumped ahead 28-16 on the shot counter.<br />
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If this was a title fight between two of the top boxers, I'm not sure that either side would be leading in points outside of that early score by Willan. Back and forth was the name of this game as these two squads set up offensive chances only to be denied by good defence and goaltending. An early Alberta power-play was killed, and a Mount Royal power-play with five minutes to play produced nothing. The Cougars opted to pull Ross for the extra attacker with just over two minutes to play, but were denied in their attempts as the hemmed the Pandas in their own zone. A late face-off win allowd the Pandas to relieve the pressure, and Hayleigh Craig would ice this game and series with an empty-netter with ten seconds to play as the Alberta Pandas eliminated the Mount Royal Cougars by a 2-0 score in Game Three. Halle Oswald picked up her second win and first shutout with a 20-save effort while Kaitlyn Ross stopped 32 shots in her final game of the season.<br />
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Alberta eliminates the defending national champion Mount Royal Cougars in three games, and they will move on to the Canada West Final where they'll visit UBC starting next Friday.<br />
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Highlights for this game are below!<br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NYsNqPX8Vjc?si=bWUmXb0mN4swvo9B" title="YouTube video player" width="400"></iframe>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Bracket</u></h1>
Here is the updated bracket with scheduled game times.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQR4Go5owKh1mwbSTOncVZFjahMxfam7pdOJK8TDm9sfrEO8pgfUhKdnLH-4HPZdb6r902QN1kA0Ni7zUXhhKPkpzrbChgoUyJkQG99X98zLOYNpkR_ACnxyAmflDHXC69sQclNcULzVFo8TKuHEXfEIATWE5KbgICgl8lFY39EadiF0v9CAiMslvI5Kx/s543/CWFinal2024.png" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="231" data-original-width="543" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQR4Go5owKh1mwbSTOncVZFjahMxfam7pdOJK8TDm9sfrEO8pgfUhKdnLH-4HPZdb6r902QN1kA0Ni7zUXhhKPkpzrbChgoUyJkQG99X98zLOYNpkR_ACnxyAmflDHXC69sQclNcULzVFo8TKuHEXfEIATWE5KbgICgl8lFY39EadiF0v9CAiMslvI5Kx/s400/CWFinal2024.png" width="400" /></a></div>Again, it should be noted that those times shown for the Canada West Final series are for the Pacific Time Zone. The ladies will play the earlier games because the men seemed to have won another contest when it came to game times. Set your clocks accordingly to catch the Pandas and Thunderbirds in action next weekend!
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>Booking Their Tickets</u></h1>
The RSEQ decided which two teams were coming to Saskatoon this weekend, but it certainly wasn't an easy decision by any means.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowm1JoHtIbEFYJasV8OwPOQey8ct1fCOqr4dBnMXtv3rPG_EhGmldZW1-YHh8B23DZN8-CxQyheNKVPkTD6hRmRoLfRZhkG6LHzz-NazYHCPyRS-ZFok4e_6cSAZwCldI3uf9CXKgMO8cWTvdoif7aX3b3x0sDW5dNUAh9Xe9MzE4aYICwuwwTL03ihNi/s572/arrivals1.jpg" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="178" data-original-width="572" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowm1JoHtIbEFYJasV8OwPOQey8ct1fCOqr4dBnMXtv3rPG_EhGmldZW1-YHh8B23DZN8-CxQyheNKVPkTD6hRmRoLfRZhkG6LHzz-NazYHCPyRS-ZFok4e_6cSAZwCldI3uf9CXKgMO8cWTvdoif7aX3b3x0sDW5dNUAh9Xe9MzE4aYICwuwwTL03ihNi/s400/arrivals1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The defending U SPORTS silver medallists from last year in the Concordia Stingers will be back to try to add a third medal in as many years after finally beating the Ottawa Gee-Gees in three games. The 25-0-0 RSEQ regular season champs took Game One by a 5-1 score before dropping their first game this season by a 2-1 score in Ottawa to force Game Three. As I've made clear a couple of times, Concordia is a good team, but I was not expecting a <b><span style="font-size: medium;">13-0 BLOWOUT</span></b> to wrap up the series. Ottawa may have kicked a hornet's nest that the other seven teams at Nationals will have to manage.<br />
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Montreal got by Bishop's to book their tickets to Saskatoon, but this one didn't end without some drama. Bishop's took Game One by a 1-0 score as the second-place team in the RSEQ grabbed the series lead. Montreal responded in Game Two on home ice by downing Bishop's by a 4-1 score, forcing a Game Three back in Sherbrooke. Game Three saw the contest go to double-overtime where Amélie Poiré-Lehoux ended the second longest match in the history of the Quebec conference with her goal to push Montreal to the RSEQ final via a 2-1 final after 87:08 of hockey.<br />
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The drama, however, came during that final sequence of the double-overtime period as the teams had each been whistled for a penalty, meaning it was 3-on-3 hockey. As Montreal entered the zone prior to Lehoux's goal, the video broadcast of the game caught a fourth Montreal player hopping over the boards onto the ice where her skates clearly made contact with the ice surface. That, of course, would be a too-many-players penalty, but the officials missed the infraction. Despite Bishop's protests after the goal, the officials would not be swayed, and Montreal was awarded the victory.<br />
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The RSEQ representatives have been chosen after winning one round of hockey, and they will play in Saskatoon from March 14-17.
