Stars pile up accolades, improve to 16-0 in regular season

Grace Shirley keeps doing special things for the Stars.

    Saskatoon Stars are keeping the good times rolling, and the accomplishments keep mounting for the defending Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League champions.

    This past weekend, the Stars improved to 16-0 in the regular season sweeping the Melville Prairie Fire in a pair of games at Merlis Belsher Place.

    On Saturday, the Stars blanked the Prairie Fire 2-0. Makena Kushniruk and Joelle Fiala netted singles for the Stars.

    Kaitlyn Cadrain, who is a 15-year-old rookie goalie, made 14 saves to pick up the shutout win in goal for Saskatoon.

    Cheyenne Jamieson turned away 38 shots to take the setback in goal for the Prairie Fire.

    On Sunday, the Prairie Fire took an early 1-0 lead in the first period before the Stars roared away with an 8-3 victory.

    Four different players had three point nights for Saskatoon.

    Captain Grace Shirley had a goal and two assists to hit another big milestone. With her offensive production on Sunday, Shirley became just the third player in the history of the SFMAAAHL to surpass 151 career points.

    The 17-year-old centre has 89 goals and 62 assists for 151 points in 98 career SFMAAAHL regular season games. Shirley needs to record seven more points to equal former teammate Mackenna Parker for top spot on the Stars career regular season scoring record and second on the SFMAAAHL career scoring list at 158 points.

Anna Leschyshyn had a goal and two assists on Sunday.

    Last Monday, Shirley received huge news on another front, when she named to the roster for Canada’s under-18 women’s team for the under-18 women’s world championship for a second straight year. Shirley will play with Canada at the upcoming under-18 women’s worlds slated for January 5 to 13, 2019 in Obihiro, Japan.

    Anna Leschyshyn and Fiala each had a goal and two assists in Sunday’s win over the Prairie Fire. 

    Leschyshyn, who is the Stars third all-time career regular season scoring leader, now sits alone in sixth place on the SFMAAAHL all-time regular season scoring list. She has 62 goals and 71 assists for 133 points in 103 career regular season games.

    Fiala, who played in her 100^th career regular season game on Sunday, sits alone in 13^th place on the SFMAAAHL all-time regular season scoring list. Fiala, who is the Stars fifth all-time leading career regular season scoring leader, has 43 goals and 73 assists for 116 points in regular season play.

    Kushniruk, who is a 15-year-old second-year forward, had a pair of goals and one assist for the Stars on Sunday. Kushniruk has points in her last six straight regular season game posting seven goals and five assists over that stretch of contests.

Joelle Fiala had a goal and two assists on Sunday.

    Alison Olorenshaw, Jayda Sachs and Halle Helperl netted singles to round out the scoring for the Stars.

    Samantha Thompson, Ava Metzger and Kailey Ottenbreit replied with singles for the Prairie Fire.

    Arden Kliewer turned away 16 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Stars.

    Jamieson made 31 stops to take the setback in goal for the Prairie Fire (6-7-1).

    Last Monday, nine players from the Stars were named to Saskatchewan’s under-18 women’s team for the Canada Winter Games, which run February 16 to March 2, 2019 in Red Deer, Alta. Women’s hockey runs from Feb. 24 to March 2, 2019.

    The Stars players that will represent Saskatchewan include Shirley, Fiala, Leschyshyn, Sachs, Kaitlin Jockims, Messier, Chace Sperling, Grace Tam and Kliewer. Head coach Greg Slobodzian will be an assistant coach for the Saskatchewan squad.

    The Stars, who are the top ranked female midget AAA team in Canada, also won the prestigious Mandi Schwartz Memorial Tournament that ran Dec. 6 to 9 in Wilcox, Sask., posting an undefeated 5-0 record. The Stars downed the host Notre Dame Hounds 3-1 in the tournament final on Dec. 9.

Cheyenne Jamieson keeps playing solid for the Prairie Fire.

    Saskatoon returns to action this coming Friday and Saturday, when they host the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats (6-7-1) at Merlis Belsher Place. Friday’s game is slated to start at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday’s game is set for 2:15 p.m.

    The Stars are collecting non-perishable food items for the Saskatoon Food Bank at those two contests. The Prairie Fire players and parents made a donation to the Stars food drive this past weekend.

    The Prairie Fire return to action on Wednesday when they host the Regina Rebels (12-2-2) at 7:30 p.m. at the Horizon Credit Union Centre.

