Huskies’ Vance should be Canada West MVP

Goalie Jessica Vance, left, gives a fist bump with Kennedy Harris.

    In the season of the shutout, Jessica Vance has reigned supreme.

    As a result, the sophomore goalie from the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team should be the most valuable player in the Canada West Conference.

    Vance, who stands 5-foot-7, had an impressive first campaign with the Huskies posting a 14-3-1 record, a 0.77 goals against average, a .964 save percentage and nine shutouts. She topped the conference in most wins, the best save percentage and most shutouts.

    Her shutout total equals former University of Alberta Pandas netminder Stacey McCullough for the second most shutouts ever recorded in the Canada West Conference in one U Sports regular season. McCullough posted nine shutouts in the 2000-01 campaign.

    Lindsey Post, who is another former Pandas netminder, holds the Canada West record for most shutouts in one U Sports regular season at 10 recorded in the 2014-15 campaign.

Jessica Vance topped Canada West in wins, save percentage and shutouts.

    Thanks to Vance’s efforts, the Huskies posted 12 total shutouts as a team in the campaign to equal a Canada West Conference team record for one season. The Pandas also posted 12 shutouts coming in the 2008-09 campaign.

    The 20-year-old Prince Albert, Sask., product played a key part in helping the Huskies finish second overall in Canada West with a 19-7-2 record. The 19 wins marked a new Huskies team record for most victories in one regular season. That finish allows the Huskies to host a best-of-three Canada West semifinal series that is slated to start with Game 1 on February 23 at 1:30 p.m. at the ancient Rutherford Rink.

    Vance helped the Huskies get to a place in the standings they haven’t been since they last finished second in Canada West back in the 2013-14 campaign with an 18-4-6 record. The Huskies also won the Canada West title in that campaign and a bronze medal at the U Sports national championship tournament.

    Since the 2013-14 season, the Huskies have still been good finishing fifth in 2014-15 and fourth in both the 2015-16 and 2016-17 campaigns. They were in search of that extra edge to push them back into one of the top two spots in the standings, and Vance gave them that edge. That fact should play a major part in naming her the most valuable player in the conference.

Jessica Vance played with a great calm in goal for the Huskies.

    Vance posted a 6-3-1 mark and two shutouts in the combined starts she made against the University of Manitoba Bisons, the defending U Sports champion Pandas and the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. In the latest U Sports Top 10 rankings, the Bisons are rated first, the Pandas second and the Thunderbirds are fifth.

    The Huskies didn’t crack the U Sports Top 10 even with their second place finish in Canada West and the wins they put up against the Bisons, Pandas and Thunderbirds. If the Huskies aren’t worthy of being rated in the U Sports Top 10 rankings with their Canada West foes, then Vance should be given that much more credit for the record the Huskies had and add to the reasons she should be the Canada West MVP.

    In 2017-18, 54 of the 112 regular season games played in the Canada West Conference for women’s hockey ended in shutouts, which meant the pressure was on the goalies to not even give up a single goal on most nights. Through the whole season, Vance never got rattled by that type of pressure. She had a calm about her in net that few goalies female or male have.

    On top of all of that, Vance went over two-and-a-half years between competitive starts.

Jessica Vance’s play was key in a second place finish for the Huskies.

    Way back on March 25, 2015, Vance played her final game with the Prince Albert Northern Bears making 20 saves in a 2-0 loss to the Saskatoon Stars in Game 3 of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League championship series at the Agriplace Arena. The Stars swept the best-of-five series 3-0.

    With her midget AAA career having reached a conclusion, Vance originally planned to join the University of Manitoba Bisons women’s hockey team, but she sat out the 2015-16 season as a medical redshirt after suffering a major leg injury playing competitive softball in the summer of 2015.

    Vance dressed for one game as a backup goalie early last season for the Bisons before electing to play closer to home choosing to transfer to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s team. Due to dressing for that one game, she wasn’t eligible to play for the Huskies until Nov. 1, 2017.

    Normally, that type of absence would cause a major setback for most high-level athletes.

    Vance never lost her game, and she was the main factor in helping the Huskies reach a higher level in the standings.

    Her story seems unbelievable, and that is what makes it special. The case for her being the Canada West MVP is a clear one, and that honour should come her way.

Willoughby proves she’s P.A. tough

Huskies captain Kaitlin Willoughby, right, has played through a few battles.

    Kaitlin Willoughby’s biggest accomplishment of the 2017-18 U Sports regular season might be the fact she skated through it in one piece.

    The star captain of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team has always drawn extra attention from the opposition due to her ability to score. It seemed the attention she received on the ice in her fifth and final season of eligibility was greater than in any of her first four campaigns.

