Stars flashback to the past, roll over Northern Bears 7-2

The Stars celebrate Makena Kushniruk’s first period goal.

Someone should have checked the lineup card, because you would have thought Mackenna Parker, Grace Shirley, Anna Leschyshyn, Joelle Fiala, Kaitlin Jockims, Ashley Messier and Chace Sperling were dressed for the Saskatoon Stars on Sunday afternoon.

The Stars scored early - with captain Mackena Kushniruk tallying just 14 seconds into the first period - and often rolling over their traditional rivals the Prince Albert Northern Bears 7-2 at the SaskTel Centre.

The result was a stark contrast to the previous day, when the two sides met in Prince Albert at the Art Hauser Centre. In that encounter, the host Bears jumped out to a 3-0 lead ultimately posting a 3-1 victory holding a 35-26 edge in shots on goal.

Sydney Mercier had two goals and two assists for the Stars.

In that contest that was the regular season opener for both sides, Kiara Stewart, captain Paris Oleksyn and Haley Kicia staked the Bears out to their 3-0 lead. Left-winger Sydney Mercier replied for the Stars on the power play with 76 seconds remaining in the third.

Janae Neufeld made 25 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Bears. Kaitlyn Cadrain turned away 32 shots to take the setback in goal for the Stars.

In the return match on Sunday at the SaskTel Centre, the Stars hit the ice with some serious jump in their stride.

Makena Kushniruk had a goal and two assists for the Stars.

Their top line of Kushniruk, Mercier and Emma Gaudet combined for four goals and five assists. The hosts led 2-0 after the first, 4-1 after the second before rounding out the 7-2 final.

It seemed like the spirit of the Stars old long time home in the Agriplace Arena made the walking distance trip over to the neighbouring SaskTel Centre.

In those old days at Agriplace Arena, the Stars now graduated greats used to fill opposing net on a nightly basis causing the flashing green lights on the rink’s stanchions to stay seeming permanently on as “Chelsea Dagger” by The Fratellis echoed through the building’s rafters.

That generation of the Stars won league titles 2015, 2016 and 2018 at the Agriplace Arena before moving to Merlis Belsher Place and capturing another league championship in 2019.

The Stars celebrate Kaylee Baun’s first period goal.

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Stars aren’t able to use Merlis Belsher Place as a home arena this season as it has been converted into a field hospital in waiting. As a result, they have been forced to move out to the SaskTel Centre along with the Saskatoon Contacts of the SMAAAHL and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s and women’s hockey teams from U Sports.

With most of the players from their SFU18AAAHL championship teams having moved on due to graduation, the Stars went through a reloading campaign last season posting a sound 12-14-4 record.

Kushniruk is the only holdover from the last Stars team that called Agriplace home. She was a sophomore on the Stars last team to win the Fedoruk Cup as league champions in 2019, while the other holdovers in Cadrain, Haylee Kos, Alison Olorenshaw, Bridget Rezansoff, Halle Helperl and Kaylee Baun were all rookies.

Kaitlyn Cadrain made 29 saves for the Stars on Sunday.

The Fedoruk Cup wasn’t award last season due to the under-18 female AAA playoffs being cancelled nationally due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just to be clear, the current Stars do not have the special talent level their league championship teams had that resulted in dominant lopsided wins game in and game out. The current Stars have talent, but they have to rely on their work ethic being strong to win on a nightly basis making them create their own current identity along the way.

Still, it had to feel good that for one night they could emulate their special squads from the past against an opponent who has been their biggest rival.

After Kushniruk put the Stars up 1-0, they went up 2-0, when Baum potted home a loose puck beside the Prince Albert net for a power-play goal.

Emma Gaudet nets her first career Stars regular season goal.

In between those tallies, Cadrain turned away Oleksyn, who tried to score on a backhanded attempt on a penalty shot.

While the Stars held a 2-0 edge after 20 minutes, the Bears didn’t go away. Kicia blasted home a goal at the 10:52 mark of the second to cut the Stars lead to 2-1.

Before the second frame ended, the Stars responded with two goals 61 seconds apart to surge ahead 4-1.

