Remembering the night the West was won

Cougars captured conference crown in February 2001

The Cougars pictured after winning the 2001 Canada West title.

On the cusp winning their first Canada West Conference championship, the University of Regina Cougars women’s hockey team didn’t want to rely on second chances.

With Regina experiencing frigid conditions on Saturday, February 17, 2001, the Cougars arrived at Exhibition Stadium holding a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three Canada West Championship series against the defending U Sports champion University of Alberta Pandas.

The Cougars claimed a 2-1 overtime victory the previous night in the dungy confines of their ancient home rink with sophomore forward Erin Balfour netting the winning goal. Game 2 of the series marked the first time the Cougars were one win away from capturing the Canada West title.

I should note here that as this column looks back on events from 20 years ago, I’ve elected to identify those involved with these events by the maiden names they went by in 2000-01.

Looking back at the time, women’s hockey was still relatively a new sport in U Sports, which was then known as the Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union. Overall, women’s hockey was still a fledging sport that was on the verge of a serious growth curve.

The 2000-01 campaign marked the fourth season a national title was up for grabs in U Sports women’s hockey. In the United States during that same campaign, the first official National Collegiate Athletic Association national championship at the Division I level was contested for the first time.

The Pandas took part in the inaugural season for U Sports women’s hockey in 1997-98, fell in the national final the very next season before capturing their first national title in 1999-2000. As hockey is a prime sport at U of A in both the men’s and women’s games, the Pandas had already established themselves as a league power.

Brandy West in action for the Cougars in 2000-01.

The Cougars entered U Sports for the second official season a national title was contested in women’s hockey in 1998-99. They quickly became one of the league’s top teams as captain Brandy West was named the MVP of the Canada West Conference in 1999 and 2000.

In 2000-01, the Cougars topped the Canada West standings in their third season of existence and West was again named the MVP of the conference, and she would later be named the U Sports MVP for that campaign. Erin Tady, who was West’s linemate, would take home honours as the rookie of the year for the Canada West Conference and U Sports.

U of R was still looking for a breakthrough it wanted on the post-season front and didn’t get it when the Canada West champion was determined in a post-season tournament.

With the 2000-01 campaign marking the first time the Canada West women’s hockey final was decided via a best-of-three series like the Canada West men’s final traditionally had been, the Cougars were poised for the breakthrough they sought.

Still, there was a feeling that this Canada West final between the Cougars and Pandas was far from over. Game 1 could have gone either way as it was decided in overtime.

There was a sense a series-deciding Game 3 could be needed, and it would be a short turnaround as it was set for 1 p.m. the next day right on the heels of the night time clash in Game 2.

The Cougars came into Game 2 focused on the present and on just winning the game that night.

The focus was helped by the fact the players families would be in the stands like they had religiously been for each home game that season. 

Laura Paradis focuses in goal for the Cougars in 2000-01.

Back in those days when the 50/50 draw was made for that night’s contest, it was usually won by a player’s family member, who would donate the winnings back to the team.

It was another aspect on the Cougars side that showed how committed everyone was for trying to make the third-year team work.

A few more in the family and friends department showed up for Game 2 of the series between the Cougars and Pandas. Attendance at that game was 273 persons, which was a season high for the Cougars.

That smaller figure was another sign that women’s hockey was still in a fledging stage as a sport.

Those that saw Game 1 of the series took in an all-time classic battle, and everyone in the rink for Game 2 thought there would be another classic battle. What they saw was the Cougars having one of their finest nights in program history.

The Pandas ran into penalty trouble late in the first period of Game 2, and the Cougars showed how opportunistic they could be.

With 2:11 remaining in the first and working on a power play, Cougars third-year veteran forward Tanya Hutcheon tipped home a point shot to put the host side up 1-0. Defenders Andrea Creurer and Trina Rissling picked up assists on the play.

Just 54 seconds later, the Cougars top line scored an even-strength marker to go up 2-0 with West pulling the trigger on the tally and Tady and Julie Foster picking up assists.

Joell Fiddler patrols the back end for the Cougars in 2000-01.

After West’s goal, the Pandas took an unsportsmanlike penalty and another minor infraction for body contact right as the opening frame ended.

Just 1:42 into the second, Rissling potted the Cougars second power-play goal to extend U of R’s edge to 3-0. Rookie forward Kelsey Rezansoff and Balfour picked up assists on Rissling’s tally.

