Blades power play and penalty kill are just oh so good

Special teams units pace Saskatoon to 5-1 victory

The scene after Charlie Wright (#47) scores on a power play.

Brennan Sonne and the Saskatoon Blades coaching staff have been rewarded on the power play and penalty kill by showing faith in their players.

That approach has allowed the Blades to have two of the best special teams units in the WHL. On Saturday night at the SaskTel Centre, the Blades seemingly had the upper hand going up a man or down a man against the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes.

The Blades finished 2-for-6 on the power play and were successful on the three penalty kills the faced skating to a sound 5-1 regular season victory before 3,615 spectators. On the season, the Blades have gone 69-for-241 on the power play for a 28.6 per cent success rate that is good for second in the WHL, and they’ve gone 188-for-226 on the penalty kill for an 83.2 per cent success rate.

Charlie Wright (#47) fires home a power-play goal for the Blades.

“It is the players,” said Sonne, who is the Blades second year head coach. “You can say whatever you want about coaching or whatever.

“We have good players that execute what we give them.”

Sonne said the Blades preparation work for the power play and penalty kill actually isn’t done that much on the ice but more in a classroom type setting.

“We don’t really practise it that much honestly,” said Sonne. “We haven’t practiced the penalty kill except once this year.

“It is all done in video. Power play, we’ll practice maybe once every couple of weeks, but that is mostly done in video as well.”

Charlie Wright scored his first power-goal of the season on Saturday.

The Blades slick power play got going at the 6:20 mark of the opening frame to open the game’s scoring. On that opportunity with the man advantage, the Blades players gave a look that hadn’t been seen yet this season.

Blades star left-winger Jake Chiasson had the puck at the left side of the Lethbridge goal and passed the puck across the face of the net to 19-year-old defenceman Charlie Wright, who had pinched down from the point to the right side doorstep of the net.

Wright, who is more known as a defensive-defenceman, got the puck and promptly fired home a power-play marker past a sprawling Hurricanes 20-year-old netminder Bryan Thomson. The tally was the sixth of the season for Wright and his first that came on the power play.

Jayden Wiens scored on the power play for the Blades on Saturday.

At the 3:23 mark of the second, the Blades pushed their advantage out to 2-0, when Chiasson put home a backhand shot from the front of the Lethbridge goal for his 19^th tally of the season.

The Blades power play struck again at the 9:49 mark of the second on a beauty tick-tack-toe passing play. Star left-winger Brandon Lisowsky and star import right-winger Egor Sidorov combined to get the puck to centre Jayden Wiens at the doorstep at the left side of the Lethbridge goal.

Wiens directed home his 10^th power-play tally of the season to put the Blades up 3-0.

Conner Roulette had a pair of assists for the Blades on Saturday.

Blades veteran star all-around defenceman and captain Aidan De La Gorgendiere, who turned 21-years-old in late February, is a regular on both the power play and penalty killing units. He said the Blades players pick up what their coaches are teaching in a prompt fashion, and that has made the club’s special teams units roll.

“I think our group in the dressing room learns pretty quickly,” said De La Gorgendiere, who has four power-play goals and 28 power-play assists this season. “I feel like our penalty kill has been excellent this year.

“Hopefully, we can keep that going. For our power play, I just feel like we have a lot of chemistry going on right now with Liso (Lisowsky) and me, Wonger (Trevor Wong) and Sido (Sidorov) and Wiener (Wiens) at the net front there. I think we know where each other are and our positions.

Egor Sidorov had a goal and an assist for the Blades on Saturday.

“It is working out right now.”

With 7:09 remaining in the second, Sidorov sniped home his 38th tally of the season from the front of the Lethbridge net to give the Blades a 4-0 advantage heading into the second period. De La Gorgendiere scored on a point shot at the 4:39 mark of the third to push the Blades lead out to 5-0.

Hurricanes rookie defenceman Tristen Doyle scored with 64 seconds remaining in the third to spoil the Blades bid to collect a shutout.

Ethan Chadwick picked up his 20th win of the season.

Ethan Chadwick stopped 19 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Blades, which was his 20th victory of the season. Thomson turned away 29 shots to take the setback in net for the Hurricanes.

Conner Roulette and Jordan Keller each had a pair of assists for the Blades.

