Sting of gold medal loss fuels Stars at Esso Cup

The Stars to make their fourth trip to Esso Cup a golden one.

    Out of the massive amount of games the Saskatoon Stars have won, a single setback sticks our prominently in the minds of the returning players from last season.

    A year ago, the Stars made it to the championship game of the Esso Cup female midget AAA national hockey championship tournament for the first time in team history.

    In the title game at the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre in Bridgewater, N.S., the Stars dropped a 2-1 heartbreaker to the Alberta-based St. Albert Slash, who captured the national title for a second straight year.

    The Stars had been 14-0 at that point in the post-season and were riding a 24-game winning streak. Saskatoon finished the 2017-18 campaign with a 44-7-1 overall record.

Captain Grace Shirley will go down as one of the Stars all-time greats.

    The Stars topped the regular season standings in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League as well, but the Esso Cup championship game loss created a tough way to end the campaign on.

    “I think coming into the season we were all having that in the back of our minds,” said Stars captain Grace Shirley. “It pushed us and it motivated us.

    “I think that is why we had some of the success that we did this year is just because we were motivated and we want to win the gold this year.”

    The Stars are going back to the Esso Cup for the fourth time in the last five years. This year’s tournament starts Sunday and run through to April 27 at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex in Sudbury, Ont.

    Saskatoon begins round robin play taking on Ontario provincial finalist the Stoney Creek Sabres on Sunday. The host Sudbury Lady Wolves captured the Ontario female midget AAA provincial crown, which allowed Stoney Creek to qualify for the nationals as the runner-up in the Ontario final.

Arden Kliewer is set to carry the big game load for the Stars.

    The Sabres were 11-7-4 in the regular season in the Lower Lakes Female Hockey League and are 5-2 so far in the post-season.

    The Stars finished first in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League for a fifth straight year. This season, they posted their best regular season record ever at 27-1.

    Saskatoon has an 8-1 record so far in the post-season winning the SFMAAAHL title and a Western regional playdown series to qualify for the Esso Cup tournament. Overall, the Stars have a 43-2-1 record in the 2018-19 campaign.

    A year ago, Stars netminder Arden Kliewer watched from the bench as veteran Jordan Ivanco, who was the squad’s 17-year-old veteran, had a solid game stopped 16 shots to take the setback in goal for the Stars in the title game to the Slash.

    What was tougher to watch was the face Camryn Drever turned away 14 shots to pick up the win in the Slash goal and was assisted by the fact her teammates blocked a tonne of shots.

    “Even just kind of closer to Esso just kind of thinking about last year, it is definitely still part of it that stings a little bit,” said Kliewer. “Especially just because how we lost to them, we were so close.

Kaitlin Jockims has piled up the points this season for the Stars.

    “We were on that big winning streak. And then all of a sudden, the one game we had to lose was that final. It is really still sticking around there.”

    Kliewer is one of 13 returning players from last year’s squad for the Stars this season. In her third campaign with the team, she is having her best season with the Stars.

    Kliewer, who turned 17-years-old in February, was outstanding in the regular season posting a 16-0 record, a 1.21 goals against average, a .941 save percentage and seven shutouts. She will be called up tend goal for the Stars most critical contests at Esso Cup.

    “I’m getting a little nervous knowing that I’m going to be kind of the go to for the tournament,” said Kliewer. “I am definitely excited to kind of go there and help my team like I have throughout the season and kind of show Canada that we deserve to win this.”

Anna Leschyshyn has been one of the Stars constant top performers.

    Shirley led the Stars in regular season scoring with 27 goals and 21 assists for 48 points. She was the second leading scorer in the SFMAAAHL.

    Kaitlin Jockims, who is another standout 17-year-old forward, finished second in Stars team scoring with 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points. All of those totals were career highs for Jockims.

    Anna Leschyshyn was third in team scoring with 18 goals and 21 assists for 39 points and is also looking to graduate from the midget AAA ranks after this season on a high note.

    Joelle Fiala, who is also playing her final midget AAA season, was fourth in team scoring with 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points.

    The Stars have a strong defensive unit that can get things done offensively as well. Ashley Messier, who just turned 17-years-old in late March, led all Stars defenders in regular season scoring with career highs in goals (five), assists (27) and points (32).

Joelle Fiala has made her mark as one of the Stars all-time best playmakers.