The @StoonStarsAAA are running a food drive and our team of players, parents made a donation towards their drive today. Wins and losses are minor compared to building leaders and being able to help others out that are in need. Good luck to the ⭐️ with the remainder of the drive. pic.twitter.com/jolRtPCPR9

— Melville Prairie Fire AAA (@aaaprairiefire) December 17, 2018

Bears, Wildcats try to burn out scoreboard in series split

Taylor Lind had five points for the Wildcats in their last two games.

    The Prince Albert Northern Bears and the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats did their best to try and burnout the scoreboard at the Fairview Arena over the weekend in Swift Current.

    On Saturday, the Bears took a 4-1 lead into the third period and held on for a 5-4 Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League regular season victory.

    Brooklyn Anderson had two goals and an assist for the Bears, while McKenzie Mayo, Miranda Heidt and Jadyn Kushniruk netted singles. Captain Abby Soyko and Kailey Ledoux each had two assists.

    Kamryn Johnson, Sara Kendall, Carissa Hogan and Ashlee Wolfe replied with singles for the Wildcats. Captain Taylor Lind had a pair of assists.

    Lexi Beuker made 23 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Bears.

    Amaya Girauder turned away 21 of 25 shots starting in goal for the Wildcats. Harper Davey stopped two-of-three shots entering the contest in relief late in the second period.

    On Sunday, the two teams entered the third period locked in a 1-1 draw. The Bears jumped out to a 4-3 lead with 9:21 remaining in the third period, but the Wildcats closed the contest scoring three straight goals to pull out a 6-4 regular season victory.

Abby Soyko had four points for the Bears on the weekend.

    Soyko had a goal and an assist for the Bears, while Kushniruk, Ledoux and Jasper Desmarais had singles.

    Kendall had a hat trick for the Wildcats, while Lind had a goal and two assists. Maddy McCleary and Baylee Kirwan had singles for Swift Current. Hogan had three assists for the Wildcats.

    Scout Anderson turned away nine shots taking the setback in goal for the Bears (8-7-1). Davey made 25 stops to pick up the win in goal for the Wildcats (6-7-1).

    Lind, who is the Wildcats all-time leading scorer, sits alone in fifth spot on the SFMAAAHL’s career regular season scoring list piling up 73 goals and 62 assists for 135 points in 69 games.

    Soyko, who is the Bears all-time leading scorer, sits alone in 14^th place on the SFMAAAHL’s career regular season scoring list piling up 58 goals and 56 assists for 114 points in 124 games.

    The Bears return to action this coming Friday and Saturday, when they host the Battlefords Sharks (10-7-1) at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert. Friday’s game is set for 7 p.m. and Saturday’s game is slated for 2:15 p.m.

    The Wildcats travel to Saskatoon this coming Friday and Saturday to face the Stars at Merlis Belsher Place. Friday’s game is set for 7:30 p.m. and Saturday’s game is slated for 2:15 p.m.

    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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Stars’ Fiala surpasses 100 career points in SFMAAAHL

Shirley ties for second on Saskatoon’s all-time scoring list

Joelle Fiala collected her 100th career regular season point.

    Joelle Fiala was oblivious to the fact she became just the 20^th player to hit a lofty milestone in the history of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League.

    Playing against the host Prairie Fire in Melville last Saturday, Fiala collected a goal and three assists to help her Saskatoon Stars post a 5-0 victory. When the Clavet, Sask., product assisted on the Stars final goal, she became the 20^th player to score 100 career points in regular season play in the SFMAAAHL.

    When the two sides met again last Sunday in Melville, Fiala had a goal and an assist to help the Stars claim another 5-0 victory. Thanks to the points she recorded in those two outings, Fiala has 39 goals and 63 assists for 102 points in 88 career SFMAAAHL regular season games all played with the Stars.

    The news of the milestone came as a surprise to the skilled forward, when she was told about it.

    “I didn’t know I did (it),” said Fiala, who has three goals and four assists over the Stars first four games this season. “I wasn’t really paying attention, but it is really exciting.

    “I definitely thought before I was on the Stars that is not something that would happen for me. It is really exciting that I’ve been able to work towards that.”

    Entering the current campaign, Fiala needed to collect five points to total 100 career points in SFMAAAHL regular season play. She never thought about hitting that milestone as the season started and progressed through its early stages.

    Fiala was pumped to hear she was just the 20^th player to hit that milestone in scoring.

    “Now that I’ve achieved that, I just have to keep on pushing through,” said Fiala, who stands 5-foot-8.

