Leschyshyn delivers for Stars

Saskatoon opens Esso Cup with 2-0 win over Weyburn

Anna Leschyshyn, centre, celebrates scoring for the Stars.

    WEYBURN, Sask. - Anna Leschyshyn is making an ever increasing number of plays when the Saskatoon Stars need them the most.

    In their opening match at the Esso Cup female midget AAA hockey championship tournament on Sunday, the Stars were firing everything including the kitchen sink at Weyburn Southern Range Gold Wings goaltender Chantal Burke. With 26.6 seconds to play in the second period, Leschyshyn gathered a rebound during a net scramble and fired the puck five-hole on Burke for a power-play goal while being taken down on the ice.

    Leschyshyn’s goal gave the Stars a 1-0 lead over the Gold Wings, who are the tournament’s host team. Saskatoon added another goal late in the third to skate away with a 2-0 victory at Crescent Point Place.

    “I didn’t really know it went in,” said Leschyshyn. “I was just kind of getting pucks to the net and trying to bang in the rebound and it went in. I was just really excited.”

Anna Leschyshyn (#7) is stopped by goalie Chantal Burke.

    Standing 5-foot-10, you almost forget that Leschyshyn is only 14-years-old. Her smooth skating ability, strong stickhandling and good touch around the net makes her a threat to score every time she is on the ice.

    In 28 regular season games for the Stars, Leschyshyn netted 15 goals and 11 assists to finished third in team scoring in her first full season in the midget AAA ranks. She added another six goals and four assists in 11 games in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League playoffs.

    Back on March 26, Leschyshyn potted the equalizer that forced overtime in the Stars 4-3 SFMAAAHL championship series clinching victory against the Diamond Energy Wildcats in Swift Current.

Anna Leschyshyn charges up ice on a rush for the Stars.

    Leschyshyn came through in another key moment in the Stars series clinching win in their Western regional playdown series back on April 2 against the Yellowhead Chiefs in Shoal Lake, Man. The Stars trailed that contest 1-0 until Leschyshyn netted the equalizer 18 seconds into the third period to spark a 3-1 come-from-behind victory.

    Against the Gold Wings on Sunday, Leschyshyn said her side never got discouraged, when Burke kept making save after save. Burke finished the contest turning away 38 shots.

    “We just had to keep getting pucks to the net,” said Leschyshyn. “She (Burke) gives up a lot of rebounds.

    “We just have to crash the net and put those rebounds in.”

    Despite Leschyshyn’s goal, the Gold Wings did push back in the third. Stars standout goaltender Emma Johnson came up with a big 22-save effort to record her fifth shutout of the post-season.

Saskatoon netted a key insurance goal at the 16:50 mark of the third, when Joelle Fiala and Grace Shirley combined to set up Abby Shirley off a hard rush into the offensive zone.

    While the Stars had the majority of the scoring chances, the Gold Wings had a number of opportunities of their own to steal victory. Gold Wings star left-winger Bailee Bourassa, who has committed to joining the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s team in the fall, was robbed by Johnson on three different breakaway chances, which included two short-handed opportunities in the second period.

Emma Johnson makes one of her 22 stops for the Stars.

    Leschyshyn potted the winner shortly after Bourassa was turned away on her second short-handed breakaway chance.

    When the dust settled, Leschyshyn said her team was pleased with their tournament opening victory noting the experience of playing at last year’s Esso Cup in Red Deer, where the Stars won a bronze medal, was a big help as well.

    “We are really happy to get the tournament started off with a good win,” said Leschyshyn. “I think we knew what was coming.

    “We had to get the first win out of the way and have a good start to the first game.”

    The Stars return to action on Monday, when they face the Express du Richelieu from Quebec at 3:30 p.m. The host Gold Wings take on the Brantford Ice Cats from Ontario at 7 p.m. All Esso Cup games are being played at Crescent Point Place.

    In other Esso Cup action from Sunday, the Express downed the Bedford, N.S., based Metro Boston Pizza 1-0, and the De Winton, Alta., based Rocky Mountain Raiders slipped past the Ice Cats 2-1.

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

Puck luck shines Stars way

Stars forward Jordyn Gerlitz hugs overtime hero Mackenna Parker (#11).

    The Saskatoon Stars won’t complain if a break or two falls their way.

    On Sunday night at the Agriplace Arena, the Stars cashed in on a Weyburn Southern Range Gold Wings giveaway to pull out a 3-2 double overtime victory in Game 3 of a best-of-five Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League semifinal series between the two clubs.

    At the 3:58 mark of a second overtime period, a Gold Wings defender coughed the puck up to Stars forward Anna Leschyshyn. Leschyshyn got the puck to linemate Julia Rongve, who fed a beauty pass across the face of the Weyburn goal to Mackenna Parker. Parker tapped home her sixth goal of the post-season to win the contest for the defending SFMAAAHL champs.