Working on the power play, Kushniruk found Mercier with a pass open at the ride side of the Bears net, and Mercier popped home her first tally of the contest to give the Stars a 3-1 edge.

The Saskatoon lead expanded to 4-1 when 15-year-old rookie center Keyra Buziak found a loose puck at the left side of Bears net and fired the puck into an open cage to record her first career SFU18AAAHL goal.

Keyra Buziak scored her first career Stars regular season goal.

At the 8:20 mark of the third, Sophia Zuck scored for the Bears to cut the Stars lead to 4-2.

Saskatoon proceeded to close out the contest with a three goal surge with tallies coming off the sticks of Helperl, Gaudet and Mercier, who collected her second marker on the afternoon. Gaudet’s tally was her first career SFU18AAAHL career goal skating in her second season with the Stars.

Cadrain made 29 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Stars. Brooke Archer, who is a 15-year-old rookie making her first career SFU18AAAHL regular season start, turned away 27 shots to take the setback in goal for the Bears.

Assuming all goes in a positive direction on the COVID-19 pandemic front, the Bears will return to action this coming Saturday when they host the Battlefords Sharks at 4:30 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre. The Stars are off until Saturday, Nov. 28 when they are slated to host the Sharks at 2 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

The Stars begin to celebrate their victory on Sunday.

The result of Sunday’s game between the Stars and Bears will likely not foreshadow how the rest of the season will go.

For one game, the Stars got to revel in the spoils of a great outing.

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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Kliewer holds fort in goal as Stars unsung hero

Arden Kliewer has been a standout in goal for the Stars.

    Arden Kliewer remembers being awestruck during her first few practices as a regular with the Saskatoon Stars.

    Joining the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League powerhouse club as a 14-year-old underage rookie goalie in 2016-17, Kliewer looked around and couldn’t believe she was on the same ice surface as veteran standouts like Willow Slobodzian, Abby Shirley, Julia Rongve, Mackenna Parker, Grace Shirley, Anna Leschyshyn and Joelle Fiala.

    “It was definitely a little bit intimidating with those girls, especially because they are such high performing athletes,” said Kliewer. “You can tell kind of as where they ended up.

    “I definitely kind of came in there a little bit intimidated. I was three years younger than some of those girls. One I got into the flow of the team, everything kind of settled down.

    “It just felt like normal teammates.”

Arden Kliewer is skilled at playing the puck.

    Still, it was a big deal for Kliewer to make the Stars. She was thankful the opportunity came a little sooner than she expected due an early departure.
    “Kind of ever since I knew that the Stars were a thing, it was kind of a goal of mine that I wanted to come and play for this team,” said Kliewer, who stands 5-foot-8. “That summer, I wasn’t really expecting to come to tryouts just because knew there wasn’t a spot.

    “I kind of remember being at the lake and my dad said that he had gotten an email from (head coach) Greg (Slobodzian) saying that Emma Johnson was not going to be returning, and that they like me to come to fall camp. That is kind of how it happened.”

    Johnson elected to not return to the Stars for her 17-year-old season in order to focus on playing basketball. She currently plays hoops for the University of Western Ontario Mustangs Women’s Basketball team.

    Kliewer started out as a goalie partner with veteran Jordan Ivanco during her first two seasons with the Stars. During that time, Ivanco usually got the call to play in the team’s biggest games.

    Now Kliewer is the third-year veteran who gets the call in the Stars biggest games. In 2018-19, she had her best regular season to date posting a 16-0 record, a 1.21 goals against average, a .941 save percentage and seven shutouts.

Arden Kliewer takes away the lower part of the net.

    Kliewer said the fact her team plays well in front of her has helped her have an outstanding season.
    “I think it just kind of goes to trust,” said Kliewer. “I trust my teammates, and they trust me as well (and) that just kind of goes a long way with each other.

    “We have great practices, so we just kind of get ready for it.”

    Stars head coach Greg Slobodzian said Kliewer has played a big part in the success the Saskatoon club has had over the past three seasons.