    While bodychecking is illegal in women’s hockey, it was apparent players on opposing teams were out to deliver a few physical blows Willoughby’s way. 

    The most obvious case came in the Huskies 2-1 victory after a tiebreaking shootout over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Jan. 27 at the Rutherford Rink, when Willoughby was on the receiving end of a hip check from Thunderbirds centre Mathea Fischer. There was no call on the play.

    Throughout the season, Willoughby’s presence on the ice resulted in opponents cross-checking her, slashing her after the play was blown dead and a few failed attempts to level her with a hit worthy of former star NHL defenceman Scott Stevens. It is almost a certainty a few opponents landed the odd punch on Willoughby in scrums, which do happen in the women’s game.

    Despite all the attempts to target her, beat her down and knock her off her game, Willoughby, who stands 5-foot-6, still finished fifth in the Canada West scoring race with nine goals and 10 assists in 26 regular season appearances.

Kaitlin Willoughby faces a lot of attention from opposing teams.

    The treatment the 22-year-old Prince Albert product has received on the ice isn’t foreign to what star players receive at any level of hockey.

    In the WHL, Nolan Patrick encounter similar treatment from opponents leading the Brandon Wheat Kings to a league championship in the 2015-16 campaign. In the 2016 WHL playoffs, he played through lots of extra shots and successfully remained at the top of his game.

    Adam Brooks and Sam Steel played through a lot of abuse powering the Regina Pats to an appearance in the WHL championship series last year. Mathew Barzal endured is share of unwanted physical shots helped the Seattle Thunderbirds win the WHL title last season.

    In U Sports men’s hockey, Derek Hulak had to play through lots of unwanted physical attention earning the Canada West most valuable player award in his final campaign with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s team in 2013-14.

    At times, it seemed like the abuse all these players received was a borderline attempt to injure.

Willoughby showed her physical toughness this season and her mental toughness. In her first couple of seasons with the Huskies, the odds of her getting knocked off her game and seeing her get involved in trash talking sessions with opposing players was higher, if she received some unwanted hacks.

    She never lost her composure no matter what happened to her this season. In that, Willoughby accomplished a pre-season goal to emulate her former Huskies captain from her rookie season in Cami Wooster.

    In the process of playing though taking unnecessary physical shots, Willoughby upped the level of her teammates. They could see what was happening, and when something underhanded happened on the ice, you could see their focus becoming that much sharper.

Kaitlin Willoughby, centre, is surrounded by teammates who have her back.

    Willoughby’s teammates were right behind her, and they were ready to respond in the physical department. That was another obvious sight in the little battles you could see all over the ice.

    It felt like opponents would be wiser if they tried to avoid doing something that got the collective attention of the Huskies. The Huskies always seemed to win, when that happened.

    The Huskies begin their playoff march hosting Game 1 of a best-of-three Canada West semifinal series on February 23 at 1:30 p.m. at the Rutherford Rink.

    One last playoff run now awaits Willoughby, and she has a group of battle-hardened teammates right behind her that have her back. That gives the Huskies a huge chance to reach some very lofty heights.

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

-------

    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.

Zary ends goal drought, becomes Huskies latest OT hero

Huskies captain Lauren Zary, right, celebrates her OT winning goal.

    REGINA - Lauren Zary was relieved to see a lengthy personal goal-scoring drought come to an end, and as a bonus, it came to an end in dramatic fashion.

    On Friday night at the Co-operators Centre in Regina, Zary’s University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey was locked in a 1-1 draw in overtime with the host University of Regina Cougars, and the visitors were carrying play in the four-on-four extra session. With 34 seconds to play in the frame, talented rookie forward Bailee Bourassa slipped a smart pass to Zary down low.

    The Huskies captain proceeded to get around Cougars goalie Morgan Baker and tuck home the winning goal to give the green and white a 2-1 victory. The win marked the fourth time this season the Huskies earned an extra time victory.

    Zary’s tally also ended a personal goalless drought that spanned 11 games. Her previous goal came way back in the first semester on Nov. 18 in a 5-3 home victory over the U of Calgary Dinos.

    “I definitely got the monkey off my back,” said Zary, who has five goals and 13 assists in 23 games so far this season. “I feel like maybe I haven’t put in as many pucks as I have wanted to these past couple of games.

    “It was a nice pass by Bailee (Bourassa), and I was fortunate enough to be able to go around the goalie and get that in.”

Huskies captain Lauren Zary controls the puck in the offensive zone.

    Zary’s goal ended what was at times a choppy game between the Huskies and Cougars, who were both missing key players. U of S was without star forward Kaitlin Willoughby, who has joined Canada’s women’s hockey team for the FISU Winter Universiade in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Offensive defender Leah Bohlken and two-way forward Elizabeth Salyn were both out due to injury.

