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| Jared Dmytriw (#15) wins a draw for the Huskies. |
The
21-year-old centre scored twice on Saturday to lift his University of
Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team to a 2-0 victory over the University of
Regina Cougars in a U Sports regular season clash. The Craven, Sask., product
is having a strong rookie campaign leading the Huskies in scoring with six
goals and eight assists for 14 points to go with a plus-nine rating in the
plus-minus department.
His two
goals put daggers into the Cougars hopes for an upset victory before 1,370
spectators at Merlis Belsher Place.
They both came in the third period and disrupted
a goaltending duel between Huskies goalie Travis Child and Cougars netminder
Brandon Holtby.
At the 4:46 mark of the third, Dmytriw broke on the right wing roofed a shot top left corner of the Cougars goal to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
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| Jared Dmytriw drives towards the net for the Huskies. |
At the 4:46 mark of the third, Dmytriw broke on the right wing roofed a shot top left corner of the Cougars goal to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
He netted
his second of the night at the eight-minute mark of the third when he picked up
a loose puck beside the U of R net and roofed the puck over top of Holtby.
Dmytriw’s
tallies allowed the Huskies to win their sixth straight game as they improved
to 9-3-2. The Cougars fell to 2-11-1.
The Huskies
downed the Cougars one night earlier 3-1 in Regina.
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| The Huskies celebrate Jared Dmytriw’s first goal. |
Dmytriw is
picking up with the Huskies from where he left off when he graduated from the
WHL’s Vancouver Giants.
Last season
as the Giants captain in his overage campaign, Dmytriw netted 15 goals, 23
assists and a plus-seven rating in the plus-minus department. He helped the
Giants finish second overall in the WHL’s regular season standings with a 48-15-3-2
record.
Dmytriw
proceeded to hit another gear in the post-season. He played in all of the Giants
22 playoff games recording nine goals, 12 assists and a plus-11 rating.
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| Jared Dmytriw leads the Huskies in scoring with 14 points. |
Upon
joining the Huskies, Dmytriw kept rolling in high gear.
“It is
exciting,” said Dmytriw, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 195 pounds. “It is a
lot of fun.
“It is nice
to be close to home. It has been almost a seamless transition. We have such a
great group of guys here.
“We’re just
kind of finding our legs and getting on a roll here, and we’re going to carry
it into next weekend and then into the finals break.”
While he
has played his first 14 regular season games with the Huskies, Dmytriw admitted
he has moments where his mind reflects on what happened with the Giants in the
WHL final.
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| The Huskies celebrate Jared Dmytriw’s second goal. |
“You can’t
get much closer than one shot away in overtime in Game 7. Those are memories
I’m going to look back on for the rest of my life. That group of guys that we
had and the battle that we went through in that series, it was awesome.
“I wouldn’t
trade it for the world.”
Dmytriw can
still see some of the chances his Giants missed in overtime before Dante
Hannoun scored the winner for the Raiders.
“It was
back-and-forth there,” said Dmytriw. “We went down 3-1 in the series and won
Game 5 and 6.
“Going into
Game 7, both teams are confident. Anything can go either way. It went their
way.
“They had a
really good team and had really good season, so hats off to them. I’m just
really proud of our group and how far we came that year.”
Upon joining the Huskies, Dmytriw had to get used to going to school again.
Upon joining the Huskies, Dmytriw had to get used to going to school again.
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| Jared Dmytriw sets to make a drop pass. |
“It is a
transition coming out of the Western League where I haven’t been going to
school for the last couple of years, but it has been really good,” said
Dmytriw. “The classes are all good.
“Profs are
good, and there is a lot of support here with our group and our organization
from the school.”
Being able
to contribute out of the gate offensively at the U Sports level has been a big
plus too.
“It is
really good hockey,” said Dmytriw. “There are a lot of ex-WHL players in there.
“They are
just all older now, and they are all men. It comes down to confidence. Once you
get the confidence and get rolling there, you kind of find you legs and stuff
starts going your way.”