In 2021-22, the Blades were ranked seventh on both the power play and penalty kill, which was Sonne’s first campaign with the team as head coach. The Blades went 68-for-283 on the power play for a 24.0 per cent success rate and went 179-for-223 on the penalty kill for an 80.3 per cent success rate.

Right-winger Vanghn Watterodt and centre Lukas Hansen had been the go-to pairing to play forward on the penalty kill for the Blades. Sonne said Watterodt and Hansen really take ownership in that part of the game and the rest of the players on the Saskatoon roster look forward to getting time on special teams.

Aidan De La Gorgendiere scored for the Blades on Saturday.

“(Vaughn) Watterodt and (Lukas) Hansen have the most penalty kill shifts for forwards, and it is role that they relish,” said Sonne. “As soon as we get a penalty, both of those guys are looking at me like, ‘Can we go? Can we block shots?’

“It is the same with the power play. (Egor) Sidorov is probably going to have to wear a neck brace at some point, because every time we get a power play he is looking at me. We have good players.

“We have dedicated players that are coachable and they execute what they need to.”

De La Gorgendiere said the Blades players love the faith the coaches show in them, and he believe the players prove that faith is well deserved.

Jake Chiasson had a goal and an assist for the Blades on Saturday.

“I think it shows a good sign of a good hockey team and a team that is coachable as well,” said De La Gorgendiere. “Our team is really tight.

“We help each other out if people don’t understand systems or what not. I think we figure it out, and we get the job done.”

Sidorov leads the Blades with 15 power-play goals, while Lisowsky sits second on the team with 12 power-play tallies. Chiasson is sitting with eight power-play goals, and he could join Sidorov, Lisowsky and Wiens as the fourth player on the club with 10-or-more power-play goals.

Trevor Wong leads the Blades with 29 power-play assists.

Wong tops the Blades in power-play assists with 29.

On the statistical front, Sonne said he went to a coach’s conference about 10 years ago and remembers long time NHL head coach Ken Hitchcock talking about how he targeted his team’s power play and penalty kill percentages to add up to 105. The Blades try to shoot for that combined number.

Last season, the Blades special teams percentages added up to 104.3, and this year they currently sit at 111.8.

“At the same time, we dig deeper than that,” said Sonne. “We’re digging into scoring chances per penalty kill that we’re allowing, scoring chances per power play that we’re creating.

Jordan Keller had a pair of assists for the Blades.

“If you are not giving up a lot chance wise on your penalty kill, your percentage by the end of the year will be good. Vice versa with the power play, if you are creating a good amount of chances per power play you’re your power play percentage will be really good.”

The Blades work on special teams has allowed them to win their last four straight and gain standing points in nine straight contests off eight wins and one overtime time setback. That has allowed the Blades to vault to third in the WHL’s overall standings with a 41-13-4-1 record.

The Hurricanes fell to 32-22-3-3 to sit fifth overall in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.

Brandon Lisowsky dishes off a pass for the Blades.

The Blades get back on it Sunday when they travel to Regina to take on Connor Bedard and the Pats (4 p.m., Brandt Centre). 

That contest concludes a stretch were both teams will have played three games in three nights.

The Hurricanes return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Red Deer to take on the Rebels (7 p.m. local time, Peavey Mart Centrium).

While the Blades will be looking to have another stellar outing on special teams against the Pats, Sonne said it has been big his club has been able to roll all four forward line and all three defensive pairs the past two games with having to play three games in three nights. 

Tanner Molendyk dives to break up a pass for the Blades.

He believes that will benefit his club against the Pats.

“It is really important specifically with our schedule,” said Sonne. “At the same time when you’re healthy for our group, we are really deep too.

“We have lines that we trust. We trust all four lines too. When you have that, it is an asset, because you don’t wear guys out.

“You don’t over tax guys. Everyone has a roll. Everyone feels they are a part of it, which is really important for us.”

The Blades celebrate their win on Saturday.

NOTES – The Blades wore special PAW Patrol jerseys on Saturday as part of the team’s Nickelodeon Night as part of a WHL promotion to raise funds for Children’s Miracle Network. The funds raised go to support children’s hospitals in Western Canada and the special Nickelodeon jerseys are auctioned off online. The jersey auction ends on Sunday, March 12 at 12 p.m. and those looking to take part in the online action can do so by clicking right here.