    Chace Sperling, who turned 17-years-old in January, had a breakout year on the back end posting career highs in regular season play in goals (eight), assists (12) and points (20).

    Stars head coach Greg Slobodzian is full of anticipation for this return trip to the Esso Cup.

    “I can’t remember being this excited for going back actually,” said Slobodzian. “Whether it is a feeling of not really unfinished business, I think you are going back with 13 girls that had such a great experience but came up short.

    “Now, they know exactly what it takes. A lot of things have to happen in regards to whether it is staying healthy, the things that you can’t control. I think we’re really, really prepared.

    “Whenever you are prepared for something it is exciting to jump into. I think that is the feeling we have as a group.”

Ashley Messier is one of the Stars most dynamic players.

    In the opener against the Stars, the Sabres will be looking to get big games from forwards Tiana Faccio, Regan Minor and Vanessa Upson.

    The Esso Cup nationals are a six team tournament, and this year’s field features the Stars, Sabres, Lady Wolves, the defending champion Slash, the Halifax Fire from Nova Scotia and the As de Quebec from Quebec City, Quebec.

    The six teams play each other once in a round robin, and the top four teams advance to two semifinal games. The semifinal games are slated for April 26. The bronze and gold medal games follow on April 27.

    Shirley was on the Stars roster in their three previous visits to the Esso Cup in 2015, 2016 and last season. She played in the 2015 tournament as an associate player call up.

    In total, she has appeared in 21 games at the Esso Cup tournament collecting nine goals and four assists.

    She gives the Slash full marks for winning last year’s title game, but believes her team will find a way to come out on top this year.

    “I think they (the Slash) are a good team, and we don’t want to take anything away from them,” said Shirley. “At the end of the day, I think we just need to focus on what we can do.

The Saskatoon Stars hope to enjoy a celebration like this at Esso Cup.

    “If we go out there and if we play our game, then I think hopefully we’ll find success that way.”

    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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Esso sweet Esso – Stars return to nationals for fourth time in last five years

The Stars captains celebrate their Western regional win.

    With the Saskatoon Stars one win away from returning to nationals, Jayda Sachs came to the rink feeling a little down.

    The veteran forward of five Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League seasons was dwelling on the fact she could be playing her home game at Merlis Belsher Place on Saturday. The down mood didn’t last long for Sachs, who turned 18-years-old in March.

    In Game 2 of a best-of-three Western regional playdown series, the Stars dominated the visiting Westman Wildcats from Hartney, Man., posting a 3-0 victory along with a 42-4 edge in shots on goal.

Jayda Sachs scored the Stars third goal on Saturday.

    Having claimed Game 1 by a 3-2 final on Friday at Merlis, the Stars swept the series 2-0 to capture the Lanchbery Family Trophy.

    They will return to the Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament for a second straight year and for the fourth time in the last five years. The Esso Cup runs April 21 to 27 in Sudbury, Ont.

    “There is nothing really better than this feeling,” said Sachs, who played her first two SFMAAAHL campaigns with the Prince Albert Northern Bears before joining the Stars. “This is where we want to get to as a team and then move on to Esso.

    “Especially my last year, this is a pretty special thing. To have my family all being here, this is what we work towards all year as a team. This is a pretty special feeling.”

    To cap the Game 2 victory, Sachs scored the Stars final goal with 1:32 remaining in the third period with linemates Kaitlin Jockims and Makena Kushniruk picking up assists on the play.

Halle Helperl scored the Stars first goal on Saturday.

    “I thought about, ‘Oh, what if I score today?’” said Sachs. “My brothers were bugging me about it.

    “As soon as that puck went in the net, I was just like oh this is a great feeling, and to have everybody here to see it happen, it was amazing.”

    The Stars controlled play from wire to wire, and it took a sensational 39 save performance from Wildcats netminder Natalie Williamson to keep her team in the game.

    After a scoreless first, the Stars broke through on the scoreboard at the 9:57 mark of the second, when a shot from veteran defender Chace Sperling was deflected home by Stars underage rookie forward Halle Helperl. Helperl’s tally turned out to be the series winner.

Ashley Messier scored the Stars second goal on Saturday.

    “It was a good feeling, because it was the first goal,” said Helperl, who had six goals and eight assists in the Stars 28 regular season games. “I just was kind of standing there, and the puck was just coming.