Dmytriw centres a line that contains Collin Shirley at left wing and Justin Ball at right wing.
Dmytriw centres a line that contains Collin Shirley at left wing and Justin Ball at right wing.
The Huskies
are without veteran forwards Kohl Bauml, Wyatt Johnson and Jordan Tkatch due to
injury, and all three can put up numbers offensively.
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| Travis Child made 28 saves to pick up a shutout victory. |
Shirley
picked up assists on both of Dmytriw’s goals.
“It was a
good breakout there (on the first goal),” said Dmytriw. “We focused on our
transition game kind of coming into the game, so we got the puck going quick
and got the transition going up the ice.
“I was able to get a shot and luckily it went in.”
“I was able to get a shot and luckily it went in.”
Due to the
fact his hometown is only a two hour drive south of Saskatoon, Dmytriw has had
a big contingent out to support him at his home games with the Huskies. During
his five seasons in the WHL from 2014 to 2019, Dmytriw played with the Victoria
Royals, Red Deer Rebels and Giants.
He only spent 26 regular season games with the Rebels, which meant he mainly played in the Western Conference resulting in limited opportunities to play road games in Saskatchewan.
Dmytriw is pleased he is no longer living such a great distance
away from home, and it will be easier for his family to see him play over the
next number of seasons.
He only spent 26 regular season games with the Rebels, which meant he mainly played in the Western Conference resulting in limited opportunities to play road games in Saskatchewan.
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| The Huskies celebrate a sixth straight victory. |
“It is
awesome having family in the stands,” said Dmytriw. “They’ve been here for
every game.
“They were
in the stands again tonight, so it is awesome to have that support. It is
pretty cool after being away for so long.”
Child
stopped 28 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Huskies, which was also his
third career regular season shutout in U Sports play. Holtby turned away 32 shots
in goal for the Cougars.
The Huskies
return to action Friday, when they travel to Calgary, Alta., to face the Mount
Royal University Cougars (10-3-0-1).
Huskies burst for four goals, outlast
Cougars
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| Bailee Bourassa scored for the Huskies on Saturday. |
On Saturday at the Co-operators Centre in Regina, Sask., the
Huskies slipped past the Cougars 4-3 in a feisty back-and-forth battle. The
sides were tied up 1-1 after the first period and 2-2 after the second.
The Huskies jumped out to a 4-2 lead in the third before the
Cougars scored to cut the visitors edge to 4-3. The host side wasn’t able to
find the equalizer after that.
Fifth-year checking forward Elizabeth Salyn scored the
winner and her first tally of the campaign for the Huskies at the 13:20 mark of
the third period.
Chelsea Debusschere, Rachel Lundberg and Bailee Bourassa had
singles for the Huskies.
Jaycee Magwood, Paige Hubbard and Jadyn Kushniruk replied
with singles for the Cougars.
Kushniruk’s tally was her first career U Sports regular season
goal. She is in her rookie season with the Cougars having graduated from the
Prince Albert Northern Bears female midget AAA team.
Saturday’s clash contained some rough stuff as Huskies
fourth-year defender Kayla Kirwan and Magwood were both given double minors for
checking to the head at the 6:16 mark of the third.
Jessica Vance made 10 saves to pick up the win in goal for
the Huskies (7-4-2-1). Morgan Baker turned away 20 shots to take the setback in
goal for the Cougars (6-8).
Vance now has a 31-12-5 regular season record in her U
Sports career with a 1.14 goals against average, a .950 save percentage and 17
shutouts. She equaled Vanessa Frederick for the second most career regular
season victories in the history of the Huskies women’s hockey program.
Frederick played for the Huskies for the Huskies from 2007
to 2010 and in 2011-12 posting a 31-21 record, a 2.30 goals against average, a
.914 save percentage and five shutouts in regular season play.
The Huskies return to action on Friday, when they host the
Mount Royal University Cougars (8-6) at 7 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place.