The Cougars went 2-for-4 on the power play in the contest, while the Pandas were 0-for-5.

After the game, Cougars head coach Sarah Howald noted the three-goal surge determined the outcome of the contest.

“I think Alberta lost their mind, and we took advantage,” said Howald.

While they had a big advantage on the scoreboard they didn’t expect, the Cougars effort didn’t let up the rest of the way. Territorially, they played the Pandas even through to the end of the contest.

With 6:57 remaining in the third, Pandas star centre Lori Shupak scored to cut the Cougars advantage to 3-1 with Mandy Kinjerski and Nicole Chapdelaine picking up assists on the play.

The Cougars defence anchored by all-Canadian all-star Joell Fiddler shut things down the rest of the way to ensure the 3-1 score held up as the game’s final outcome.

Laura Paradis turned away 20 shots to pick up the win for the Cougars. Stacey McCullough turned away 25 shots to take the setback in goal for the Pandas.

Following the game, West, who had been to two U Sports nationals as a major award nominee, was elated to be going to nationals with her team. It meant more to her to do that as opposed to going solo for a major award.

The 2000-01 Cougars are still best friends to this day.

“It is going to be the best time of my life,” said West, who was soaked in tears of joy. “There is nothing like a team playing the best sport in the world with your best friends in the world.”

The Cougars advanced to nationals that were held that year in Calgary. At nationals, they dumped the St. Francis Xavier X-Women 6-0 and slipped past Concordia University Stingers 3-2 to earn a berth in the U Sports title game.

In the national final that was broadcast across Canada on TSN, the Cougars fell behind 3-0 to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues but rallied back to even things up at 3-3 early in the third period. The Blues potted the winner later in the frame and held on for a 4-3 victory.

The Cougars returned to Regina with a silver medal and lots of optimism they would be back to that stage again. To date, the 2000-01 campaign marks the only time the Cougars have won a Canada West Conference title.

They returned to nationals in 2002 and 2003 as the tournament’s host team.

Following their loss in the 2001 Canada West Championship series, the Pandas proceeded to roll off a 110-game undefeated streak that included 109 wins, one draw and three U Sports titles. The Pandas have won the most national titles in the history of U Sports women’s hockey at eight.

Still, the events of the 2000-01 campaign created lifetime bonds for the Cougars. Any time there is a reunion of the program’s alums, it seems at least 13 members minimum from the Canada West title winning team make it to the reunion.

The Cougars return to U of R with their silver medals from nationals

In the current day, many of those players are coaching their children in minor hockey usually around the Regina area. Speedy checking forward and all-time beauty Natalie Cudmore has become the cool mom and ace volunteer hockey coach for her three kids in her hometown of Yorkton.

While life has taken the Cougars in different directions, they will always walk together thanks to the journey they took on that 2000-01 Canada West Championship winning season.

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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Canada West and CIS women’s hockey has come a long way

Captain Brandy West-McMaster and the Regina Cougars in 2000.

            At one time the notion that everyone would be competitive and good in the Canada West women’s hockey conference was a dream.

            That dream is definitely a reality, and that reality goes for the entire Canadian Interuniversity Sport women’s league.

            I am one of the few people that witnessed in person the night the two Saskatchewan based CIS squads won, for the moment, their lone respective Canada West titles. Captain Brandy West-McMaster and the University of Regina Cougars claimed the Canada West title in 2001 and won silver at nationals. Captain Cami Wooster and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies won the Canada West title last March and captured a bronze medal at nationals.

            Between those respective conference title victories, I barely got to see any CIS women’s games. I have witnessed a steady diet of games this season featuring the Huskies, and I saw a large number of games in the 2000-01 campaign featuring the Cougars.

            The overall quality of the league now is light years of what it was then. When the Cougars won their conference title, that season marked only the fourth time a CIS title was contested in women’s hockey.

            Over a period of 13 years, a huge minor system has sprung up for girls’ hockey in Canada. The minor system feeds a large number of midget AAA girls’ teams that compete in highly competitive leagues, which have a strong history of regular season play dating back for about a good decade.

            That system has produced a steady stream of skilled players for Canada West and the CIS. Those players have all received top rate coaching growing up, and it shows on the ice.