    The Cougars were without Jaycee Magwood, Kylie Gavelin and Alexis Larson, who also joined Canada’s team for the Winter Universiade. U of R dressed just 16 skaters due to injuries.

    With the absences, the Huskies managed to jump out to a 1-0 lead just 24 seasons into Friday clash, when rookie forward Emily Upgang netted her third goal of the season. U of S almost went ahead by two goals in the opening 20 minutes when Cougars rookie goalie Morgan Baker gave the puck away to Huskies fifth-year forward Rachel Johnson. Baker bailed herself out by turning away Johnson’s drive from the front of the goal.

Rachel Johnson wins a race for a loose puck for the Huskies.

    In the second period, Huskies standout netminder Cassidy Hendricks went to work, as the Cougars came with a big push back. Hendricks turned away Cougars fourth-year forward Bailey Braden on a breakaway and made a couple bailout saves off giveaways by her teammates.

    “It was a little stressful to be honest,” said Hendricks. “I just like spoke to my team and let them know we have this.

    “We have to be confident. You just have to like not think about it. It is going to happen either way.

    “Hockey is a game of mistakes. You just have to stay cool and confident.”

    After those big stops, the Cougars forced a 1-1 tie with 4:30 to play in the second, when fifth-year forward Meghan Sherven netted her first of the campaign.

    Hendricks made a couple of big saves at the start of the third, before the Huskies hit high gear and the Cougars started to show some fatigue. Zary and Bourassa both had sound scoring chances for the U of S, and inside of the final minute of the third, fourth-year forward Kori Herner was stopped on a chance when she was in alone on Baker.

Emily Upgang was all smiles after scoring the Huskies first goal.

    “When they tied the game up there, I feel like it kind of kicked the fire under us in that third period and overtime,” said Zary. “We have to win this game. I definitely feel like we’re the better team. We are a better team, when we are playing how we can play.

    “I think the girls really beared down there in that overtime. We knew we had to win this game, and we just wanted to.”

    The Huskies had the only five shots in overtime, and Zary potted the winner on the fifth chance.

Hendricks made 18 stops to pick up the win in goal for the Huskies (13-7-3). Baker turned away 25 shots taking the loss in goal for the Cougars (12-10-1).

    “I am just so glad we got the win,” said Hendricks. “I always just hate playing against Regina for some reason.

    “Knowing they swept us earlier in the season, it was just so much more satisfying to get it.”

    The two teams go at it again on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the ancient Rutherford Rink on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon.

Hendricks moves into third all-time in Canada West wins

Huskies goalie Cassidy Hendricks holds off Cougars forward Bailey Braden.

    Hendricks picked up a cool milestone in Friday’s win.

    The North Vancouver, B.C., product picked up her 55^th career regular season victory to move her alone into third place for career victories in the Canada West Conference. Hendricks passed former U of Alberta Pandas netminder Dana Vinge, who recorded 54 victories from 2006 to 2010.

    Lindsey Post, who is completing her fifth season with the Pandas, sits second in Canada West career victories with 59 wins. Stacey Corfield tops the Canada West career wins list with 64 victories playing goal for the U of Manitoba Bisons from 2005 to 2010.

    “I honestly didn’t know until (Huskies assistant coach) Dave (Westbury) just told me now,” said Hendricks about the milestone. “That is pretty impressive that I’ve been given so many opportunities to play that much and get those wins.

    “I don’t really put it on myself. It was a team effort type of thing. I am just grateful.”

    In her career, Hendricks has posted a 55-41-13 record, a 2.05 goals against average, a .923 save percentage and 12 shutouts in 112 games.

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

Huskies’ Bohlken buries Pandas in double overtime

The Huskies celebrate Leah Bohlken's double OT winning goal.

    Leah Bohlken appears to be a perfect fit as the new main power-play quarterback for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team.

    On Friday night at the ancient Rutherford Rink, the 19-year-old Moose Jaw product set up one goal on the power play and blasted home the double overtime winner on another power play. Bohlken’s efforts allowed the Huskies to pull out a 2-1 victory in their regular season home opener over the University of Alberta Pandas.

    While working with a four-on-three advantage in a second five-minute frame, Bohlken pinched down from the point into the left slot and converted a perfect backdoor pass from Huskies star winger Kaitlin Willoughby for the winning tally.

    “That was unreal,” said Bohlken. “That was a beautiful pass from Willow (Willoughby). (Lauren) Zary is working hard in the zone.

    “Everybody worked hard to keep it from going into our net. When you can put one away like that, I think it is pretty insane. It makes you pretty happy.”