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Hurricanes’ Laventure finally finds luck in P.A.

Tyson Laventure celebrates scoring for the Hurricanes.

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Luck finally went Tyson Laventure’s way in Prince Albert.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes veteran right-winger, who turned 20-years-old in late January, seemed to have a dark cloud hanging over him when it came to putting up points when he played with the Prince Albert Raiders. Taken by the Raiders in the second round and 31^st overall in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, Laventure began playing with the Raiders on a full-time basis at the start of the 2019-2020 season.

Laventure brought a tonne of effort and energy creating various chances in the offensive zone, but the points followed at a trickle pace.  In 93 career regular season games with the Raiders, Laventure had 15 goals and 13 assists.

Tyson Laventure has career highs in goals (20) and points (42).

He was traded by the Raiders to the Hurricanes on December 31, 2021.

On Friday night, Laventure and his Hurricanes were in Prince Albert taking on the Raiders in a WHL regular season clash at the Art Hauser Centre. In that contest, luck finally went Laventure’s way.

With the teams locked in a scoreless tie, Laventure record his 20^th goal of the season on a positive bounce play to give the visitors a 1-0 lead at the 9:17 mark of the second period. Laventure had the puck at the right side of the Prince Albert net and made a backhanded pass across the front of the goal trying to find linemate Brayden Edwards backdoor.

Laventure’s pass deflected off the skate of Raiders 17-year-old centre Aiden Oiring into the Prince Albert net to give the visitors the lead. That tally held up as the winning goal as the Hurricanes came away with a 3-0 victory to disappoint most of the 2,445 spectators in attendance.

Tyson Laventure has enjoyed playing for the Hurricanes.

“Obviously, I’m playing my former team, so I really want to get the win,” said Laventure, who Hurricanes won three of their four head-to-head encounters with the Raiders this season. “Obviously, it was great to be able to help out my new team there and contribute with a goal in my old building.”

In 53 games with the Hurricanes this season, Laventure, who is from Lloydminster located on the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan, has 20 goals and 22 assists for 42 points to go with a plus-four rating in the plus-minus department. His goal, point and plus-minus totals are career highs.

He has also played 93 career regular season games with the Hurricanes putting up 26 goals and 39 assists for 65 points.

Brayden Edwards scored the Hurricanes second goal on Friday.

“I’m a little bit luckier like that one tonight,” said Laventure, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 190 pounds. “I think that I’ve just been playing a little bit of a harder game this year and scoring a lot more right in front of the net and staying a little bit out of the perimeter.

“I’m an older guy now, so I thought it was time to step up and start really helping the team out.”

Laventure had a huge following in attendance on Friday. His family, his Raider billet family, his girlfriend and her family were all part of his entourage. He was pumped to get a highlight with his good-luck goal.

While he enjoyed his time in Prince Albert, Laventure said the change of scenery did help kick start his game. He said he has enjoyed playing for Hurricanes general manager Peter Anholt, assistant general manager and assistant coach Matt Anholt and head coach Brent Kisio.

Tyson Zimmer had the Hurricanes third goal on Friday.

Under their guidance, Laventure said he has found his way towards being a more productive player.

“It has been awesome for me,” said Laventure. “Pete (Anholt), Matty (Anholt) and Brent (Kisio) are all great guys.

“They’ve really helped me improve my game. I’m really enjoying it in Lethbridge.”

Laventure and the Hurricanes got out to a good start in Friday’s game recording the first four shots on goal. They kept the Raiders off the shot clock until the 10:44 mark of the opening frame.

The host Raiders hit high gear in the final 9:16 of the first and exited the stanza holding an 11-6 edge in shots on goal. Prince Albert came out on fire in the second forcing Hurricanes 20-year-old netminder Bryan Thomson to make a trio of big saves on Raiders forwards Harrison Lodewyk, Oiring and Carter Anderson.

Bryan Thomson made 31 saves for a shutout win on Friday.

Thomson’s glove was working in prime form with the stops on Lodewyk and Anderson.

The contest’s complexion proceeded to turn on Laventure’s tally at the 9:17 mark of the second. The Raiders were outshooting the Hurricanes 17-10 at that point in the contest.