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Other Two</u></h1>
In the OUA, we already know that Guelph, York, and Waterloo were gearing up for the semifinals. One spot remained as Queen's and Toronto battled this weekend, and that went to a Game Three played today. Would we see Toronto fall in the quarterfinal like Nipissing did or would they prevail and move on?<br />
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<b>UPDATE:</b> The OUA threw me a curveall with some crossover series! According to the schedule, Guelph will play the Varsity Blues in their semifinal after Toronto hammered Queen's by a 6-2 score, leaving York and Waterloo to tangle to see who will compete in the one-game-takes-all McCaw Cup Final. Whoever wins that game is looking at a top-four ranking when they land in Saskatoon, but it should be noted that the Guelph-Toronto series will mean another U SPORTS Top-Ten is eliminated before Nationals.<br />
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Out in the AUS, both semifinal series are still running as the teams play a best-of-five series in the Maritimes. The StFX X-Women and the St. Thomas Tommies were tied at 1-1 entering today's action, and the Tommies used an Ekaterina Pelowich penalty shot in overtime to down the X-Women 2-1 to take a 2-1 series lead. If the Tommies can win one of the next two games, they would advance to the AUS Final where they would become one of the AUS representatives at the National Championship. Game Four goes Monday night, so we could know by tomorrow if the Tommies will be heading to the prairies.<br />
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In the other AUS semifinal, the UNB Reds held a 2-0 series lead over the Saint Mary's Huskies. The Huskies were in must-win mode as any loss will send UNB to the AUS Final where they too would be one of the AUS teams in Saskatoon. It may have taken extra time as well, but Jillian Duggan's double-overtime marker gave SMU the 2-1 win over UNB as that series now sits at 2-1 in favour of UNB. The Huskies aren't out of the woods yet, but they'll get another chance to send this series back to UNB on Monday in Game Four.
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><u>The Last Word</u></h1>
The trend continued this week: every team that has scored first in these Canada West Playoffs has won that respective game. Teams that score first are now 11-0 in these playoffs. Scoring first seems to matter. A lot. Hint: there's never a bad time to open the scoring!<br />
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I'll give each of the four Canada West teams credit this weekend for their penalty-killing efforts, but I'm also going to warn both UBC and Alberta that they had better find ways to hurt other teams when given advantages. In the six games this weekend, the four teams went 1-for-28 on the power-play, and that lone goal was scored 4:29 into the first period on Friday by Chanreet Bassi. In other words, these four teams played 355:31 of hockey with 27 advantages awarded, and no one scored with the extra player on the ice.<br />
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Making matters worse for themselves were Calgary and Mount Royal who were a combined oh-fer-13 on the player-advantage, especially when one considers Sunday's games where Calgary received a power-play trailing 1-0 in the first period and Mount Royal received a power-play trailing 1-0 with 5:39 to play in the third period. Both of those power-plays could have potentially changed those deciding games, and the results may have been different.<br />
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Why am I preaching this now? As you know, games at the U SPORTS National Championship are single-elimination contests, so taking advantage of every advantage you're given will only help your cause when seeking that vaunted gold medal. I get that there hasn't been a team who has been perfect on every player-advantage, but I'll wager that the National Champions from each year have scored at least one power-play goal over three games. In short, get the power-play clicking if you want to be successful because those opportunities can win you games.<br />
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The good news? Both UBC and Alberta can get those power-plays firing on all cylinders next weekend when they meet for the Canada West championship and the final Canada West berth at Nationals. If one of those two teams can light up their power-play units, we should know who is the next team heading to Saskatoon to compete for U SPORTS' greatest honour.<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-34229271862005443592024-02-24T23:00:00.000-06:002024-02-24T23:23:02.011-06:00Your National Championship Chaos Primer<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vtOrNoHMDGpYOgw6bPcuLxd68pj5_f3qdxQaZ7aH5_Yk3k6sE5tJdqhKpXOYlIOQ5sXz45E1bRG7DZ1tbByA2vNACgGRuwbwPmJoKXeWNEx16HoM7B1aLne02tiSDEuK3KRLIuAC5Qvt-QsjeXsln6DvWa4UKgaizKCcqLUYWEc-1LrsMr6Q6tXY_qTQ/s243/chaos.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="243" data-original-width="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9vtOrNoHMDGpYOgw6bPcuLxd68pj5_f3qdxQaZ7aH5_Yk3k6sE5tJdqhKpXOYlIOQ5sXz45E1bRG7DZ1tbByA2vNACgGRuwbwPmJoKXeWNEx16HoM7B1aLne02tiSDEuK3KRLIuAC5Qvt-QsjeXsln6DvWa4UKgaizKCcqLUYWEc-1LrsMr6Q6tXY_qTQ/s200/chaos.gif"/></a></div>Dr. Ian Malcolm, the character portrayed by Jeff Goldblum in <i>Jurassic Park</i>, was trying to introduce people to the idea of Chaos Theory in the original movie. The entire concept is based on the premise that within the apparent randomness of chaotic complex systems, one can still find patterns, repetition of data, fractals, and a pile of other non-chaotic mathematics. I'm no mathematician by any means, but "The Butterfly Effect" is a recognizable term used in chaos theory where if a butterfly moves its wings, there's a resulting hurricane on the other side of the planet. Without breaking that all down, tomorrow - Sunday, February 25, 2024 - has all the makings of a chaotic day in U SPORTS Women's Hockey, and we're going to take a look at the possibilities of that chaos happening.<br />