    Committed to play for the Robert Morris University Colonials women’s hockey team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association ranks next season, Fiala is one of three players on the Stars roster to have scored 100 or more points in regular season play.

Joelle Fiala current has 102 career regular season points.

    Captain Grace Shirley has 126 points coming off of 73 goals and 53 assists in 86 regular season games. Anna Leschyshyn has 116 points coming off 56 goals and 60 assists in 91 career regular season games.
    Former Stars superstar Mackenna Parker graduated from the club at the end of last season finishing as the second all-time leading scorer in the history of the SFMAAAHL with 158 points coming off 82 goals and 76 assists in 104 career regular season games. Parker is the Stars all-time leading scorer.

    Fiala said fact the Stars have had four players break the 100-point barrier over the past two seasons shows how good the team has been in recent years. The Stars have won three out of the last four SFMAAAHL titles and fell in the Esso Cup gold medal national championship game 2-1 to the Alberta based St. Albert Slash last April.

    “We’ve all made each other better in different ways and push each other,” said Fiala. “We’re all equal, and we are all going to be pushing towards the same thing.”

    Fiala wasn’t the only Stars player to hit a milestone last weekend. Collecting a goal and two assists in the Stars victory over the Prairie Fire last Saturday, Shirley equaled former Stars captain Lauren Zary for second on the team’s all-time scoring list.

    Zary collected her 126 points off 44 goals and 82 assists playing 103 career regular season games for the Stars from 2008 to 2012. Following her time with the Stars, Zary played for the Brown University Bears women’s hockey team in the NCAA ranks and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team in U Sports. Her 82 career assists is the Stars team record.

    Shirley will sit alone for second on the Stars all-time regular season scoring list and fifth on the all-time SFMAAAHL regular season scoring list, when she collects her next point.

    “I really try not to focus on that too much,” said Shirley, who has three goals and five assists over the Stars first four games. “I don’t try to think about it too much.

Fiala was pumped to find out she scored her 100th point.

    “I kind of like just want to go out there and work my hardest, and I want our team to do well. I don’t really think I am too worried about that right now.”

    Shirley, who stands 5-foot-8, believes she will reflect more on her milestones, when she hangs up her skates.

    “I think in the moment you are focusing on getting better and kind of how the team is and team success,” said Shirley, who has committed to play for the NCAA powerhouse University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team next season. “Maybe it is something to look back on in the future.

    “I think right now it is just kind of focusing on developing and having a good season with the team.”

    Stars head coach Greg Slobodzian was proud to see both Fiala and Shirley reach their most recent milestones.

    “It is always rewarding for them and for a coach to sort of be around while they get them,” said Slobodzian. “Those two girls are very special players.

    “They deserve all the milestones that they will achieve and all the awards that they will achieve. It is not going to stop with the Stars obviously. They are going to go on and have very healthy and positive careers in the game of hockey.

    “Getting the chance to be around them when they are young like this, it is a lot of fun. Those little achievements and awards mean a lot. It is not only for them, but for the team as well. Everyone feeds off of it when someone does well.”

    Also in last Saturday’s win, the Stars receive singles from Kaitlin Jockims, Leschyshyn and Jayda Sachs. Kaitlyn Cadrain, who is a 15-year-old rookie, turned away 17 shots to pick up her first career regular season SFMAAAHL shutout and win in her first career start.

    Cheyenne Jamieson turned away 32 shots to take the setback in goal for Melville.

    In last Sunday’s win, Jockims had a hat trick for the Stars, while Haylee Kos, who is an underage 14-year-old rookie forward, had a single for her first career SFMAAAHL goal.

    Arden Kliewer, who is the Stars 16-year-old veteran netminder, turned away 18 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Stars, who are 4-0.

Grace Shirley has piled up 126 career regular season points with the Stars.

    Jamieson turned away 30 shots to take the setback in goal for the Prairie Fire, who are 0-2.

    The Stars return to action this coming Saturday, when they travel to Weyburn to face the Richardson Pioneer Gold Wings (0-4).

    Fiala, Shirley and Leschyshyn are three of five active players in the SFMAAAHL who have scored 100 or more career regular season points. Taylor Lind, who is the all-time leading scorer for the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats, has 117 career points coming off 66 goals and 51 assists in 60 career regular season games.

    Abby Soyko, who is the all-time leading scorer for the Prince Albert Northern Bears, has 103 points coming off 53 goals and 50 assists in 112 career regular season games.

    The SFMAAAHL’s inaugural season was played in 2006-07.

    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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    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.