With 1:22 remaining in the second, the Hurricanes went up 2-0 on a smart play by Edwards. After the Hurricanes lost a draw in the left faceoff circle in the offence zone, Edwards quickly stole the puck from Raiders 20-year-old defenceman Landon Kosior and slid home his eighth of the season to give the visitors a two-goal edge going into the second intermission.

Harrison Lodewyk fires a shot on goal for the Raiders.

“That was huge,” said Laventure. “Obviously, it was completely an individual effort by Eddie (Edwards) there.

“It was a really nothing play that he made into a great scoring chance and scored going into the second intermission. That was obviously a huge goal for us going into the third period and in winning the game.”

Lethbridge sealed victory at the 5:04 mark of the third, when 18-year-old right-winger Tyson Zimmer slid home a shot between the legs of Raiders netminder Max Hildebrand to round out the 3-0 final score.

Terrell Goldsmith (#10) makes a rush up ice for the Raiders.

Hildebrand turned away 27 shots to take the setback in goal for the Raiders. Thomson stopped 31 shots to pick the shutout win for the Hurricanes. The shutout was the third of the season for Thomson.

“We didn’t compete hard enough,” said Raiders head coach Jeff Truitt. “I thought that we were light on pucks.

“I thought that we didn’t hustle to checks. We didn’t get to the front of the net enough. I thought we were pretty light out there tonight.”

The Raiders fell to 25-30-3 with the setback to sit 11^th overall in the WHL’s Eastern Conference with 10 games remaining on their schedule. They sit four points back of the 27-27-1-2 Swift Current Broncos for eighth and the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Carter Anderson (#27) tracks a shot he put on goal.

Prince Albert begins its final 10-game stretch run on Saturday traveling to Moose Jaw to take on the 35-22-0-3 Warriors (7 p.m., Moose Jaw Events Centre).

Truitt said his players didn’t have the extra hustle that was needed on Friday as teams crank up their intensity as the post-season nears. He said his squad has to play a more playoff style game against the Warriors.

“You can’t have excuses this time of year,” said Truitt. “You can’t have a lack of urgency this time of year.

“It is disappointing especially when we know that we only have 10 games left now. It has to be desperation time. There wasn’t enough of it tonight.”

Miguel Marques set up in the offensive zone for the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes improved to 32-21-3-3 with Friday’s win to sit fifth overall in the Eastern Conference. They sit three points back of the Warriors for fourth in the conference and the right to have home ice advantage for a first round best-of-seven playoff series.

Lethbridge will continue to make a push for that home ice spot traveling to Saskatoon on Saturday to face the 40-13-4-1 Blades (7 p.m., SaskTel Centre).

“Obviously, there are not many games left in the season,” said Laventure, whose Hurricanes have nine games remaining on their regular season slate. “We still think we are going to be pushing for the fourth place there and hopefully get home ice in playoffs.

“These are big games for us here. We’re hoping to move forward and have a great playoff run.”

The Hurricanes celebrate their win on Friday.

NOTES – Raiders veteran athletic therapist and equipment manager Duane “Puff” Bartley worked his 1,500^th WHL game with the team on Friday, and he was honoured during a pre-game ceremony. Bartley began his career with the Raiders at the start of the 2001-02 campaign. 

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“Rock You Like A Hurricane”

Lethbridge blows away Saskatoon in third period

Joe Arntsen had a monster night for the Hurricanes.

Joe Arntsen turned a tight checking game into a route.

On Wednesday night, Arntsen’s Lethbridge Hurricanes were locked in a 0-0 tie heading into the third period of their WHL regular season clash with the visiting Saskatoon Blades. In the third, Arntsen posted two goals, one assist, a plus-five rating in the plus-minus department and took part in a fight to power the Hurricanes to a 6-1 victory before 2,742 spectators at the Enmax Centre.

Just 1:44 into the third, Arntsen potted his first tally of the night to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead. His defensive partner Logan McCutcheon scored 32 seconds later to increase the host side’s advantage to 2-0.

Right before the midway point of the third, Arntsen combined with left-winger Miguel Marques to set up centre Logan Wormald for his 12^th marker of the season to extend the Hurricanes lead to 3-0.