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First, let's get up to speed surrounding our Top-Ten teams as ranked by U SPORTS and their idiotic, inexplicable ranking system.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNtgJF41axL9WKPiAvpFFf21ffyEdwIgSME3BISBVTb1kX40fBHSxeGmt1bM2_XwvS5k6sMxGr5jaJJwrRLAyWwi7dS8Pj_WAAeMjfR2BArCvDsiMdzDUt2_W4EZ9W1VWjrotKX22J7pcy_r6KEuL7YAgaojb8qIkpLvDGN4oqsLTzDvrUkdUUDvR5b9S4/s679/usports.png" style="padding: 1em 0; text-align: center; "><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="549" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNtgJF41axL9WKPiAvpFFf21ffyEdwIgSME3BISBVTb1kX40fBHSxeGmt1bM2_XwvS5k6sMxGr5jaJJwrRLAyWwi7dS8Pj_WAAeMjfR2BArCvDsiMdzDUt2_W4EZ9W1VWjrotKX22J7pcy_r6KEuL7YAgaojb8qIkpLvDGN4oqsLTzDvrUkdUUDvR5b9S4/s400/usports.png"/></a></div>As you can see, Sunday is going to be a busy day, so let's look at the potential chaos and where you can watch it happen in real-time if you choose to subject yourself to that kind of day. The hockey should be good, though!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizOOoSj6wXjbh70_5G9oLlKA-IfW3Y6h1a5-hUgU7NxP_iC1P6AtRkEJAS4i2qGX4ikDDhg5XBjTunHbhXyL1UC7qSHHHSJl-dqUqHOtCHKX8QCbqB8p6pROTJC7QNr17vOybtLcryUuoUrO9EQM7yTgW5MqkKkBbobP1hJjP7Y5-KbaeIqNzgcQ8QikG/s1600/Concordia.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="32" data-original-width="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizOOoSj6wXjbh70_5G9oLlKA-IfW3Y6h1a5-hUgU7NxP_iC1P6AtRkEJAS4i2qGX4ikDDhg5XBjTunHbhXyL1UC7qSHHHSJl-dqUqHOtCHKX8QCbqB8p6pROTJC7QNr17vOybtLcryUuoUrO9EQM7yTgW5MqkKkBbobP1hJjP7Y5-KbaeIqNzgcQ8QikG/s1600/Concordia.png"/></a></div>Concordia and Ottawa will play Game Three in Montreal at Ed Meagher Arena. Concordia won Game One at home by a 5-1 score before losing their first game this season in their 27th contest by a 2-1 score to Ottawa in Ottawa. Concordia will have home-ice advantage in this game while Ottawa has only scored one goal in each of the four games they've played at Ed Meagher Arena this season, including in that Game One loss. You can <a href="https://stingers.yaretv.com/watch/2009-stingers-ottawa-at-concordia">watch the game for free via this link</a> as it begins at 3pm ET.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEfzocB4PFn_-gwwhasbn6EysJdV45kUunA0o38uM896v6voNnp3loO-WdYsdX6-HDIZ66i_T7YgSRD0WS14Ip4xGrBfR-_rWb0TW0BuTbUUFgpSLuFtjNj8G0gZEkPPgBfn9ViZQ4b7kVPaNhri8fpIkR_eFEgiVQvX_EP0x44tbFPc98LgQEPMMHsLp/s1600/UBCbanner.bmp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="32" data-original-width="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpEfzocB4PFn_-gwwhasbn6EysJdV45kUunA0o38uM896v6voNnp3loO-WdYsdX6-HDIZ66i_T7YgSRD0WS14Ip4xGrBfR-_rWb0TW0BuTbUUFgpSLuFtjNj8G0gZEkPPgBfn9ViZQ4b7kVPaNhri8fpIkR_eFEgiVQvX_EP0x44tbFPc98LgQEPMMHsLp/s1600/UBCbanner.bmp"/></a></div>I'm not sure that UBC was expecting to be playing on Sunday, but they'll take the ice against the Calgary Dinos in the third-and-deciding game of their best-of-three Canada West semifinal series. UBC won 2-1 on Friday afternoon while Calgary responded with a 1-0 win on Saturday afternoon to force Game Three. It should be noted that Calgary hasn't allowed a goal in a Game Two or Game Three situation yet this postseason while UBC has to figure out Gabriella Durante and the Dinos' defence as Calgary has won 2-of-4 games in regulation on UBC ice. Assuming you spent the money, you can <a href="https://canadawest.tv/upcoming?sport=Hockey">watch this game on Canada Waste TV</a> at 3pm PT.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oHHd8YdvDXn_B9uQEkv18asKBbQS0MVsZLx7m70D3JuScoITPcAgynPfEfLXgfeCIlZatTzY9S_GoqFQChBXxf5OobvPRJNyOpid9xD6Eo0ALFJGSHZb71vjx6Y6Tik7YTjHTPSExqqAOVZFy-J90eHr6pdG9Gn6KyoNJc2qumckhWBSq66LBfiCtqLH/s1600/Guelph.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="32" data-original-width="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oHHd8YdvDXn_B9uQEkv18asKBbQS0MVsZLx7m70D3JuScoITPcAgynPfEfLXgfeCIlZatTzY9S_GoqFQChBXxf5OobvPRJNyOpid9xD6Eo0ALFJGSHZb71vjx6Y6Tik7YTjHTPSExqqAOVZFy-J90eHr6pdG9Gn6KyoNJc2qumckhWBSq66LBfiCtqLH/s1600/Guelph.png"/></a></div>Assuming the schedule doesn't change for the semifinal round, Guelph will begin their OUA semifinal against the Waterloo Warriors on Wednesday, February 28. I'll note that Guelph was 1-1-1-0 against Waterloo this season, scoring just three goals against the Warriors in those games. This series could be very closely-contested with a McCaw Cup berth on the line!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREwqjX7Qxj5duc1-EEZNAqq_9IjpbthyphenhyphenqEqmhoSiWDWsuks2PE8OIlfBnms35ot0mkbodOZ85agUQszwY95OWBHK7yoWHsxLgAMUt0h2DAnS-0UCPsxBfJEGxkrYK4bjYu35clpUBgd-87NwKbUhsVw-m4GGh4tSV-ovjOsYrITy39j75sx0OUVYY9jvw/s1600/MRUbanner.