Captain Cami Wooster and the Saskatchewan Huskies in March.

            The Huskies won their Canada West title in a conference that was vastly superior to what Canada West was when the Cougars claimed their title.

            In the current Canada West season, six teams are in a tight race for first overall. Lethbridge and Mount Royal are sitting on the outside of the playoff picture, but both those teams are good enough to manufacture upsets over the other six teams in the conference. Lethbridge and Mount Royal don’t really look out of place, when they face the teams currently holding playoff spots.

            Everyone’s understanding and execution of systems play is tremendous. The mental toughness the players display and their ability to bounce back when things go bad is also outstanding.

            Back when the Cougars won their conference title, the majority of their players grew up playing hockey in boys’ leagues. The star players almost always had a strong background in boys’ hockey.

            Girls’ only leagues in minor hockey weren’t that established, and it showed at the Canada West and CIS levels.

            There were a number of players on CIS teams that switched over from playing ringette. Others didn’t have that many years playing the sport of hockey and flat out had trouble skating.

             During those days, the Cougars and University of Alberta Pandas attracted the best players, and it showed on the scoreboard.

            In their second last regular season game of the 2000-01 campaign, the Cougars set a then team record for goals in a game blasting the Calgary Dinos 16-1. The Dinos, who had 10 first-year players, were typical of a number of the Canada West teams back then.

Laura Paradis in goal for the Regina Cougars in 2001.

They just didn’t have the players to compete with the Cougars and Pandas, which resulted in a two-tiered conference. As a result, there were a number of lopsided games, where the players on the losing side were crushed on a number of levels.

The Cougars swept the Pandas in a best-of-three Canada West final series in 2001 posting a 2-1 overtime victory in Game 1 and a 3-1 triumph in Game 2 at dungy Exhibition Stadium. Game 2 marked the last time the Pandas would lose a game in four years.

They proceeded to run off a 110-game undefeated streak that included 109 victories, one draw and three CIS championships. The Pandas roster featured former Canadian Olympic team player Judy Diduck for most of that run. For a short time, the Pandas created a third tier being above everyone else.

In the 2013-14 campaign, the Huskies had to be on top of their game almost every night to put together and 18-4-6 regular season record. They met the Regina Cougars in a best-of-three Canada West final that seemed destined to never end.

The series went the distance with every game going to overtime. A total of 17 periods and 296 minute of hockey were played. It finally ended when Kaitlin Willoughby netted the series winner to give the Huskies a 2-1 victory in double overtime in Game 3 at the ancient Rutherford Rink.

It is fair to say the Canada West champion Cougars of 2001 would have had a really difficult time beating the Huskies Canada West championship team of 2014 or the Cougars team the eventually fell to the Dogs in that marathon conference title series.

If you were able to send Huskies standouts like Wooster, who was as extremely special and dynamic player, Willoughby, Sara Greschner, Kandace Cook, Julia Flinton and goaltender Cassidy Hendricks back in time to play in Canada West in 2001, they would have put up insane numbers. Their athletic level is just way better than the players of that time.

Cassidy Hendricks in goal for the Saskatchewan Huskies.

With that said, the 2000-01 campaign was a different time. West-McMaster put up Wayne Gretzky type offensive numbers in that era of the CIS. The Cougars other standouts like Erin Tady, Erin Balfour, Julie Foster, Joell Fiddler, Tanya Hutcheon and goaltender Laura Paradis worked extremely hard at their games and were the class of that time.

The Cougars players also showed a lot of heart coming up through minor hockey. West-McMaster and Paradis both had really good experiences growing up and playing in boys’ leagues.

A number of other players had experiences of being run through the boards. Hitting at all levels then in the boys’ ranks was more liberal that it is today. Any ponytails that were seen sticking out of the back of helmets saw the girls get viewed as targets.

In various instances, the boys would try to hit the girls hard enough to make them quit. A few girls shed tears in the arms of their parents and even admitted they wanted to walk away from the game. The fact those players didn’t walk away was amazing.

As a unit, the Cougars 2001 Canada West championship team showed the potential of what the conference and the CIS league could become.

As a group, the Huskies 2014 Canada West championship team and their modern day conference and CIS rivals have far exceeded what that potential would look like. When you connect everything together, it is an inspiring story to see.

If you have any feedback on this blog, feel free to email comments to stankssports@gmail.com.