    The victory allows the Stars to take a 2-1 lead in the series. They will try to wrap the series up in Game 4 on Tuesday in Weyburn.

    Saskatoon entered play Sunday looking to bounce back from a 1-0 double overtime setback on Friday in Weyburn. In Sunday’s encounter, the Stars came out with a lot of early pressure.

    They broke through on the scoreboard with three minutes to play in the first period, when 14-year-old forward Joelle Fiala wired a shot through a screen to the top corner of the Weyburn goal.

Stars goalie Emma Johnson robs Gold Wings forward Bailee Bourassa.

    Just 77 seconds later, Saskatoon went ahead 2-0 on what appeared to be a phantom goal. Offensive defender Willow Slobodzian fired a shot on net that disturbed the water bottle that sat on top of the Weyburn goal.

    It appeared the shot grazed the top of the bottle, but the officials said the puck went into the net after a lengthy conference discussion.

    The lead evaporated in the second period, when Weyburn forward Bailee Bourassa netted a couple of tallies late in the frame to force a 2-2 tie. Bourassa, who has committed to play for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s team next season, wired home the equalizer from the slot through a screen, while her squad was on the power play.

    Late in the third, a break went Weyburn’s way to allow the game to get to overtime. With the Stars pressing for the go-ahead goal during a net scramble around the Weyburn net, Bourassa covered the puck up with her hand in the crease to freeze play. A penalty shot should have been awarded, but the officials whistled the play dead for an offensive zone faceoff.

Mackenna Parker circles in the offensive zone for the Stars.

    In the first overtime period, Bourassa had a huge chance to win the game for the visitors, but she was robbed in close by Stars netminder Emma Johnson. Saskatoon then took the contest with Parker’s tally in the second extra session.

    Johnson made 27 stops to earn the win in goal for the Stars. Chantal Burke turned away 40 shots in another stellar effort in goal for Weyburn.

    In the other SFMAAAHL best-of-five semifinal series, the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats dumped the Prince Albert A & W Bears 6-0 in Game 3 on Saturday in Swift Current. The Wildcats lead that series 2-1 with Game 4 set for Monday in Prince Albert.

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

Why not the Wheat Kings?

Brandon set to challenge for a WHL title

Kelly McCrimmon has built another championship contender in Brandon.

    They are arguably the favourite road team on the WHL circuit among hotel and restaurant staffs.

    When the Brandon Wheat Kings come to down, they dress to impress and carry themselves with a class that matches their look. Hotel and restaurant staffs for years often compliment the players for how well-mannered, nice and personable they are.

    Excitement usually follows when Wheat Kings head coach, general manager and owner Kelly McCrimmon phones to make a reservation. Road businesses want the Wheat Kings to come to town.

    Those intangibles have been some of the key reasons as to why the Manitoba’s only major junior franchise finds itself contenting for a WHL title on a regular basis going back to the start of the 1992-93 season. Since that campaign, the Wheat Kings have won more than 40 games 15 times. The good habits and culture they create off the ice translates to a good culture and habits on the ice.

    Going into the 2015-16 campaign, the Wheat Kings were viewed as a favourite to possibly challenge for another WHL title. While they won’t match their blistering league leading 53-11-4-4 record from last season, the Wheat Kings have been steady.

    In the current campaign, teams like the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Kelowna Rockets and Victoria Royals have all had surges at different times that have allowed them to float to the top of the league standings.

Reid Duke (#27) battles for a draw for the Wheat Kings.

    The Wheat Kings hovered near the top of the WHL’s East Division for about the first two-and-a-half months of the campaign and have remained in the division lead since returning from the Christmas break. After downing the Blades 5-1 in Saskatoon on Friday night, the Wheat Kings have earned points in their last nine games coming off seven wins and two extra time setbacks.

    They improved to 44-18-4-2 to sit two points ahead of the Lethbridge Hurricanes (45-21-1-1) for top spot in the Eastern Conference. Brandon also sits two points behind the Victoria Royals (45-16-3-3) for first overall in the league. The Wheat Kings also broke into the Canadian Hockey League’s top ten rankings this week in the 10^th spot.

    During a season where the consensus among scouts is that defence and goaltending across the WHL isn’t as strong as it normally is, the Wheat Kings might be able to finally capture their first league title since 1996.

    While they have piled up outstanding records in the regular season, the league title has eluded the Wheat Kings including last season, where they were swept away in the WHL final by the Rockets.

Jordan Papirny is loaded with playoff experience in goal.

    This season, the Wheat Kings forward group is as solid as ever. Centre Jayce Hawryluk leads the team in scoring with 42 goals and 56 assists, while 17-year-old sophomore centre Nolan Patrick has impressed with 40 goals and 57 assists. Due to where his birthday falls, Patrick, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 195 pounds, isn’t eligible for the NHL Entry Draft until next year.