Kliewer stones Wildcats in 2-1 Stars win
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| Arden Kliewer makes one of her 33 saves for the Stars. |
On Saturday at Merlis Belsher Place, Kliewer made 33 stops
to back the Saskatoon Stars to a 2-1 victory over the Swift Current Diamond
Energy Wildcats. The loss was the first for the Wildcats in the SFMAAAHL
regular season as they fell to 8-1.
The win was a big confidence booster for the rebuilding
Stars, who improved to 5-6-2.
Kliewer came up huge keeping the Stars in the first period
making 13 saves as the host side was outshot 14-3. Centre Crystal Wale netted
the Wildcats goal in the opening frame, which would be their only tally in the contest.
The Stars got traction in the second period as captain
Makena Kushniruk scored twice to put the host side up 2-1. Kushniruk’s second
tally came with less than 20 seconds to play in the second.
With
Kliewer holding the fort, the Stars closed things out defensively in the third
period. Cheynne Jamieson turned away 17 shots to pick up the win in goal for
the Wildcats.
The win was
Kliewer’s 41st career regular season victory which ranks second
all-time in the history of the SFMAAAHL.
The
Wildcats and Stars go at it again on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. at Merlis Belsher
Place.
Hilltops’ grads take final bows at team
awards
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| Jadyn Pingue took home the Hilltops team award for top linebacker. |
On Friday at the Delta Marriott Hotel, the 2019 Hilltops
gathered for one last time to celebrate winning a sixth straight CJFL
championship. Six days earlier in Langley, B.C., the Hilltops downed the host
Rams 11-6 to remain CJFL champs and retain possession of the Canadian Bowl.
The Hilltops wrapped a second straight perfect campaign
posting a 12-0 record this season. They were 11-0 in 2018.
At the awards banquet on Friday, graduating players claimed
all six of the possible major seven team awards that could be claimed.
Offensive right guard Taylon Elderkin claimed the Ron
Atchison “True Grit” award.
Defensive tackle Jesse McNabb was named the winner of the
Drs. Landa-Doig Award as the team’s most outstanding graduate.
The Blue
and Gold award for dedication and commitment went to receiver Connor Graham.
The
Courtice Inspiration Award went to defensive back Colton Holmes, who missed a
number of games before returning to play for the Hilltops in their victory in
the Canadian Bowl. Holmes dressed for only four of the Hilltops regular season
games and the CJFL title contest.
Jadyn
Pingue claimed the Don and Jim Seaman Memorial Award as the Hilltops top
linebacker. Pingue was named the CJFL’s most outstanding defensive player for
the 2019 campaign.
Offensive
left guard Ryder Klisowsky took the Ray Syrnyk Trophy as the Hilltops top
lineman.
Defensive
lineman Jacob Yuzak took the Past President’s Trophy as the rookie of the year.
At the
awards banquet, Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant gave one his best speeches he
ever gave at that event. Of course, he thanked his wife, Kris, and daughters,
Macy and Abby, for their support.
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| The late Justin Filteau in action for the Hilltops in 2014. |
He was a
CJFL all-Canadian all-star at linebacker in his final campaign with the
Hilltops before moving on to play for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies
football team at the U Sports level.
Sargeant
said that before the season Pingue came to him suggestion Filteau’s #45 should
be retired. Pingue joined the Hilltops in the 2015 campaign and took up wearing
#45.
Sargeant
said it would be important for Pingue to keep wearing #45 as a way to keep
Filteau’s memory alive. The Hilltops dedicated their season to Filteau and wore
#45 decals on their helmets.
Pingue
started at middle linebacker for the Hilltops in 2019, which would be the only
campaign he would be a starter with the club. In a fitting way for things to
work out, he had a campaign where he was a Prairie Football Conference
all-star, a CJFL all-Canadian all-star and was named the most outstanding
defensive player for both the PFC and CJFL.
It was safe
to say that Pingue held up Filteau’s number really well.
Since none
of the current Hilltops were ever teammates with Filteau, the team’s coaches
did an outstanding job of passing on Filteau’s importance to the Hilltops and
Saskatchewan’s football community.
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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