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="32" data-original-width="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiREwqjX7Qxj5duc1-EEZNAqq_9IjpbthyphenhyphenqEqmhoSiWDWsuks2PE8OIlfBnms35ot0mkbodOZ85agUQszwY95OWBHK7yoWHsxLgAMUt0h2DAnS-0UCPsxBfJEGxkrYK4bjYu35clpUBgd-87NwKbUhsVw-m4GGh4tSV-ovjOsYrITy39j75sx0OUVYY9jvw/s1600/MRUbanner.png"/></a></div>It's never a good look when U SPORTS has one of the top-five teams eliminated from Nationals,<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pOiVqRLSl6yhYN3pzFzK8BESEm9lXCCzTQmAToFWxdz3CrLeAxOoZE8AleSivdo4yfusRaHJ-oMetqn7Yp6TUXXw-lqfVuBtb0ISsNrDo5om_pyQ6aCJ1XpeMmERETWsEpgG0IYyaOlyALV2oK_rOTvQJWuX2iDFhdNMSBCryox7TPFMyhsDlcjoUrSU/s1600/ABbanner.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="32" data-original-width="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pOiVqRLSl6yhYN3pzFzK8BESEm9lXCCzTQmAToFWxdz3CrLeAxOoZE8AleSivdo4yfusRaHJ-oMetqn7Yp6TUXXw-lqfVuBtb0ISsNrDo5om_pyQ6aCJ1XpeMmERETWsEpgG0IYyaOlyALV2oK_rOTvQJWuX2iDFhdNMSBCryox7TPFMyhsDlcjoUrSU/s1600/ABbanner.png"/></a></div>but here we are. The Alberta Pandas won Game One by a 2-1 score on Friday evening, and the Mount Royal Cougars rallied on Saturday with a 2-0 win to force Game Three on Sunday. These two teams know what it takes to win, but, unfortunately, either the most successful team in U SPORTS Women's Hockey history in the Alberta Pandas will go home after Sunday or the defending U SPORTS National Champion Mount Royal Cougars will head back to Calgary dejected. Assuming you spent the money, you can <a href="https://canadawest.tv/upcoming?sport=Hockey">watch this game on Canada Waste TV</a> at 7pm MT.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNR-pgY5-yl5stlFBvMEv-SQrCsIPQeGXVuqtDtKuorejldyVJ2QWJB64Pp0T-aswNyb-tBU3fbn_DOJHnxY76HJ4PTLXkmadrpyGP7dzEDBhRokirEUQmp97UKSbz9eOZYoYjcYsLhIGFjDqRDxdb1u_3GsbOHiPdYOsQX-BBUbIwy9VPZfcCiQg6s7j/s1600/StFX.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="32" data-original-width="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcNR-pgY5-yl5stlFBvMEv-SQrCsIPQeGXVuqtDtKuorejldyVJ2QWJB64Pp0T-aswNyb-tBU3fbn_DOJHnxY76HJ4PTLXkmadrpyGP7dzEDBhRokirEUQmp97UKSbz9eOZYoYjcYsLhIGFjDqRDxdb1u_3GsbOHiPdYOsQX-BBUbIwy9VPZfcCiQg6s7j/s1600/StFX.png"/></a></div>The St. Francis-Xavier X-Women will look to take a commanding 2-1 series lead over the St. Thomas Tommies on Sunday as they play Game Three in Fredericton, New Brunswick. St. Thomas won Game One by a 3-2 score on Wednesday while StFX prevailed 4-3 in overtime on Thursday. After a couple of days off, I expect these teams to come out with some fire under their skates as both sides look to grab the lead in the series. Assuming you spent the money, you can <a href="https://austv.ca/upcoming?sport=Hockey">watch this game on AUS TV</a> at 3pm AT.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFixfK4QGjLWo_OY3VKB2Rxzebmg1EwiKb-NgcV66mKgLhbJqpRttv6s5U77MrPVo2oMGHHWNkkQyXbQA-ktEA58Xo-vAzHjB0QjIrF8chxzxdX-YZq-Lgp5spCxcq7kNEQJSi3GAzDy-EwxL9mPyktHHSKnYUC_n-m3YEOl-4sUKyMg6Gi5GosHor-5W/s1600/Toronto.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="32" data-original-width="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFixfK4QGjLWo_OY3VKB2Rxzebmg1EwiKb-NgcV66mKgLhbJqpRttv6s5U77MrPVo2oMGHHWNkkQyXbQA-ktEA58Xo-vAzHjB0QjIrF8chxzxdX-YZq-Lgp5spCxcq7kNEQJSi3GAzDy-EwxL9mPyktHHSKnYUC_n-m3YEOl-4sUKyMg6Gi5GosHor-5W/s1600/Toronto.png"/></a></div>The Toronto Varsity Blues will host the Queen's Golden Gaels in Game Three on Sunday. Queen's shocked Toronto on Wednesday as the visitors took a 3-1 win in that game before Toronto rallied on Friday with a 2-1 win in double-overtime to force Game Three. You can <a href="https://oua.tv/upcoming?sport=Hockey">watch the game for free via OUA TV</a> as it begins at 4pm ET. The winner will play York in the semifinal.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglu5MbZidHif4nTBw2Dfqvil06IBaFptGQ-l0v9zzc0Tblfxi_cEwamgN-aKZb0nBBoRxzSxRZQF-v3ohDKrXk-k3-JBjV5sWn6uF065hwvlCLurh0X94fCYCvsUej86ofRYfsQQQ-Ht92UV-Zarmj77uLcFpH-6p9LC9f1Utzm6v4QZoDBDt7_Cr0JSsI/s1600/UNB.bmp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="32" data-original-width="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglu5MbZidHif4nTBw2Dfqvil06IBaFptGQ-l0v9zzc0Tblfxi_cEwamgN-aKZb0nBBoRxzSxRZQF-v3ohDKrXk-k3-JBjV5sWn6uF065hwvlCLurh0X94fCYCvsUej86ofRYfsQQQ-Ht92UV-Zarmj77uLcFpH-6p9LC9f1Utzm6v4QZoDBDt7_Cr0JSsI/s1600/UNB.bmp"/></a></div>UNB is looking to punch their ticket to the AUS Final and Nationals with a Game Three victory over Saint<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVpg6q-lURR6_yzzTfgl6TAU-hFLLYsOq7XtxPAPnNBkpzdNJTkLols83jkNsuox9nhcALx-WEGV5-SrLQ3wrqAM4P5hYdF04EnGk3Yf6Y8c6bRYacXNld02fm-cDBcgNRVaMT9uhWH0mAPlmMsYpFo15AWXMpJMw6FezpI4t_VRvNchebpp1HE58YNMr/s1600/saintmarys.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="32" data-original-width="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVpg6q-lURR6_yzzTfgl6TAU-hFLLYsOq7XtxPAPnNBkpzdNJTkLols83jkNsuox9nhcALx-WEGV5-SrLQ3wrqAM4P5hYdF04EnGk3Yf6Y8c6bRYacXNld02fm-cDBcgNRVaMT9uhWH0mAPlmMsYpFo15AWXMpJMw6FezpI4t_VRvNchebpp1HE58YNMr/s1600/saintmarys.png"/></a></div> Mary's. UNB won Game One by a 3-2 score before adding a Game Two via a 3-0 score to put them up 2-0 in their series. Again, another U SPORTS Top-Ten team could go home on Sunday if UNB can earn that third victory. UNB was 3-0-1-0 against Saint Mary's this season, including being 1-0-1-0 at the Dauphinee Centre. The Huskies will need a big effort to extend the series on Sunday. Assuming you spent the money, you can <a href="https://austv.ca/upcoming?sport=Hockey">watch this game on AUS TV</a> at 7pm AT.<br />
