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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