    “She has been absolutely huge whether it was when she first came in and sort of pushed our other goaltender,” said Slobodzian. “Then this year she took Kat (Kaitlyn Cadrain) our rookie and just sort of showed her what our work habits needed to be like.

    “She (Kliewer) is just so steady back there and so consistent. It is tough, because sometimes she doesn’t get the recognition that she deserves, because she is only seeing a handful of shots. The way that she breaks a forecheck with her passing skills and how she handles the puck we’ve never really had that.

Arden Kliewer has been spectacular in her third season with the Stars.

    “It adds a whole another dimension. Obviously, she is going to play a huge role here.”

    Kliewer said she has enjoyed playing a mentor role in helping Cadrain along.

    “I mean it is definitely a little bit different,” said Kliewer. “I kind of just like wanted to help her out in her first year.

    “I wanted to make sure she kind of understands the league. It is definitely a lot more responsibility knowing that I am the older goalie. It has been a good season.

    “I think this one has probably been my best season by far.”

    Growing up playing hockey in Saskatoon, Kliewer admits she was destined to be a goalie.

    “My dad was a goalie,” said Kliewer. “My grandpa was a goalie, so I think it just kind of ran in the family that at some point I was going to end up being a goalie.

Arden Kliewer (#30) clears the puck up the boards for the Stars.

    “I always kind of wanted to be like my dad when I was younger. I think that is just kind of how it happened.”

    Arden credits her father, Rob, and mother, Lindsay, on being big influences in helping her along in hockey.

    The young netminder was excited to play a big part in helping the Stars win a second straight SFMAAAHL title and return to the Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament for a second straight year.

    The Stars lost last year’s national title game 2-1 to the Alberta based St. Albert Slash, who won the national crown for a second straight year.

    Saskatoon is playing through this year’s Esso Cup currently being held in Sudbury, Ont.

    The Stars will face the Slash in a semifinal contest on Friday.

Jayda Sachs, left, and Arden Kliewer pose with the Fedoruk Cup.

    “It is definitely a little bit of a different experience,” said Kliewer. “Kind of this year, we want to go back with a little bit of a chip on our shoulders kind of to prove to everyone that last year we deserved to walk away with that championship.”

    Kliewer said she was ready to step in goal for the Stars in their key contests at nationals.

    When the dust settles, she would love to be playing in the national final once again and hopefully helping the Stars come away with a gold medal win.

    “It would be huge to kind of go back there, especially when it is on TV again,” said Kliewer. “It would kind of bring back those memories, and I think it would definitely be something that our team would want to close off this year for sure.

    “We would want to come out of that with that championship.”

Stars top Esso Cup prelim round, Leschyshyn sets records

Anna Leschyshyn set two records at the Esso Cup on Thursday.

    An early hiccup couldn’t prevent the Saskatoon Stars from finishing first in the preliminary round of the Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament.

    The Stars opened this year’s Esso Cup on Sunday at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex in Sudbury, Ont., downing the Ontario-based Stoney Creek Sabres 6-4.

    On Monday, the Stars dropped a surprising 7-3 decision to the As de Quebec to fall to 1-1 with two tough games coming up on their schedule.

    Saskatoon reset and slipped past the two-time defending Esso Cup champion St. Albert Slash 3-2. The Stars entered the third period of that contest locked in a 2-2 tie with the Alberta squad.

    Halle Helperl, a rookie winger who turned 15-years-old in January, netted the winning goal for the Stars with 5:28 remaining in the third period.

    Against the host Lady Wolves on Wednesday, the Stars entered the third period trailing 2-1 before rallying for a 3-2 victory. Defender Emily Holmes scored the equalizer for the Stars with 4:23 remaining in the third period, and captain Grace Shirley netted the winner with 41.9 seconds remaining in the third.

Emily Holmes started a Stars comeback on Wednesday.

    On Thursday, the Stars won their third straight round robin game romping past the Halifax Fire 11-1. That win allowed the Stars to finish first in the preliminary round standings with a 4-1 record.
    In the romp over the Fire, Stars star winger Anna Leschyshyn netted five goals and three assists for eight points. Her five goals set a record for most goals in one Esso Cup game, and her eight points set a record for most points in one Esso Cup game.