    “I felt it on the side of my leg, and I didn’t know where it went. It was in the net.”

    Helperl was pumped about the chance to go to nationals for the first time.

    “It feels amazing,” said Helperl. “We’re on our way to Esso, so everyone is obviously super excited. It is a really good feeling.”

    With the way Saturday’s game was going, the Stars lead grew to an insurmountable one, when standout offensive defender Ashley Messier fired home a power-play goal from the point with 4:40 remaining in the second period. Messier’s shot just trickled over the goal-line between the legs of Williamson.

Netminder Natalie Williamson made 39 saves in goal for the Wildcats.

    Messier believed her Stars would have closed out Saturday’s win even if she didn’t score an insurance marker.

    “I guess it was nice to have another goal,” said Messier. “We would have done it no matter what happened I think.”

    Messier was named the top defender at last year’s Esso Cup, and can’t wait to make the return trip this year.

    “Going back, it is really exciting,” said Messier. “We know what to expect, or at least I do this time.

    “I am really excited to see how our new girls will like it, because I know my first time it was just amazing. We’re going to get it this time. We’re not going to let it slide.”

Jayda Sachs celebrates her goal with netminder Arden Kliewer.

    The most underrated aspect of the Stars win on Saturday was the mental focus of third-year veteran netminder Arden Kliewer. Kliewer stayed sharp enough to make four saves to earn the shutout win in goal.

    Two of Kliewer’s stops were quality scoring chances that came after long stretches of inactivity.

    When the dust settled, Stars head coach Greg Slobodzian was proud of how his team played and was happy his players received a tip of the hat from Wildcats head coach Guy Williams.

    “Shaking the other coach’s hand he gave us the ultimate compliment,” said Slobodzian. “He said, ‘You know what, that is a full 60-minute team you have right there.’

    “Years gone by sometimes that hasn’t been the case. Feeling that way going towards Sudbury, Esso Cup, I’m really happy about it. Just seeing everybody on the ice, it is about what is going on right now.

The Stars pour off their bench to celebrate going to Esso Cup.

    “The glow of being a champion and moving on and seeing grandmas out here hugging their granddaughters is just fantastic.”

    At last year’s Esso Cup in Bridgewater, N.S., the Stars entered the championship game posting a 6-0 record at that point in the tournament having outscored the opposition 28-4. They lost a 2-1 heartbreaker in the gold medal game to the Alberta based St. Albert Slash, who claimed the national title for a second straight year.

    Messier said the goal of her squad is to take care of some unfinished business this time.

The Stars and Merlis Belsher are all smiles after a Western regional win.

    “We kind of let it go last year,” said Messier. “Now we are going to come for it this time.”

    The Stars open Esso Cup on April 21 taking on the still to be determined champion from Ontario.

Sachs said the Stars are intent on finishing the campaign winning the team’s first national championship.

    “We’re pretty excited,” said Sachs. “It is good to have the experience of it for sure.

    “I think from last year losing in the final there we are even more motivated to win it this year.”

    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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Hounds stay alive, take double OT thriller over Stars

The Hounds celebrate a double OT winner from Lyndsey Janes.

    The belief factor just took a big jump up to another stratosphere for the Notre Dame Hounds.

    Facing elimination from the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League playoffs, the Hounds came through with arguably one of their best performances of the campaign against the defending league champion Saskatoon Stars on Tuesday night.

    At the 14:54 mark of double overtime, Hounds star 17-year-old forward Lyndsey Janes scored a power-play goal from the right side of the Saskatoon net to give her squad a 2-1 road victory at Merlis Belsher Place in Game 3 of a SFMAAAHL semifinal series.

    With the win, the Hounds cut the Stars lead in the best-of-five series to 2-1. Notre Dame will host Game 4 on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Duncan McNeill Arena in Wilcox.

Lyndsey Janes scored the double OT winner for the Hounds on Tuesday.

    If a series deciding Game 5 is needed, it will be held Friday at 8:30 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place.

    The Hounds appeared to be facing a tall task in trying to extend their series with the Stars. Heading into action on Tuesday, Saskatoon had won all seven encounters with Notre Dame in the 2018-19 campaign including action in the regular season, post-season and the championship game of the Mandi Schwartz Memorial Tournament, which the Hounds host.