At the 10:51 mark of the third, Blades centre Jordan Keller shoveled home his first career WHL regular season goal from the front of the Lethbridge to cut the host’s lead to 3-1. Keller was playing his eighth career regular season contest with the Blades after being called up for the rest of the current campaign from the Yale Hockey Academy under-18 prep team.

That only temporarily stopped the avalanche of goals coming from the Hurricanes.

Just under three minutes later, Arntsen netted his second of the contest to increase Lethbridge’s advantage to 4-1.

With about five minutes to play in the third, the Blades pulled overage star netminder Nolan Maier for an extra attacker. Hurricanes sophomore defenceman Chase Pauls scored into the vacated Saskatoon net with 4:29 remaining in the third to give the hosts a 5-1 lead.

Hurricanes rookie right-winger Brayden Edwards added his squad’s final goal with just under a minute to play in the frame.

Between the goals by Pauls and Edwards, Arntsen took on Blades right-winger Vaughn Watterodt in a fight to obtain the Gordie Howe hat trick.

Veteran 19-year-old netminder Bryan Thomson stopped 23 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Hurricanes. Left-wingers Justin Hall and Alex Thacker had three assists each for Lethbridge.

Justin Hall had three assists for the Hurricanes.

Maier turned away 31-of-36 shots to take the setback in net for the Blades.

The win was the third straight for the Hurricanes, who improved to 30-30-3-1 to sit seventh overall in the WHL’s Eastern Conference. The Hurricanes need to win one of their last four regular season games or earn two more standings points to lock up a WHL playoff berth.

Their first opportunity to pull that off comes on Friday, when they travel to Red Deer to face the 43-17-2-2 Rebels (7 p.m. local time, Peavey Mart Centrium).

The Blades fell to 36-26-3-1 with the setback and made their hopes of getting home ice advantage for a first round playoff series very difficult. They remain fourth in the Eastern Conference one point behind the fourth place 36-23-3-2 Moose Jaw Warriors.

Saskatoon has two games left on its schedule, while Moose Jaw has four contests left to play. The fourth place team gets home ice advantage for a first round playoff series.

The Brandon Wheat Kings, who sit sixth in the Eastern Conference with a 33-25-3-2 record, are six points behind the Warriors and five points behind the Blades. Brandon has five games remaining on its regular season schedule.

Besides the jockeying in the standings, Maier shares the WHL’s career regular season goaltending wins record of 120 victories with Corey Hirsch and Tyson Sexsmith. The Yorkton, Sask., product was looking to take sole ownership of that record.

Hirsch picked up his 120 victories playing four seasons with the Kamloops Blazers from 1988 to 1992. Sexsmith collected his 120 wins over five seasons with the Vancouver Giants from 2005 to 2009. He also had one non-decision relief appearance for the Medicine Hat Tigers late in the 2004-05 campaign.

Saskatoon still has six regulars on the injury list. Defenceman and captain Aidan De La Gorgendiere is out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

Overage star centre Tristen Robins, who is the Blades captain for the rest of the current season, is out day to day with an upper body injury and the same goes for veteran centre Josh Pillar and overage defenceman Rhett Rhinehart.

Rookie centre Lukas Hansen is week-to-week with an upper body injury, and utility player Spencer Shugrue is day to day with a lower body injury.

Alex Thacker had three assists for the Hurricanes.

The Blades return to action on Friday when they host their archrivals the 26-33-4-1 Prince Albert Raiders (7 p.m., SaskTel Centre).

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Moe break out of rut, powers Raiders to 4-2 victory

Spencer Moe delivered a big two-goal night for the Raiders on Friday night.

    PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Spencer Moe admitted he will play a little more free and easy going forward.

    On Friday, the 19-year-old right-winger potted his first two goals of the season including the winner to push his Prince Albert Raiders to a 4-2 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes in a WHL regular season contest at the Art Hauser Centre.

    Moe scored his winner with 4:51 to play in the third period to break a 2-2 tie and give the Raiders a 3-2 edge to the delight of 2,502 spectators in the building.

    His linemate in 18-year-old rookie centre Ilya Usau sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 17.2 seconds remaining in the third.

    Heading into Friday’s game, Moe had just two assists in the Raiders previous seven outings. He admitted he was gripping the stick a little too tightly.

The Raiders celebrate Spencer Moe’s first period goal.