    The old record of most points in one game of seven was shared by Taylor Woods and Olivia Howe. Both players netted seven points in the same game playing for the Notre Dame Hounds, when the Hounds bombed the Kings County Kings 14-2 on April 19, 2011.

    The Hounds went on to win the Esso Cup title that year.

    In that Hounds victory, Woods set the old record for most goals scored in one Esso Cup game at four. Kate Gallant of the Durham West Lightning would also match the old record of most goals scored in one Esso Cup game at four in 2017.

    The Stars will face the Slash, who were 2-2-1 in the preliminary round, in one of Friday’s two semifinals. The other semifinal sees an all-Ontario encounter between the Lady Wolves (4-1) and the Sabres (3-2).

    The Fire and As de Quebec both missed the playoff round each posting 1-4 records.

    The Esso Cup concludes on Saturday with bronze and gold medal games. The gold medal contest will be shown live on TSN2 at 2 p.m. Saskatchewan time.

    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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Esso sweet Esso – Stars return to nationals for fourth time in last five years

The Stars captains celebrate their Western regional win.

    With the Saskatoon Stars one win away from returning to nationals, Jayda Sachs came to the rink feeling a little down.

    The veteran forward of five Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League seasons was dwelling on the fact she could be playing her home game at Merlis Belsher Place on Saturday. The down mood didn’t last long for Sachs, who turned 18-years-old in March.

    In Game 2 of a best-of-three Western regional playdown series, the Stars dominated the visiting Westman Wildcats from Hartney, Man., posting a 3-0 victory along with a 42-4 edge in shots on goal.

Jayda Sachs scored the Stars third goal on Saturday.

    Having claimed Game 1 by a 3-2 final on Friday at Merlis, the Stars swept the series 2-0 to capture the Lanchbery Family Trophy.

    They will return to the Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament for a second straight year and for the fourth time in the last five years. The Esso Cup runs April 21 to 27 in Sudbury, Ont.

    “There is nothing really better than this feeling,” said Sachs, who played her first two SFMAAAHL campaigns with the Prince Albert Northern Bears before joining the Stars. “This is where we want to get to as a team and then move on to Esso.

    “Especially my last year, this is a pretty special thing. To have my family all being here, this is what we work towards all year as a team. This is a pretty special feeling.”

    To cap the Game 2 victory, Sachs scored the Stars final goal with 1:32 remaining in the third period with linemates Kaitlin Jockims and Makena Kushniruk picking up assists on the play.

Halle Helperl scored the Stars first goal on Saturday.

    “I thought about, ‘Oh, what if I score today?’” said Sachs. “My brothers were bugging me about it.

    “As soon as that puck went in the net, I was just like oh this is a great feeling, and to have everybody here to see it happen, it was amazing.”

    The Stars controlled play from wire to wire, and it took a sensational 39 save performance from Wildcats netminder Natalie Williamson to keep her team in the game.

    After a scoreless first, the Stars broke through on the scoreboard at the 9:57 mark of the second, when a shot from veteran defender Chace Sperling was deflected home by Stars underage rookie forward Halle Helperl. Helperl’s tally turned out to be the series winner.

Ashley Messier scored the Stars second goal on Saturday.

    “It was a good feeling, because it was the first goal,” said Helperl, who had six goals and eight assists in the Stars 28 regular season games. “I just was kind of standing there, and the puck was just coming.

    “I felt it on the side of my leg, and I didn’t know where it went. It was in the net.”

    Helperl was pumped about the chance to go to nationals for the first time.

    “It feels amazing,” said Helperl. “We’re on our way to Esso, so everyone is obviously super excited. It is a really good feeling.”

    With the way Saturday’s game was going, the Stars lead grew to an insurmountable one, when standout offensive defender Ashley Messier fired home a power-play goal from the point with 4:40 remaining in the second period. Messier’s shot just trickled over the goal-line between the legs of Williamson.

Netminder Natalie Williamson made 39 saves in goal for the Wildcats.

    Messier believed her Stars would have closed out Saturday’s win even if she didn’t score an insurance marker.