    The Stars posted their best ever regular season record at 27-1 to top the SFMAAAHL standings. The Hounds finished fifth with a 12-13-3 mark.

Joelle Fiala had the Stars goal on Tuesday.

    The Hounds were also outscored by the Stars 9-1 over Games 1 and 2 of their SFMAAAHL semifinal series.

    Still, the Hounds displayed confidence at the start of Tuesday’s contest. In the first period, they were able to slow the game down with a neutral zone trap and held a 7-5 edge in shots on goal.

    The visitors continued to control play through the first half of the second period before the momentum changed.

    The Stars finally broke through on the scoreboard at the 10:05 mark of the second, when 17-year-old veteran standout forward Joelle Fiala scored from close in. At the time of Fiala’s goal, the Hounds held a 15-8 edge in shots on goal.

    Early in the third, the Stars had two golden chances to extend their edge and seal the game from star forward Anna Leschyshyn and defender Chace Sperling, but Hounds star 17-year-old goaltender Kaitlyn Ross slammed the door shut on both occasions.

Kaitlyn Ross made one of her 40 saves in goal for the Hounds.

    Thanks to Ross’s play in goal, the Hounds were able pull even at 1-1, when Janes set up defender Kas Kingston for a power-play goal at the 9:33 mark of the third.

    Before the third ended, Fiala had a prime chance from the front of the Notre Dame goal to put the Stars back out in front, but she was denied by the glove had of Ross.

    In the first overtime period that was 10 minutes in length, Stars netminder Arden Kliewer made a number of big saves to keep the game going as Notre Dame held a 7-3 edge in shots on goal.

Ross’s biggest save in that first extra frame came early, when she denied a drive from Stars star captain Grace Shirley.
    In the second overtime frame, Ross’s glove hand robbed Stars sophomore forward Makena Kushniruk from netting the winning goal.

Arden Kliewer made 32 saves in goal for the Stars.

    That set the stage for Janes to come through with the winner after 84 minutes and 54 seconds of game action.

    Ross turned away 40 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Hounds. Kliewer made 32 saves to take the setback in goal for the Stars.

    On Tuesday, the Hounds showed they won’t bow out of the SFMAAAHL playoffs quietly.

    On the other side, the Stars have journeyed through the SFMAAAHL campaign with very little adversity until now. Now the Stars players are going to have to show their character in rebounding from Tuesday’s heartbreaking setback.

    All of a sudden, the SFMAAAHL semifinal series between the Stars and Hounds has intrigue, because Saskatoon can’t be penciled automatically into the league championship series.

    The Hounds now truly believe they can win, and you could see it in their eyes, when they departed Merlis Belsher Place on Tuesday night.

Back in the Express with Messier

Ashley Messier is the Stars best defender.

    I was back in the pages of the Saskatoon Express this week with a feature story on Saskatoon Stars offensive defender Ashley Messier.

    Messier joined the Stars as a 14-year-old underage player in 2016-17. Now in her third season, she has been one of the squad’s standouts for some time.

    Now a 16-year-old veteran, Messier set career highs this season with five goals and 27 assists helping the Stars post their best regular season record ever at 27-1.

    Recently, Messier was named the winner of the SFMAAAHL’s Colleen Sostorics Top Defenceman award, and she claimed honours as a first team all-star.

    Messier’s family also has big connections to the game.

    The story on Messier can be found by clicking right here.

    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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Sperling cashes in on big opportunity with Stars

Veteran defender nets winning goal in clash with Rebels

Chace Sperling had the winning goal for the Stars on Saturday.

    Chace Sperling wasn’t going to let a golden opportunity pass her by.

    On Saturday afternoon at Merlis Belsher Place, Sperling’s Saskatoon Stars found themselves in a 2-2 tie early in the third period with the Regina Rebels in a regular season battle between the two top teams in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League.

    The Stars entered the third period holding a 2-1 advantage and were on the power play. Shortly after their power play expired, Rebels 16-year-old forward Tavia Terry scored the equalizer to tie things up at 2-2 just 48 seconds into the third.

    Just 44 seconds after that goal, Sperling came through with the turning point play for her squad.

    With a maze of bodies in front of Rebels netminder Chantel Weller, the puck squirted out to Sperling at the right side boards in the Regina zone. The veteran defender, who turned 17-years-old earlier this month, quickly fired home a shot to put the Stars in front 3-2.