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Here's where the chaos comes into the equation. Assuming all of Ottawa, Calgary, and Queen's win their respective games today, we could see as many as six ranked teams eliminated by the end of the day - Concordia, UBC, Toronto, and Saint Mary's along with one of Alberta or Mount Royal. Add in Nipissing who were eliminated on Friday, and that's 60% of the U SPORTS Top Ten who won't set foot in Saskatoon for the National Championship. How many times has that happened? Zero times if history is correct (and it usually is).<br />
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If St. Thomas were to defeat StFX next week, Waterloo were to defeat Guelph in the OUA semifinal, and Alberta or Mount Royal were to lose to Calgary in the Canada West Final, nine of the ten teams on the national ranking system would be eliminated before Nationals had even started. In theory, the only team that wouldn't be in danger of being eliminated from Nationals would be the winner of the UNB-Saint Mary's semifinal. How crazy is that scenario?<br />
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Clearly, tomorrow has a big role to play in the chaos that could be witnessed at Nationals, so it'll be a day for scoreboard watching for all conferences. Every single team that has made it this far has certainly deserved it, and there will be a number of teams and players who will be forced to wrap up their seasons when the dust settles tomorrow. For others, it will be moments of jubilation before the work starts again next week.<br />
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Enjoy the hockey action tomorrow, folks. I know I will. <i>The Rundown</i> will be published late thanks to that Alberta-Mount Royal game starting at 8pm CT, so watch for it late Sunday or early Monday depending on how much gets written!<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-80005951105879823092024-02-23T21:00:00.000-06:002024-02-24T21:59:37.605-06:00Hear Them Roar<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeT49w07D1Sfwn39PVCEXrux1nP8bHHqP0381nJfyKQyM_tpqqtgXIoB3HBrfwSkMxiA5VvdSJXoY0cXjdiCx3MgvAj8nvf0UccU-OC_8h4IcC0bJnQqf6xg5XnYeS5ZK0eH-uDhyphenhyphenH0IHAXZZYBzQPrIIqJmsIDS9LtLd-fKrEwMxaOVG7kWca3wCCqRD/s484/yorkwins.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbeT49w07D1Sfwn39PVCEXrux1nP8bHHqP0381nJfyKQyM_tpqqtgXIoB3HBrfwSkMxiA5VvdSJXoY0cXjdiCx3MgvAj8nvf0UccU-OC_8h4IcC0bJnQqf6xg5XnYeS5ZK0eH-uDhyphenhyphenH0IHAXZZYBzQPrIIqJmsIDS9LtLd-fKrEwMxaOVG7kWca3wCCqRD/s200/yorkwins.JPG"/></a></div>Consider me shocked. I was at work today, so I never got a chance to watch this game while it happened, but I did watch the replay when I got home because I was stunned by the outcome in Toronto today. It's not that I don't expect upsets or are shocked by a team having a bad game, but those bad games get magnified in a short three-game series. With the Nipissing Lakers losing in Game One after Emma Wedgewood's amazing performance in the net for York, it was must-win territory for the gals from North Bay. The weird part was that the game began at 11:30am at York University for some reason, so there may be a question as to whether the weird start time would affect either team when the final horn sounded on this one.<br />
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I'm fully of the belief that one wins as a team and loses as a team, and I refuse to blame any single player if a loss occurs. After all, hockey is a game of mistakes where some end up in the back of the net while others are erased from memory, but the ebbs and flows of a game through sixty minutes means there's usually enough time for teams to rally from mistakes and learn from others.<br />
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This one was, however, was a tale of two teams. Part of that could have come from the boisterous York crowd that showed up for the midday contest, but the Lions seemed to feed off that energy from warmups right through to the final horn. They took control of this game from the opening puck-drop and never looked back as they handed Nipissing a convincing second loss. What happened, you asked? Let's find out.<br />
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It only took Kaitlin Teixeira 5:36 to open the scoring when her shot appeared to be misplayed by Chantelle Sandquist as the puck went right by her outstretched glove and into the net to put the Lions up 1-0. Jillian Milligan would add another goal 2:34 later to put York up 2-0, and it was pretty clear that one team certainly had more jump than the other. With 50-plus minutes to play, though, Nipissing couldn't be counted out, and they'd get a few good chances before the period ended, but Emma Wedgewood would continue her blank-sheet effort through 20 minutes. York led 2-0 despite being outshot 16-10 in the frame.<br />
