 |
| Abby Soyko, right, and the Bears celebrate an OT win on Saturday. |
On Saturday night, the Bears were locked in a 2-2 tie with
an inspired Battlefords Sharks side at the Battleford Arena in a second five-minute
overtime period in Battleford. The visiting Bears were awarded a power-play
opportunity in that frame.
After hearing the goal announcement over the public address
system, Soyko skated to the on ice officials and meekly told them she was the
one that took the shot that Ball deflected into the Sharks goal for the
overtime winner.
The Bears and Sharks
are slated to go at it again on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Battleford Arena,
but as it turns out, Soyko won’t have to wait to play in that contest to
capture the Bears all-time career regular season points record.
Soyko passed the old
mark of 101 points held by Kelly Regnier. Regnier, who is from St. Louis, Sask.,
recorded her 101 points on 50 goals and 51 assists playing 83 career
regular season games between 2010 and 2013.
“It is alright,”
said Soyko, who stands 5-foot-5. “A win is a win. It doesn’t matter who puts
the puck in the net.”
“We just came into
the game thinking we were just going to walk all over them, and that is never a
good mindset to go into a game,” said Soyko, who is in her fifth and final
season with the Bears. “There are still 20 other girls on the other team that
want to do the same as you, and that is to win a hockey game.
Tiringer’s status
wasn’t known by game’s end.
Lexi Beuker made 27
stops to pick up the win in goal for the Bears, who improved to 3-0. Haylie
Biever was spectacular in the Sharks goal turning away 50 shots.
“Just in the room,
she is a good example. She has been here for five years. She knows how to get
things done.
Working with an extra skater, Soyko blasted a shot on the
Sharks net, which was tipped home by linemate Kate Ball to give the Bears a 3-2
victory in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League regular season clash.
Assisting on Ball’s goal would allow Soyko to become the Bears all-time leader in career regular season points.
Assisting on Ball’s goal would allow Soyko to become the Bears all-time leader in career regular season points.
Originally, the lone assist on Ball’s tally was given to
Bears rookie forward Lauren Willoughby, who wasn’t on the ice and isn’t part of
the Bears power-play unit.
 |
| Abby Soyko tops the Bears in career regular season points. |
The Bears captain wasn’t too sure how the officials were
receiving what she said. Knowing the night had been a long one with the game
going into a second overtime period and a lengthy delay due to an injury to
Sharks defender Keera Tiringer, Soyko decided to not press too hard on getting
an assist on Ball’s overtime winner.
At game’s end, Soyko was aware the online scoresheet had
Willoughby assisting on Ball’s extra time goal and was genuinely alright with
that development. Showing no disappointment during a post-game interview, Soyko
said the off-ice volunteers that keep track
of the scoresheets and the on-ice officials work hard trying to ensure they get
everything right.
She didn’t want to
be “that” person that got on their case for making a mistake, because mistakes
happen as everyone is human.
“I know that happens
a lot and people get super upset,” said Soyko. “I can just get it back (in
Sunday’s) game or whatever and just move on.”
 |
| Kate Ball scored the overtime winner for the Bears on Saturday. |
After the Prince
Albert side left the rink late Saturday night, it appeared the on-ice officials
did hear what Soyko told them after the contest. A change was made on the
scoresheet and Soyko was correctly given the lone assist on Ball’s overtime
winner.
With that assist,
Soyko, who will turn 17-years-old near the end of this month, became the Bears
all-time leader in career regular season points at 102. She piled up those
points on 53 goals and 49 assists in 111 career regular season games.
 |
| Haylie Biever made 50 saves on Saturday for the Sharks. |
Actually, Soyko
drove home the Bears first goal of the contest on Saturday at the 3:42 mark of
the third period from the front of the Sharks net. That tally was awarded to
Bears defender Tobi Fontaine, who was on the ice positioned beside the right
boards in the Battlefords zone.
Soyko said she didn’t
hear that goal announcement and wasn’t aware the tally was given to Fontaine
until the end of the contest. The SFMAAAHL doesn’t review video to correct
goals and assists, and it is up to the players on the ice to make the officials
aware that a mistake might have been made.
The Bears were down
2-0 at the time their first tally went into the Sharks goal to cut Battlefords’
lead to 2-1, and Soyko was focused on trying to spark a comeback.
 |
| Miranda Heidt, right, fired home the equalizer for the Bears. |
Soyko said she
believe her team came into Saturday’s game thinking that success was just going
to happen due to the fact the Sharks have struggled in recent years in the
SFMAAAHL. She was more concerned about that development.
Saturday’s clash
happened to be the regular season opener for the Sharks, and they transition up
the ice quickly and played a sound team game. The hosts jumped ahead 2-0 on a
first period single from Brooklyn Rowley and a second period single from
Madison Sansom.
 |
| Nicole Girolami controls the puck in the defensive zone for the Sharks. |
“(On Sunday), we
just need to come and compete better than them. They definitely improved from
last year, and that is good for them. We need to just be better and play to our
level.”
After the Bears cut
the Sharks lead to 2-1, it seemed like the rally was going to stall. With 12:09
to play in the third period, Bears winger Jasper Desmarais drove Tiringer into
the boards with a hard hit.
Tiringer was down on
the ice for a lengthy stretch before being taken to hospital on a stretcher. Her
injury was bad enough that the officials sent the two teams to their respective
dressing rooms until she was taken off the ice.
 |
| Paris Oleksyn (#11) breaks into the offensive zone for the Bears. |
Desmarais was
accessed a major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct. The play will
likely be reviewed by the SFMAAAHL for a possible suspension.
The Bears killed off
the major penalty. With 6:17 to play in the third period, Bears 17-year-old
forward Miranda Heidt drove home the equalizer to the top left corner of the
Sharks goal to tie things up at 2-2 and ultimately force overtime.
After a scoreless
five minute overtime period of four-on-four play, Ball got her power-play
winner on a second five-minute overtime period with three-on-three play.
 |
| Sharks D Keera Tiringer left Saturday’s game due to injury. |
“It was kind of a
different game obviously with the 2-0 lead that they had and our slow comeback,”
said Bears head coach Jeff Willoughby. “I thought we got better as the game
went on.
“Obviously with the
injury and everyone was off the ice for about 20 minutes, it was a little
different feel for the game.”
Willoughby said
Desmarais was very distraught over the fact Tiringer left the game on a
stretcher.
“I know our player
was upset that was involved with the collision,” said Willoughby. “She doesn’t
feel good about it either.
“I hope (Keera) Tiringer
is OK and has a good recovery.”
Willoughby was
pleased with Soyko’s play on Saturday.
“We expect Abby
(Soyko) to lead this team,” said Willoughby. “She sets a good example just
walking around.
 |
| Abby Soyko (#19) has 102 career regular season points for the Bears. |
“She has playoff
experience. She has played in a lot of tough games, lots of tough situations
even as a young player. She is just a leader on and off the ice for us, so it
has been excellent.”
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to stankssports@gmail.com.
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