    “It makes me relieved,” said Moe. “A lot of stress was building up on me.

    “I think with the two goals today it has kind of put me back to where I really wanted to be and how I really wanted to start the season.”

    Moe got out to a good start on Friday scoring at the 11:28 mark of the first period to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead. Taking a setup pass from Usau, Moe blasted home his first of the year from the front of the Lethbridge goal.

    The speedy Calgary product said he really could feel the stress lift at that point in the game.

    “I could feel it off my back,” said Moe, who stands 5-foot-7 and weighs 170 pounds. “I felt a lot better.

    “Just the fact the first one was out, I was hungrier, and I felt a lot better.”

    Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid was pleased to see Moe break out of his rut.

Spencer Moe looks for an opening to score on a second period breakaway.

    “I was happy for him,” said Habscheid. “He has been snake bit a little bit.

    “The first couple of goals of the year, so he’ll skate a little bit lighter tomorrow.”

    The Raiders, who are rated fifth in the CHL Top 10 rankings, ultimately needed Moe to break through on the scoreboard, because Friday’s contest with the Hurricanes was a battle.

    Lethbridge evened things up at 1-1 just under two minutes later when 16-year-old rookie left-winger Ty Nash fired home a backdoor setup from linemate Justin Hall. 
    The tally was the first WHL career goal for Nash.

Spencer Moe had just two assists this season entering Friday’s game.

    Prince Albert went ahead 2-1 with 3:38 remaining in the second when overage star defenceman Zach wristed home a point shot through a screen.

    Overage defenceman Koletrane Wilson pulled the Hurricanes even at 2-2 with 5:39 to play in the third.

    Moe netted his second of the night and the winner to put the Raiders up 3-2 just 48 seconds after Wilson’s tally.

    On an offensive rush, Moe converted a set up pass from left-winger Cole Fonstad to break the 2-2 tie.

    “We were just doing a normal neutral zone transition there,” said Moe, who was stopped on a second period breakaway chance. “I kind of caught up to the middle there and gave it to Fonny (Fonstad) on the side.

    “I beat my checks up the ice, and he just gave it to me right in the middle. I just happen to find the back of the net there.”

Cole Fonstad had three assists for the Raiders.

    The line of Moe, Fonstad and Usau combined for seven points. Moe had his two goals, Fonstad had three assists, and Usau had a goal and an assist.

    Entering Friday’s game, Fonstad had a goal and two assists, while Usau had two goals and an assist. Both had appeared in all of the Raiders first seven games along with Moe.

    “We’re building chemistry,” said Moe of the line that was formed this season. “It’s been growing every game.

    “We’ve been playing pretty good, but we haven’t been producing a lot. In the past couple of games, we’ve been producing, which is a good thing to see.”

    Last season, Moe played in 66 regular season games for the Raiders posting nine goals, 24 assists and a plus-14 rating in the plus-minus department. He centred the Raiders third line and was often utilized as an energetic checker during the team’s run to winning the WHL championship.

    Moe knows that his role is a lot different this season, as the Raiders graduated a number of forwards from last season.

Ilya Usau had a goal and an assist for the Raiders on Friday.

    “I am a fourth-year guy on this team,” said Moe. “I am supposed to be one of the veteran guys that the younger guys and everyone can lean on.

    “That wasn’t a role for me last year, especially with the players that we had, but now it is on all the other guys, older guys’ shoulders there. We just have to step up our game.”

    Boston Bilous made 32 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Raiders. The Raiders won their third straight improving to 6-0-2.

    Bryan Thomson, who is a 17-year-old rookie netminder, turned away 21-of-24 shots to take the setback in goal for the Hurricanes (3-3).

    Habscheid said the Hurricanes provided a big challenge for his side.

    “It was a struggle,” said Habscheid. “This game didn’t come easy.

The Raiders salute the Art Hauser Centre faithful after Friday’s win.

    “I thought Lethbridge worked hard. They played heavy. It was a good game for us to feel that, because we had to grind it out.

    “We had to find a way. We didn’t have our A-game for sure, but in the end, you have to find a way to win.”

    The Raiders return to action on Saturday when they host the Moose Jaw Warriors (5-2) at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre.

    The Hurricanes head to Saskatoon on Saturday to face the Blades (5-3-0-1) at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

    Early on in the season, Moe likes the fact his Raiders will keep battling for a win no matter what challenges come their way.