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The second period began far more evenly with both sides finding scoring chances. However, just past the midway point, Sydney Hiltz tore down the left side and wired a shot just inside the far post from the faceoff dot as it looks like Sandquist may have been slightly off on her angle, and Hiltz's goal made it 3-0 while ending Sandquist's afternoon at the 11:03 mark of the second period. Nipissing would send rookie Jordan Sladics out to the paint to take over the goaltending duties.<br />
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I'm not against coaches trying something different when they don't have a lot to lose, and Nipissing head coach Darren Turcotte decided to roll the dice later in the second period. With York down a player thanks to a penalty, Turcotte opted to pull Slavics for the extra attacker so that Nipissing had a 6-on-4 advantage. The theory is sound, but it seems it wasn't a good idea in practice as Sydney Paulson hit the empty net from just outside the Lakers' blue line, pushing the score to 4-0 with her shorthanded marker at 17:25. To make matters worse, York would take another penalty, and the Nipissing power-play would score on the 5-on-3 when Maggie McKee beat Wedgewood at 18:07, ending Wedgewood's shutout streak at 112:19 in this series. The period would close with York leading 4-1 despite Nipissing nearly doubling York's shots at a 29-15 rate.<br />
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Whatever was said in the room by head coach Dan Church seemed to make the Lions invincible as they blitzed the Lakers from the opening face-off. It would pay off 82 seconds into the third period as Alexa Giantsopoulos dented twine which may have killed any hope that Nipissing had of a miracle comeback. Lola Massey would drive a final nail into the Nipissing Lakers' season at 8:30 when she scored on the power-play, and the 6-1 lead was more than necessary for Emma Wedgewood to hold the fort through the remaining 11:30 as York Lions eliminated the seventh-ranked Nipissing Lakers from the OUA Playoffs with an emphatic 6-1 victory in Game Two.<br />
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York's victory has bigger meaning that just an upset of one of the top OUA teams. It also means that Nipissing is the first nationally-ranked Top-Ten team to fall in their quest to appear at the U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship. If you're a reader of this blog, you know how much <a href="https://hockey-blog-in-canada.blogspot.com/2021/11/why-elo-is-mistake.html">I dislike the national ranking system</a> that U SPORTS uses, and there is <a href="https://hockey-blog-in-canada.blogspot.com/2021/12/show-your-work.html">absolutely zero proof the system is valid</a> in its rankings in any way. The one thing we do know right now is that the 22-4-2 nationally-ranked seventh-seeded team will be watching Nationals from home while an 8-17-1-3 sits two wins away from a berth at the tournament in Saskatoon.<br />
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York just did the unthinkable in defeating the Nipissing Lakers, but, as I wrote on Wednesday, "York was well-equipped for this series against Nipissing" as they went 1-1-1-1 against the Lakers. As much as this was an upset on paper, these two teams were far closer than their records indicated, and the 3-1-1-1 record that York now boasts against Nipissing this season proves that nothing will be given and everything has to be earned.<br />
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For Nipissing, there will be questions that will go unanswered after it seemed like they may be a favorite to grab one of the two OUA berths at the U SPORTS National Championship. Instead, the "what-ifs" will echo for a while on an opportunity lost while scoring just one goal in 134 minutes of play. If there was any time that the Lakers needed their scorers to come alive, this week was it.<br />
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My congratulations go out to the York Lions on their victory, and they now await the winner of the series between Toronto and Queen's as their semifinal opponent. If they can continue to ride this momentum into their next series, we might be talking about York's second-ever appearance at the National Championship after their first appearance ended without a result thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the cancellation of the event in Charlottetown, PEI in 2020.<br />
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My guess? They'll want to write their own history this time!<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-71362044715893543982024-02-22T09:00:00.002-06:002024-03-01T08:29:46.414-06:00The Hockey Show - Episode 596<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHbSaI02fMqqaEskM5BmdG6j4lNTAiUL0X8-OsYefIkZbcNjKfts7oyBDvNIZBgIAH3a6iXUepv4Yjg_Rftxr4t4NknW5YC0XFU3ehXecAOOvu3PFWYOc0BKl4W3bIeUBabyN0ENNHC9dFF1gyySDuuyUJHIxoLoZyNQOr1ED1vbt5-S5rHYNhutvIQ/s400/hockeyshowTeebz.jpg" style="padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="197" data-original-width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHbSaI02fMqqaEskM5BmdG6j4lNTAiUL0X8-OsYefIkZbcNjKfts7oyBDvNIZBgIAH3a6iXUepv4Yjg_Rftxr4t4NknW5YC0XFU3ehXecAOOvu3PFWYOc0BKl4W3bIeUBabyN0ENNHC9dFF1gyySDuuyUJHIxoLoZyNQOr1ED1vbt5-S5rHYNhutvIQ/s400/hockeyshowTeebz.