The Stars mob Chace Sperling after she scores in the third period.

    That tally stood up as the winner as the Stars added one more goal in the frame coming on a power play from star winger Anna Leschyshyn to claim a 4-2 victory.    

    Leschyshyn’s insurance goal was her second tally of the contest.

    At game’s end, Sperling was pumped she could help her squad in a big moment.

    “I just shot it because the whole net was open,” said Sperling. “I hoped for the best and hoped it went in, and it did.

    “It was good to get the momentum back and get back into the game and get a lead, so that we weren’t in a slump. We would have lost momentum maybe if we didn’t score right off the hop after they scored. We got like more momentum back, and then we finished them off and won the game.”

Tavia Terry (#12) celebrates scoring for the Rebels.

    The win allowed the Stars to improve their first place record to 21-1. The Rebels saw their four game winning streak come to an end, but they remained second in the SFMAAAHL with a 16-5-2 mark.

    Saskatoon had been off since falling to the Rebels in Regina 3-2 on Jan. 13. Stars head coach Greg Slobodzian said Sperling’s goal was key in allow his club to get back on track.

    “It was huge, because a few girls got frustrated,” said Slobodzian. “We just came off the power play.

    “With us, it is all about momentum. Obviously, we had lost some momentum a little bit. I was trying to pick them up on the bench.

Hanna Bailey had the Rebels first goal on Saturday.

    “All of a sudden, Chace’s head was up, saw the open net and put it in. I didn’t have to do much coaching after that. The girls were just like, “Yeah. We’ve got this.””

    The Stars came out controlling the early momentum of the first period. They broke through on the scoreboard, when Leschyshyn wrapped home her first tally of the contest at the 7:33 mark of the opening frame.

    Saskatoon was holding a 7-3 edge in shots on goal at the time of Leschyshyn’s goal.

    The Rebels pushed back taking over for the rest of the first period. With 83 seconds remaining in the frame and working on a power play, 16-year-old power forward Hanna Bailey took break out pass from defender Larissa Bohlken, drove into the Saskatoon zone, cut to the front of the net and drove home the equalizer to tie things up at 1-1.

    Regina held a 13-8 edge in shots on goal at the end of the first period.

    The Stars regained the lead at the 7:05 mark of the second period.

Anna Leschyshyn (#7) scored twice for the Stars on Saturday.

    Working close in front of the Regina net, Stars star forward Kaitlin Jockims slipped a smart pass to linemate Halle Helperl to the left side of the Rebels goal.

    Helperl tapped the puck into a wide open cage to give the host side a 2-1 advantage.

    That set the stage for the dramatics in the third period.

    Arden Kliewer turned away 24 shots in goal for the Stars. Weller stopped 25 shots in goal for the Rebels.

    Slobodzian was pleased his squad came out with a strong effort after falling to the Rebels back on Jan. 13.

    “It doesn’t matter how much you talk about it you have to lose to appreciate winning,” said Slobodzian. “I really believe that.

The Stars celebrate their victory over the Rebels on Saturday.

    “I didn’t want to be the team that we played against today, because I knew we were going to come out hard and execute the way we wanted to. It just goes to show you how strong that Regina club is. They were in there the whole game.”

    The two clubs go at it again on Sunday at 12:45 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place. The Stars will lock up first place in the SFMAAAHL with a win. 
    Slobodzian expects his side to be involved in another intense game.

    “I expect much the same if not more actually,” said Slobodzian. “I know that is a real proud team over there, and they don’t like to lose.

    “When we are playing well, we put up a good fight, and it doesn’t matter who we are playing against. It will be a good battle.”

Wildcats’ Lind hits second on SFMAAAHL’s all-time scoring list

Taylor Lind is the SFMAAAHL’s second all-time top scorer.

    Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats star captain Taylor Lind achieved her biggest personal milestone to date on Saturday.

    Lind scored twice to help her Wildcats down the host Weyburn Richardson Pioneer Gold Wings 7-2 at Crescent Point Place in Weyburn. With those two tallies, Lind leaped ahead of former Saskatoon Stars captain Mackenna Parker for second on the SFMAAAHL’s all-time career regular season points list.

    In 78 career regular season games, Lind has 85 goals and 74 assists for 159 points.