    “We have a mindset now,” said Moe. “We’ve been through what happened last year winning a championship and knowing what it takes.

    “We’re hungry for it. We hate losing. It is something that will strive us for the rest of the season.”

Warriors add SFMAAAHL all-time great Howe to coaching staff

Olivia Howe stopped to chat with @mosaicincanada Warriors TV about being named our new Coaching Assistant. pic.twitter.com/QG7PfyqAom

— Moose Jaw Warriors (@MJWARRIORS) October 11, 2019

    The Moose Jaw Warriors turned a few heads in the hockey world on Friday with an outside the box coaching hire.

    The Warriors have added a Saskatchewan female hockey great to their coaching staff in Olivia Howe. Howe will be a coaching assistant with the team after serving as a guest coach during the club’s training camp.

    Howe will help out the Warriors with on ice practice sessions and being an “eye in the sky” during game days.

    It is believed Howe is the first female to be named to a WHL team’s main coaching staff. As an added bonus, the 25-year-old is a product of Moose Jaw as well.

    “It’s been really surprising the feedback and reaction I’ve got,” said Howe on a video interview posted on the Warriors Twitter page. “I’m really excited to start here.

    “It’s a great opportunity. Being from Moose Jaw, it’s just awesome.”

    In a video interview on the Warriors team website, Alan Miller, who is the club’s general manager, said Howe impressed during her stint as a guest coach. As a result, talks ensued with head coach Tim Hunter, associate coach Mark O’Leary and assistant coach Scott King about finding a way to keep Howe with the team.

    “She came in here, did a very good job and made a strong impression on our hockey staff and our coaching staff,” said Miller. “We wanted to find an opportunity to bring her on to our hockey staff.

    “Working with Mark O’Leary, Scott King and Tim Hunter, we’ve put together this job description and this position and this opportunity for Olivia to help our team. We believe that it is an exciting opportunity for her.

    “We think that she will do real well, and she is a great addition to our club.”

    Howe enjoyed the opportunity to work the Warriors training camp.

    “Alan (Miller) asked me to do the training camp, and it was really exciting,” said Howe. “I didn’t hesitate, obviously.

    “I just needed to get out there and be at this level of hockey working with the males out here. It has been really exciting. It is definitely a lot different coming from the female game, so there is a lot to learn.”

    Howe ripped up the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League for four seasons from 2008 to 2012 as a skilled forward with the Notre Dame Hounds in Wilcox. She became the circuit’s all-time leading scorer piling up 107 goals and 100 assists for 207 points in 106 regular season games.

    Howe helped the Hounds win the Esso Cup in 2011 as Canadian national female midget AAA hockey champions.

    She also attended Hockey Canada’s female under-18 selection camps in 2010 and 2011.

    Following her time with the Hounds, Howe, who stands 5-foot-10, joined the NCAA women’s ranks and became a star with the Clarkson University Golden Knights for four seasons from 2012 to 2016. She appeared in 152 overall games posting 42 goals and 58 assists.

    She helped the Golden Knights win their first NCAA title in 2014.
    After graduating from Clarkson, Howe returned to Wilcox to become an assistant coach with the Notre Dame Hounds team that played in the Junior Women’s Hockey League. She has scouted the women’s game for Neutral Zone, which is a hockey scouting news site that identifies and ranks prospects for the NCAA and U Sports.

    “It is great to have another perspective in the dressing room and in the coaches’ office – a female, who has played at the highest level in the NCAA and won a national championship,” said Hunter in a video interview on the Warriors website. “She is a real tall girl, so she has a real presence on the ice.

    “She speaks loudly to the players (and very) direct. She’s got a good message, and we are excited for her.”

    The Warriors fell 4-1 on home ice at Mosaic Place to the visiting Vancouver Giants on Friday night.

    Howe isn’t the first female coach to join the staff of a high level hockey team on the men’s side in Western Canada over the last few months.

    In July, Venla Hovi, a former star with the University of Manitoba Bisons women’s team and Finland’s national women’s team, joined the staff of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets as a hockey development coach. Hovi helped the Bisons win a U Sports national title in 2018 and Finland win a silver medal at this year’s women’s world hockey championships.

    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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