    Brandon’s back end is anchored by overage captain Macoy Erkamps, who has 13 goals, 55 assists and a plus-43 rating in the plus-minus department. Russian rearguard Ivan Provorov has also provided an offensive spark with 19 goals and 48 assists to go along with a plus-58 rating. Before the WHL trade deadline, the Wheat Kings also acquired overage defenceman Mitchell Wheaton, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 223 pounds, from the Blades to beef up their physical presence.

    The Wheat Kings back end has more parts than most other teams in the league to get the job done.

In goal, 19-year-old Jordan Papirny has carried the load as a starter and has been solid. He has posted a 28-17-6 record, a 2.69 goals against average, a .908 save percentage and five shutouts. Other netminders have better numbers, but Papirny has a tonne of post-season experience.

Ivan Provorov has 67 points on defence.

    Before 4,396 spectators at the SaskTel Centre on Friday, the Wheat Kings showed how opportunistic they can be going 3-for-7 on the power play, while adding a short-handed marker. The short-handed goal was a backbreaker for the Blades, as Hawryluk scored with 1.8 seconds to play in the second to give Brandon a 3-1 lead.

    The tally came just over two minutes after Blades captain Nick Zajac potted his 20^th of the season to pull the host side to within one.

    Hawryluk also picked up a power-play goal in his two-goal night. Patrick, John Quenneville and Erkamps all potted singles for Brandon. Papirny made 29 stops to earn the win in goal.

    Brock Hamm turned away 43 shots to take the loss in goal for the Blades. Saskatoon fell to 25-39-4 to officially be eliminated from playoff contention for the third year in a row.

    The Wheaties appear to be ready for a long playoff run. With the good habits they have developed off and on the ice, all they need are some breaks to go their way in the luck department and that elusive third WHL title in team history might finally fall into their grasp.

Gold Wings pull even with Stars

Chantal Burke (#39) made 42 saves to earn a shutout win against the Stars.

    The Saskatoon Stars saw their 13 game winning streak in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League playoffs come to an end on Friday night in Weyburn at the hands of the Esso Cup hosting Gold Wings.

    Gold Wings forward and University of Saskatchewan Huskies recruit Bailee Bourassa scored 48 seconds into a second overtime period to give her side a 1-0 victory over the Stars, who are the defending SFMAAAHL champions. Chantal Burke made 42 saves to earn the win in goal for Weyburn, while Emma Johnson turned away 41 shots to take the loss in goal for the Stars.

    With Weyburn’s win, the best-of-five SFMAAAHL semifinal series between the two clubs is tied 1-1. Game 3 of the series is set for Sunday at 4:45 p.m. at the Agriplace Arena in Saskatoon.

    The other best-of-five SFMAAAHL semifinal series between the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats and the Prince Albert A & W Bears is also tied 1-1.

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

Stars clip Wings in Game 1

The Stars celebrate a third period goal from Jordyn Holmes, right.

    A tougher opponent proved to be no problem at all for the Saskatoon Stars.

    The Stars opened their best-of-five Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League semifinal series with a 5-0 victory over the Weyburn Southern Range Gold Wings at the Agriplace Arena on Monday night.

    In the quarter-final round, the Stars swept a best-of-five series 3-0 against the Battlefords Sharks, who were 3-23-2 during the regular season. The Stars outscored the Sharks 28-3 in that series.

    Weyburn finished fourth overall in the SFMAAAHL regular season with an 18-9-1 record, and the Gold Wings are still expected to give the Stars, who topped the league regular season standings with a 24-4 record, a tough test. The Gold Wings also host the Esso Cup national championship tournament in April.

    In Monday’s series opener, the Stars jumped ahead 1-0 at the 11:14 mark of the first period on what appeared to be a lucky break goal by Rayna Jacobson. The officials weren’t sure Jacobson poked the puck in the net during a scrum of sticks around the Weyburn goal, but they awarded a tally after a conference discussion.

    With 61 seconds to play in the first, Julia Rongve put the Stars up 2-0 on a wraparound, where the puck just trickled out from under Gold Wings goalie Chantel Burke into the net.

Mackenna Parker potted the Stars third goal in their win on Monday.

    Mackenna Parker, who was the second leading scorer in the SFMAAAHL, put the Stars up 3-0 early in the second. Abby Shirley converted a fancy passing play from linemates Grace Shirley and Joelle Fiala to give the Stars a 4-0 edge heading into the second intermission.

    Jordyn Holmes added Saskatoon’s final goal late in the third.

    Emma Johnson made 14 stops to earn her fifth career shutout in SFMAAAHL post-season play for Saskatoon. Chantal Burke turned away 40 shots taking the loss in goal for Weyburn.

    The Stars and Gold Wings will go at it again in Game 2 of the series on Friday in Weyburn. Game 3 is set for Sunday at 4:45 p.m. at the Agriplace Arena. If necessary, Game 4 is set for Tuesday, March 15 in Weyburn and Game 5 would be on Wednesday, March 16 at the Agriplace Arena at a time to be determined.

    Saskatoon won three of the four games against Weyburn in the regular season.

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