Parker played in 104 career regular season games for the Stars from 2014 to 2018 piling up 82 goals and 76 assists for 158 points. She currently plays for the Boston University Terriers women’s hockey team in the NCAA ranks.

    Moose Jaw product Olivia Howe is the SFMAAAHL’s all-time leader scorer in career regular season play piling up 107 goals and 100 assists for 207 points appearing in 106 games with the Notre Dame Hounds from 2008 to 2012.

    In Saturday’s game, the Gold Wings took a 2-0 lead in their clash with the Wildcats receiving goals off the sticks of Kira Barham and Payton Mabee.

Taylor Lind scored twice for the Wildcats on Saturday.

    The Wildcats tied things up at 2-2 heading into the first intermission, scored four times in the second period to go ahead 6-2 and cruised to victory from that point. Swift Current has won seven games in a row.

    Defender Tobi Fontaine scored twice for the Wildcats, while Crystal Wale, Ryleigh White and Brooklyn Rublee had singles.

    Amaya Giraudier made 14 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Wildcats (13-9-1). Amara Lewendon turned away 42 shots to take the setback in net for the Gold Wings (1-20-1).

    The two sides go at it again on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Crescent Point Place in Weyburn.

    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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The dream is alive like in 2009 for Prince Albert Northern Bears

Stars face elimination in SFMAAAHL championship series

Abby Soyko pats Camryn Amundson on the head.

    PRINCE ALBERT - Often the difference in a championship series is who can come through in the clutch, and Prince Albert Northern Bears forward Camryn Amundson is proving to be a clutch player.

    With the Bears locked in a 1-1 tie with the visiting Saskatoon Stars just over seven minutes into the second period in Game 2 of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League championship series, the 16-year-old product from Debden, Sask., came through with the key play that made the difference in the game. 

    While the Bears were killing a penalty, Amundson got in deep on the forecheck in the Saskatoon zone, caused a turnover, and wired home a short-handed goal that Stars netminder Arden Kliewer had no chance on.

    That goal gave the Bears a 2-1 victory a very vocal and appreciative crowd at the Art Hauser Centre. The Stars could never find the equalizer from that point despite their best efforts, which included a frantic scramble in front of the Prince Albert net with about a minute remaining in the third period.

    The victory also gave Prince Albert a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League championship series.

Camryn Amundson (#9) battle Willow Slobodzian  (#20) for the puck.

    The Stars, who have won the SFMAAAHL title in each of the last two years, will try to avoid elimination in Game 3 back at the Agriplace Arena in Saskatoon on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

    Prince Albert will be attempting to its second league championship. The Bears last championship win came back in 2009.

    Amundson, who was named the SFMAAAHL’s most sportsmanlike player this season, was also money in two critical moments during the Bears 5-1 victory in Game 1 of the league title series on Thursday in Saskatoon. In that contest, the speedy forward set up Story Navrot’s game-winning short-handed goal.

    Later in that same contest, Amundson fired home a knuckleball shot that gave her team a 4-1 lead and solid command of that contest leading to a 5-1 win.

    Sunday’s Game 2 clash in Prince Albert was fairly evenly played with a few momentum swings. At the 7:51 mark of the opening frame, the Bears opened the scoring when star centre Abby Soyko netted a power-play goal.

Stars centre Kianna Dietz (#12) puts a backhand shot on goal.

    The Stars answered back 93 seconds later with an even strength point-shot goal from Chace Sperling to force a 1-1 tie.

    Saskatoon had two huge chances to go ahead before the opening frame ended. First, centre Kianna Dietz had a close in backhand opportunity, but she was robbed by Bears netminder Brooklyn Elek.

    A short time later, Stars forward Anna Leschyshyn broke in alone on the Prince Albert goal, but Elek turned away her drive as well.

    Early in the second, Dietz rang a shot off the post of the Prince Albert goal. That set the stage for Amundson to net the winner minutes later.

Centre Abby Soyko brings the puck up ice for the Bears.

    Kliewer had a solid outing making 21 saves to take the loss in goal for the Stars. Elek turned away 18 shots to pick up the win in net for the Bears.

    If the Stars came back to rally for three straight wins to take the SFMAAAHL title, they would be only the second club in the 11-year history of the league to accomplish that feat.

    Prince Albert is the only team in the history of the SFMAAAHL to rally back down 2-0 in the best-of-five league final to take the series 3-2. The Bears pulled that off in 2009 against the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats.