    “I guess it was nice to have another goal,” said Messier. “We would have done it no matter what happened I think.”

    Messier was named the top defender at last year’s Esso Cup, and can’t wait to make the return trip this year.

    “Going back, it is really exciting,” said Messier. “We know what to expect, or at least I do this time.

    “I am really excited to see how our new girls will like it, because I know my first time it was just amazing. We’re going to get it this time. We’re not going to let it slide.”

Jayda Sachs celebrates her goal with netminder Arden Kliewer.

    The most underrated aspect of the Stars win on Saturday was the mental focus of third-year veteran netminder Arden Kliewer. Kliewer stayed sharp enough to make four saves to earn the shutout win in goal.

    Two of Kliewer’s stops were quality scoring chances that came after long stretches of inactivity.

    When the dust settled, Stars head coach Greg Slobodzian was proud of how his team played and was happy his players received a tip of the hat from Wildcats head coach Guy Williams.

    “Shaking the other coach’s hand he gave us the ultimate compliment,” said Slobodzian. “He said, ‘You know what, that is a full 60-minute team you have right there.’

    “Years gone by sometimes that hasn’t been the case. Feeling that way going towards Sudbury, Esso Cup, I’m really happy about it. Just seeing everybody on the ice, it is about what is going on right now.

The Stars pour off their bench to celebrate going to Esso Cup.

    “The glow of being a champion and moving on and seeing grandmas out here hugging their granddaughters is just fantastic.”

    At last year’s Esso Cup in Bridgewater, N.S., the Stars entered the championship game posting a 6-0 record at that point in the tournament having outscored the opposition 28-4. They lost a 2-1 heartbreaker in the gold medal game to the Alberta based St. Albert Slash, who claimed the national title for a second straight year.

    Messier said the goal of her squad is to take care of some unfinished business this time.

The Stars and Merlis Belsher are all smiles after a Western regional win.

    “We kind of let it go last year,” said Messier. “Now we are going to come for it this time.”

    The Stars open Esso Cup on April 21 taking on the still to be determined champion from Ontario.

Sachs said the Stars are intent on finishing the campaign winning the team’s first national championship.

    “We’re pretty excited,” said Sachs. “It is good to have the experience of it for sure.

    “I think from last year losing in the final there we are even more motivated to win it this year.”

    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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Jockims on fire as Stars roll past Sharks in Battleford

Kaitlin Jockims picked up seven points for the Stars on Thursday.

    It seemed like everything Kaitlin Jockims touched turned to gold.

    On Thursday night at the Battleford Arena in Battleford, the veteran star winger piled up three goals and four assists for seven points to help power her Saskatoon Stars past the host Battlefords Sharks 10-2 in a Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League regular season clash. That marked the most points Jockims had ever recorded in a SFMAAAHL regular season game.

    Jockims picked up an assist on the Stars first goal and scored her team’s second goal to give the visitors a 2-0 edge after the first period. She netted her second goal of the contest at the 2:02 mark of the second period to give the Stars a 3-0 advantage.

    Saskatoon cruised from there to hold a 5-1 lead after the second period before rolling on to a convincing victory.

    Thanks to her monster game, Jockims sits second in the SFMAAAHL scoring race piling up 19 goals and 23 assists for 42 points in 22 regular season games. All of her offensive totals are career highs.

Grace Shirley had four points for the Stars on Thursday.

    Saskatoon captain Grace Shirley also had a memorable night. She netted a hat trick and picked up an assist to equal former teammate Mackenna Parker as the Stars all-time leading scorer in regular season play.

    Since joining the Stars as an associate player call up in the 2014-15 campaign, Shirley has appeared in 103 career regular season games piling up 93 goals and 65 assists for 158 points.

    Parker, who was Saskatoon’s captain last season, appeared in 104 career regular season games for the Stars from 2014 to 2018 collecting 82 goals and 76 assists for her 158 points.

    Ashley Messier, Halle Helperl, Calli Arnold and Jayda Sachs all picked up singles for the Stars.

Sydney Rowley and Brooklyn Rowley replied with singles for the Sharks.

