Wednesday 20 February 2019

Hounds’ Ross robs Rebels to close SFMAAAHL regular season

Kaitlyn Ross had a spectacular season for the Hounds.
    Kaitlyn Ross closed Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League regular season with arguably one of her best performances of the campaign.
    On Wednesday night at the Co-operators Centre in Regina, the 17-year-old Notre Dame Hounds veteran netminder was sensational making 50 saves to allow her squad to slip past the host Rebels 2-1. Notre Dame picked up the win while being outshot 51-22.
    The performance adds to a spectacular final regular season for Ross, where she posted a 10-6-1 record, 1.88 goals against average, a .942 save percentage and four shutouts. The Redcliff, Alta., product’s save percentage led the SFMAAAHL.
    Ross has committed to join the Mount Royal University Cougars women’s hockey team in the U Sports ranks next season.
    As for Wednesday’s win over the Rebels, the Hounds took a 1-0 lead at the 7:22 mark of the first period on a goal from Sophie Young with Claire Nimegeers picking up an assist. After 20 minutes, the shots on goal were even at 8-8.
Sophie Young had a goal for the Hounds on Wednesday.
    In the second period, the Rebels threw everything including the kitchen sink at Ross holding a 23-8 edge in shots on goal in the stanza. They finally beat the Hounds star goalie on a tally from star forward Lauren Focht with 1:53 remaining in the frame.
    Defender Larissa Bohlken picked up an assist on Focht’s goal.
    The Rebels kept applying the pressure in the third holding a 20-6 edge in shots on goal for the frame.
    Despite the best efforts by the host side, Hounds 17-year-old forward Raea Gilroy scored the winner for the visitors with 2:59 remaining in the third. Olivia Leier picked up the assist on Gilroy’s marker.
    Chantel Weller made 20 saves to take the setback in goal for the Rebels.
    The clash between the Hounds and Rebels wrapped up the regular season schedule for the entire SFMAAAHL. The two sides entered this encounter knowing the final result wouldn’t change any positioning in the SFMAAAHL standings.
    The Rebels finished second in the SFMAAAHL with a 17-7-4 record. That marked Regina’s highest regular season finish since last topping the SFMAAAHL standings back in the 2013-14 campaign with a 25-2-1 record.
    The Rebels will face the Melville Prairie Fire (10-16-2) in a best-of-five first round playoff series.
Lauren Focht scored for the Rebels on Wednesday.
    The Hounds finished fifth in the SFMAAAHL with a 12-13-3 record. They will take on the Prince Albert Northern Bears (17-9-2) in a best-of-five first round SFMAAAHL playoff series.
    The Rebels and Prairie Fire announced Tuesday the dates for their best-of-five series. It begins on March 7 at 8 p.m. at the Co-operators Centre. Game 2 follows on March 9 at 8 p.m. at the Horizon Credit Union Centre in Melville.
    The series shifts back to the Co-operators Centre for Game 3 on March 10 at 7:45 p.m.
    If necessary, Game 4 is slated for the Horizon Credit Union centre for March 12 at 7:45 p.m., and Game 5 is scheduled for the Co-operators Centre on March 14 at 8 p.m.
    The rest of the SFMAAAHL post-season series are set to begin around March 7.
    The SFMAAAHL has taken a short hiatus due to the fact many of the players on the circuit will be participating in the Canada Winter Games, which are currently being held in Red Deer, Alta. The Canada Winter Games conclude on March 2.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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