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/373/"><i>The Hockey Show</i></a>, Canada's only campus-produced radio show that strictly talks hockey, is back on the cozy airwaves of UMFM tonight where all the biggest stories from the past couple of weeks will be brought to light. After Makenna Schuttler's fantastic interview last week, our hosts will jump into the murky waters of legal and political matters in this week's show before actually tackling a few smaller hockey stories that require some examination. Did we mention that Taylor Swift gets mentioned this week? Make a note of that as you tune into <a href="http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/373/"><i>The Hockey Show</i></a> at 5:30pm CT tonight!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMdz2HgEAIEGRGb3hRBhGLPLr_EuF1NbAJNREa6MHbFCjPK-rxiD3OB1xEhgHpyueyIhPBkdBtATlXk72Flzw5hmu_eBP_Dl1UF3AXJRHeb3D23jE5xEsZZ4L-P6PbCYGRerTJH7Sixh4b-vIbdobdVI5JlxYLUTHjbVrqfqLIlf4AKSAn6z42ju8OvNe/s453/arenaimplode.gif" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="241" data-original-width="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMdz2HgEAIEGRGb3hRBhGLPLr_EuF1NbAJNREa6MHbFCjPK-rxiD3OB1xEhgHpyueyIhPBkdBtATlXk72Flzw5hmu_eBP_Dl1UF3AXJRHeb3D23jE5xEsZZ4L-P6PbCYGRerTJH7Sixh4b-vIbdobdVI5JlxYLUTHjbVrqfqLIlf4AKSAn6z42ju8OvNe/s200/arenaimplode.gif"/></a></div>Tonight, Teebz and Jason will take you through the last two weeks of growing headaches that Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports have been facing thanks to their efforts to secure over a billion dollars in public funds for the proposed $2-billion entertainment complex in Alexandria, Virginia. To say that the development has stalled might be an understatement. Beyond that discussion, the hosts will provide an update on Milan Lucic's legal woes, have a chat about the Columbus Blue Jackets finally parting ways with GM Jarmo Kekalainen, discuss Russia and Belarus continuing their suspensions under the IIHF's watch, and they'll make a case for Gardiner MacDougall being Hall-of-Fame worthy and how he got his start in Manitoba. There's also a Melbourne Moment to chuckle over, and they'll try to squeeze in a couple of quick hits before the hour is up! It's another busy show tonight on <a href="http://www.umfm.com/programming/programgrid/373/"><i>The Hockey Show</i></a> at 5:30pm CT, so make sure you tune in on one of 101.5 FM, Channel 718 on MTS TV, or via <a href="https://umfm.com/">UMFM.com</a>!<br />
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If you live outside Winnipeg and want to listen, we have options! The <a href="https://umfm.com/">new UMFM website</a>'s online streaming player is pretty awesome if you want to listen online. We also recommend <a href="http://radio.garden/listen/cjum-fm/CRkSFWDb">Radio Garden</a> if you need an easy-to-use online stream. If you're more of an app person, we recommend you <a href="https://tunein.com/">use the TuneIn app</a> found on the App Store or Google Play Store. If you use the <a href="https://tunein.com/">TuneIn app</a>, you won't be disappointed. It's a solid app.<br />
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If you have questions, you can email all show queries and comments to <a href="mailto:hockeyshow@umfm.com">hockeyshow@umfm.com</a>! Tweet me anytime with questions you may have by hitting me up at <a href="https://twitter.com/TeebzHBIC">@TeebzHBIC on Twitter</a>! I'm here to listen to you, so make your voice heard!<br />
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Tonight, Teebz and Jason discuss arena woes, legal battles, overdue changes, upholding morals, amazing records, and much more exclusively on 101.5 UMFM and on the <a href="http://umfm.com/">UMFM.com web stream</a>!<br />
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<b>PODCAST: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wnqt1miVbN2Z1S1ZCAPiPfV2s5N9n1TG/view?usp=sharing">February 22, 2024: Episode 596</a></b><br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-827176395682531192024-02-21T22:00:00.000-06:002024-02-23T22:07:36.741-06:00Goalie Showdown In North Bay<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDww2IHbHmDNZZqQfwycN7YCvWTgNAZyOCTaEq560rOz3mrSFIJni6G_xfwMX0zFJICec9ZKchlPDXKWq-5vQfCEvZBP1ay1xUksMfYoXZ4XYUTVkU_1bytroKOQr4dgXLWNrQMu2rgYWSilyRi7-PphmQRXKPiZCvo2-rpqbfWqJgmw9B0MyolQbb_8Ho/s567/goalies.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="567" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDww2IHbHmDNZZqQfwycN7YCvWTgNAZyOCTaEq560rOz3mrSFIJni6G_xfwMX0zFJICec9ZKchlPDXKWq-5vQfCEvZBP1ay1xUksMfYoXZ4XYUTVkU_1bytroKOQr4dgXLWNrQMu2rgYWSilyRi7-PphmQRXKPiZCvo2-rpqbfWqJgmw9B0MyolQbb_8Ho/s200/goalies.jpg"/></a></div>People know I am dedicated to covering the action in Canada West women's hockey as I talk about it a lot and certainly write about every Sunday here on HBIC. What some may not realize is that I do watch the other conferences when I can because there are a number of good players and teams in each of the three conferences, and there's a guarantee that some of those teams will end up at the U SPORTS National Women's Hockey Championship. Tonight, I settled down in front of the ol' television to take in Game One of the OUA Quarterfinal series between the York Lions and the Nipissing Lakers, and I have to say that you missed a beauty if you weren't watching!<br />