    Kaitlyn Cadrain turned away 17 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Stars, who improved to 23-1 and have first placed clinched in the SFMAAAHL. Yelena Zaleschuk turned away 36 shots to take the setback in goal for the Sharks, who fell to 10-12-4 to sit sixth in the SFMAAAHL.

    The Stars return to action Saturday, when they host the Notre Dame Hounds at 12:30 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place.

    The Sharks hit the ice again on Feb. 16, when they travel to Melville to face the Prairie Fire at 7 p.m. at the Horizon Credit Union Centre.

Hounds blank Rebels for fifth straight win

Chantel Weller made 19 saves in goal for the Rebels on Thursday.

    Kaitlyn Ross was the wall for the Notre Dame Hounds.

    The 17-year-old veteran netminder had a monster outing on Thursday making 38 saves to help her Hounds blank the Rebels in Regina 2-0 at the Co-operators Centre in a SFMAAAHL regular season contest. The shutout was the fourth of the season for Ross and the eighth of her SFMAAAHL career.

    Veteran 17-year-old forward Lyndsey Janes scored to give the Hounds a 1-0 lead with 6:32 remaining in the third period and she sealed the win with an empty-net goal inside of the final minute of the frame.

    Chantel Weller turned away 19-of-20 shots to take the setback in goal for the Rebels.

    The Hounds have won their last five straight games to improve to 11-9-3 to sit fifth in the SFMAAAHL.

    The Rebels fell to 16-6-3 and sit second in the SFMAAAHL standings.

    The Hounds travel to Saskatoon on Saturday to face the Stars at 12:30 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place.

    The Rebels hit the ice again on Feb. 15, when they travel to Prince Albert to face the Northern Bears at 7 p.m. at the Kinsmen Arena.

    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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Sperling cashes in on big opportunity with Stars

Veteran defender nets winning goal in clash with Rebels

Chace Sperling had the winning goal for the Stars on Saturday.

    Chace Sperling wasn’t going to let a golden opportunity pass her by.

    On Saturday afternoon at Merlis Belsher Place, Sperling’s Saskatoon Stars found themselves in a 2-2 tie early in the third period with the Regina Rebels in a regular season battle between the two top teams in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League.

    The Stars entered the third period holding a 2-1 advantage and were on the power play. Shortly after their power play expired, Rebels 16-year-old forward Tavia Terry scored the equalizer to tie things up at 2-2 just 48 seconds into the third.

    Just 44 seconds after that goal, Sperling came through with the turning point play for her squad.

    With a maze of bodies in front of Rebels netminder Chantel Weller, the puck squirted out to Sperling at the right side boards in the Regina zone. The veteran defender, who turned 17-years-old earlier this month, quickly fired home a shot to put the Stars in front 3-2.

The Stars mob Chace Sperling after she scores in the third period.

    That tally stood up as the winner as the Stars added one more goal in the frame coming on a power play from star winger Anna Leschyshyn to claim a 4-2 victory.    

    Leschyshyn’s insurance goal was her second tally of the contest.

    At game’s end, Sperling was pumped she could help her squad in a big moment.

    “I just shot it because the whole net was open,” said Sperling. “I hoped for the best and hoped it went in, and it did.

    “It was good to get the momentum back and get back into the game and get a lead, so that we weren’t in a slump. We would have lost momentum maybe if we didn’t score right off the hop after they scored. We got like more momentum back, and then we finished them off and won the game.”

Tavia Terry (#12) celebrates scoring for the Rebels.

    The win allowed the Stars to improve their first place record to 21-1. The Rebels saw their four game winning streak come to an end, but they remained second in the SFMAAAHL with a 16-5-2 mark.

    Saskatoon had been off since falling to the Rebels in Regina 3-2 on Jan. 13. Stars head coach Greg Slobodzian said Sperling’s goal was key in allow his club to get back on track.

    “It was huge, because a few girls got frustrated,” said Slobodzian. “We just came off the power play.

    “With us, it is all about momentum. Obviously, we had lost some momentum a little bit. I was trying to pick them up on the bench.

Hanna Bailey had the Rebels first goal on Saturday.