    The Stars have the players who have a history of making plays in the clutch to give them the ability to rally back. Saskatoon needs their standouts to come through, or the Bears will be bringing the Fedoruk Cup back to “Hockey Town North.”

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

Shirley, Rongve power Stars past Sharks

Grace Shirley (#14) drives hard to the net for the Saskatoon Stars.

    Julia Rongve always seems to be the perfect fit to play on a line that features a Shirley.

    Two years ago, Rongve was part of a dynamic 15-year-old sophomore forward line featuring Sophie Shirley and Nara Elia with the Saskatoon Stars female midget AAA team. Playing with Shirley and Elia, who were both recently named to Canada’s under-18 national team, Rongve piled up six goals and 17 assists in 28 regular season games in 2014-15.

    These days Rongve is a 17-year-old veteran with the Stars, and she has been playing in a line with Sophie Shirley’s younger sister, Grace. Last season, Grace Shirley exploded on to the scene with the Stars piling up 18 goals and 14 assists as a 14-year-old rookie, and she is having another standout campaign as a 15-year-old sophomore.

    On Sunday at the Agriplace Arena, Grace Shirley and Rongve combined for three goals and five assists to power the Stars to a 7-2 victory over the Battlefords Sharks.

The Stars celebrate a goal from Julia Rongve.

    For most of the first period, it seemed like Sharks were going to keep the Stars offence at bay as Battlefords netminder Chantel Weller turned away a number of solid scoring chances from the Saskatoon side.

    With 1:56 to play in the first, the Stars broke through for a 1-0 lead, when winger Joelle Fiala rifled home a power-play goal from the front of the Sharks net.

    Early in the second, Shirley and Rongve played a key part in helping the Stars score twice in a 35-second span to go ahead 3-0. They combined to set up 14-year-old rookie defender Chace Sperling for her fifth goal of the season. After that tally, Rongve proceeded to set up Shirley for her first goal of the night.

    Saskatoon’s edge expanded to 4-0, when offensive defender Willow Slobodzian scored a highlight reel goal on a solo end-to-end rush.

    Shirley and Rongve proceeded to combine for their most memorable goal of the night off an offensive zone faceoff. On an offensive draw with under seven minutes to play in the second, Shirley pushed towards with goal with the puck, fed a beauty pass across the face of the Sharks goal to Rongve, who tapped the puck into an open cage to give Saskatoon a 5-0 edge.

Joelle Fiala potted the Stars first goal on Sunday.

    Early in the third, the Stars found themselves in penalty trouble and 16-year-old forward Keara Amson scored twice for the Sharks on the power play to cut Saskatoon’s edge to 5-2 with 16:12 to play in the frame.

    With just over five minutes to play in the third and working on a power play of their own, Rongve set up Shirley for her second tally of the contest put Saskatoon in front 6-2. Anna Leschyshyn rounded out the Stars scoring with a single.

    Jordan Ivanco made 22 stops to earn the win in goal for the Stars. Weller stopped 47 shots to take the loss in net for the Sharks (3-11-1).

    Thanks to Sunday’s performance, Rongve now has eight goals and 12 assists in 17 games. Her goal total is a career high, and she will likely pass her career highs in assists and points, which were set playing alongside Sophie Shirley and Elia.

    Grace Shirley has 10 goals and 13 assists in 17 games this season, and she has a good chance to pass all her offensive totals from her rookie campaign.

Willow Slobodzian scored a short-handed goal on a coast-to-coast rush.

    The Stars head into the Christmas break sitting first overall in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League with a 14-2-1 record good for 43 points in the standings. They sit four points up on the Prince Albert Northern Bears (14-3) and the Melville Prairie Fire (14-4).

    The Bears and Prairie Fire trail the Stars due to the fact three of their wins have come in extra time, while all of Saskatoon’s victories have come in regulation. In the SFMAAAHL, you earn three points in the standings for a regulation victory and two points for an extra time win.

    Saskatoon’s Christmas break comes to an end on Dec. 27, when the Stars open play at the prestigious Mac’s Tournament in Calgary against the Prince George, B.C., based Northern Capitals.

    The Stars next regular season game is Jan. 7 in the new year, when they host the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats at 7:45 p.m. at the Agriplace Arena.

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