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Playoff hockey is always better with storylines and a little dislike between the two teams, and there was a little of both when it came to York and Nipissing. These two teams played to 1-1-1-1 records in their four games against one another this season as York played them tough every time they met. Because of that edge that York carried into those games, Nipissing brought a little more physicality as well. In short, these two teams played entertaining games when they met.<br />
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The first period was pretty evenly-played between the two teams with no penalties and no goals scored. Why? Both Emma Wedgewood in the York crease and Chantelle Sandquist in the Nipissing net were going save-for-save in their respective nets. Both netminders made key saves through opening 20 minutes, and this game would remain a 0-0 draw with Nipissing up 8-7 in shots.<br />
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The second period was more of the same as Wedgewood and Sandquist were putting on a show. A couple of shortened power-plays late in the frame did nothing to help the scores, but both netminders made key saves to prevent power-play goals. Maggie McKee was generating chances for herself and her linemates for the Lakers that Wedgewood turned aside regularly while Alexa Giantsopoulos, Sydney Paulson, and Jillian Milligan were stopped by Sandquist at various moments in the frame. After 40 minutes, it was a 0-0 stalemate with Nipissing holding an 18-15 edge in shots. Despite the score, though, the goaltending was fantastic through the first two periods.<br />
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Nipissing turned on the pressure in the third period as you'd expect from a 20-win team, but that only seemed to encourage Wedgewood in the York net. A power-play five minutes into the frame for the Lakers was the break they were seeking, but credit Wedgewood for making a couple of big saves deny the Lakers the goal they sought. While Sandquist saw less action in her end of the ice, she was called upon a couple of times to stand tall to keep this game even at goose eggs. That's how the third period would end as we'd head to overtime tied 0-0 and with Nipissing holding a 29-19 margin in shots.<br />
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Before we get to overtime, the last time there was a goalless game heading into free hockey in the OUA playoffs was on February 22, 2023 - one year minus a day from this night! In that game, the Windsor Lancers and Guelph Gryphons battled into double-overtime in their goalless draw before Emily Eikelboom scored the game's only goal when she beat Martina Fedel at the 7:19 mark of the fifth period. Windsor netminder Kristen Swiatoschik stopped 38 shots for the five-period shutout, so we were well on our way to seeing if either goalie could equal Swiatoschik's save total.<br />
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Neither team really held back in this overtime period as we know that any shot on net has the chance to go in. Nipissing had a couple of opportunities to bury the puck early, but Wedgewood was seeing everything clearly. The Lions got a few shots on Sandquist that she handled easily, and it felt like we may be watching this game for a while longer. However, with 14:12 gone in the overtime period, Nicole York's shot towards the net saw Sydney Paulson get a stick on it, and her deflection found room past Sandquist for the game-winning goal as York took Game One by that 1-0 score!<br />
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While some may say this is an upset in the opening game of the best-of-three series, I think we established at the top of this article that York was well-equipped for this series against Nipissing. What teams can never game-plan for is a goalie who decides to go en fuego, and we saw Emma Wedgewood do that here tonight as she stopped 44 shots for her first playoff win and shutout in the OUA! For the record, Chantelle Sandquist stopped 25 shots on this night, so it's not like she had a bad night in the crease either.<br />
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Having watched enough best-of-three series in my life, a hot goalie can change a series dramatically. If Wedgewood is catching fire right now, Friday's game is going to be a huge test for the Lakers on the road. We saw Gabriella Durante catch fire in the series against the Saskatchewan Huskies as she pitched two-straight shutouts in Games Two and Three in Canada West, and it seems like Emma Wedgewood might be combustable based on her play tonight.<br />
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The OUA also saw another surprise tonight as the Queen's Golden Gaels downed the Toronto Varsity Blues by a 3-1 score in their Game One contest. That's the top-two teams in the OUA East Division suffering opening-game losses in their series as both Nipissing and Toronto are now in must-win mode for Game Two. Could two of the top-ten teams in the nation take quarterfinal losses in the OUA?<br />
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We'll find out Friday. Keep an eye on the OUA scores, and we'll see if Emma Wedgewood can continue her incredible play in York's crease as the Lions look to eliminate one of the favorites from the OUA!<br />
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Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!Teebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.com0