    “All of a sudden, Chace’s head was up, saw the open net and put it in. I didn’t have to do much coaching after that. The girls were just like, “Yeah. We’ve got this.””

    The Stars came out controlling the early momentum of the first period. They broke through on the scoreboard, when Leschyshyn wrapped home her first tally of the contest at the 7:33 mark of the opening frame.

    Saskatoon was holding a 7-3 edge in shots on goal at the time of Leschyshyn’s goal.

    The Rebels pushed back taking over for the rest of the first period. With 83 seconds remaining in the frame and working on a power play, 16-year-old power forward Hanna Bailey took break out pass from defender Larissa Bohlken, drove into the Saskatoon zone, cut to the front of the net and drove home the equalizer to tie things up at 1-1.

    Regina held a 13-8 edge in shots on goal at the end of the first period.

    The Stars regained the lead at the 7:05 mark of the second period.

Anna Leschyshyn (#7) scored twice for the Stars on Saturday.

    Working close in front of the Regina net, Stars star forward Kaitlin Jockims slipped a smart pass to linemate Halle Helperl to the left side of the Rebels goal.

    Helperl tapped the puck into a wide open cage to give the host side a 2-1 advantage.

    That set the stage for the dramatics in the third period.

    Arden Kliewer turned away 24 shots in goal for the Stars. Weller stopped 25 shots in goal for the Rebels.

    Slobodzian was pleased his squad came out with a strong effort after falling to the Rebels back on Jan. 13.

    “It doesn’t matter how much you talk about it you have to lose to appreciate winning,” said Slobodzian. “I really believe that.

The Stars celebrate their victory over the Rebels on Saturday.

    “I didn’t want to be the team that we played against today, because I knew we were going to come out hard and execute the way we wanted to. It just goes to show you how strong that Regina club is. They were in there the whole game.”

    The two clubs go at it again on Sunday at 12:45 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place. The Stars will lock up first place in the SFMAAAHL with a win. 
    Slobodzian expects his side to be involved in another intense game.

    “I expect much the same if not more actually,” said Slobodzian. “I know that is a real proud team over there, and they don’t like to lose.

    “When we are playing well, we put up a good fight, and it doesn’t matter who we are playing against. It will be a good battle.”

Wildcats’ Lind hits second on SFMAAAHL’s all-time scoring list

Taylor Lind is the SFMAAAHL’s second all-time top scorer.

    Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats star captain Taylor Lind achieved her biggest personal milestone to date on Saturday.

    Lind scored twice to help her Wildcats down the host Weyburn Richardson Pioneer Gold Wings 7-2 at Crescent Point Place in Weyburn. With those two tallies, Lind leaped ahead of former Saskatoon Stars captain Mackenna Parker for second on the SFMAAAHL’s all-time career regular season points list.

    In 78 career regular season games, Lind has 85 goals and 74 assists for 159 points.

Parker played in 104 career regular season games for the Stars from 2014 to 2018 piling up 82 goals and 76 assists for 158 points. She currently plays for the Boston University Terriers women’s hockey team in the NCAA ranks.

    Moose Jaw product Olivia Howe is the SFMAAAHL’s all-time leader scorer in career regular season play piling up 107 goals and 100 assists for 207 points appearing in 106 games with the Notre Dame Hounds from 2008 to 2012.

    In Saturday’s game, the Gold Wings took a 2-0 lead in their clash with the Wildcats receiving goals off the sticks of Kira Barham and Payton Mabee.

Taylor Lind scored twice for the Wildcats on Saturday.

    The Wildcats tied things up at 2-2 heading into the first intermission, scored four times in the second period to go ahead 6-2 and cruised to victory from that point. Swift Current has won seven games in a row.

    Defender Tobi Fontaine scored twice for the Wildcats, while Crystal Wale, Ryleigh White and Brooklyn Rublee had singles.

    Amaya Giraudier made 14 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Wildcats (13-9-1). Amara Lewendon turned away 42 shots to take the setback in net for the Gold Wings (1-20-1).

    The two sides go at it again on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Crescent Point Place in Weyburn.

    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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