    Bohlken assumed the role as the main power-play quarterback on the point in her sophomore season due to the graduation of first-team all-Canadian all-star Julia Flinton. Last season, Bohlken was paired up on the back end with Flinton on the Huskies top power-play unit.

Leah Bohlken controls the puck at the point for the Huskies.

    “I think last year she (Julia Flinton) helped me out a lot,” said Bohlken, who recorded two goals and six assists in 28 regular season games in 2015-16. “She walked me through and kind of showed me the ropes.

    “I got multiple opportunities from the coaches. Playing with her definitely helped. I’ve had practise from last year, so coming into this year, Flinton is not there on the point with me, but there is another girl that is right there in Kayla Kirwan.

    “I played a little bit with Kira Bannatyne. They are both there. They are both really good hockey players.”

    The Huskies converted on 2-of-8 power-play chances on Friday and could have had more goals with a little better finish around the net. On the team’s fourth power-play chance early in the second, feisty forward Brooklyn Haubrich nailed the post and winger Rachel Johnson missed an open cage.

    After starting out 0-for-4 on the power play, the Huskies cashed in on their fifth power-play chance at the 13:45 mark of the second. Kennedy Harris and Bohlken combined to get the puck over to captain Lauren Zary, who popped home her first goal of the season.

Huskies goalie Cassidy Hendricks stops Pandas forward Alex Poznikoff.

    When quarterbacking the power play, Bohlken’s style is a little different from Flinton’s. Flinton would often rush coast-to-coast with the puck and try to create a scoring chance via that route. Bohlken prefers to control things from the blue-line and set in a play from that spot.

    “I think that is important for any defence is to control the puck and look for your forwards down low (and) look for your defence partner,” said Bohlken. “To not panic with the puck is a huge thing.

    “I still do panic with it, but it is something that I am working on. I think like tonight is an example of how practice pays off. You have to be calm with it.

    “I am not perfect yet. I don’t think I will ever be perfect, but I am trying.”

Kaitlin Willoughby had a key assist for the Huskies.

    The Huskies did have one hiccup on the power-play that allowed the Pandas to even things up at 1-1 just before the seven-minute mark of the third, when Bohlken wasn’t on the ice.

    During a rush attempt into the offensive zone, the Huskies turned the puck over at the U of A blue-line. The Pandas quickly transitioned up ice the other way getting a short-handed goal from captain Sasha Lutz.

    After the Huskies controlled play for the first 40 minutes, the Pandas had a big territorial advantage in the third period and in the two overtime frames. Momentum swung back to the home side, when the Huskies went on their eighth and final power-play chance.

    The Pandas also failed to score on seven power-play opportunities, which also contributed to the final outcome of the contest.

    Cassidy Hendricks made 26 saves to earn the win in goal for the Huskies (2-1). Lindsey Post turned away 24 shots to take the extra time setback in goal for the Pandas (2-0-1), who entered Friday’s encounter rated eighth in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport top 10 rankings.

    The Huskies and Pandas will go at it again on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Rutherford.

    “Every game is a battle,” said Bohlken. “You have to come out in (every) period ready to play or else any team can take advantage and any team can get a goal like we did.

    “It wasn’t our best third period start, and it wasn’t our best third period. It wasn’t our best game. We still have a lot more in us.

    “Hopefully, we can get to playing our best and win some more games.”

Golden Bears prevail in OT over Huskies men’s squad

Michael Sofillas had a goal in a double OT setback for the Huskies.

    The U of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team wasn’t able to find a magical finish in overtime in Edmonton.

    Taking on their forever rivals the U of Alberta Golden Bears, the Huskies saw a 2-1 lead disappear late in the third period before falling 3-2 in double overtime. Bears forward Jamie Crooks potted the equalizer with 8.9 second to play in the third.

    He proceeded to bag the winner at the 1:40 mark of a second five-minute overtime period firing home the winner high glove side on Huskies star netminder Jordon Cooke.

    Rookie Trevor Cox put U of A up 1-0 with a short-handed goal in the first period. Third-year forward Michael Sofillas potted the equalizer in the second for the Huskies to knot the score up at 1-1. Rookie Wyatt Johnson put the Dogs ahead 2-1 with an early third period goal.

    Cooke made 29 saves to take the extra time setback in goal for the Huskies (2-0-1). Kenny Cameron turned away 31 shots to backstop the Bears to victory in their regular season opener.

    The Huskies entered the game rated third in the CIS top 10 rankings, while the Bears were fourth. Both teams face each other again Saturday in Edmonton.

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

Pandas win ugly, hold off Huskies rally

The Pandas celebrate Natasha Steblin's OT winner.

    The University of Alberta Pandas women’s hockey team proved they win the ugly one.

    Had the host University of Saskatchewan Huskies claimed victory, they would have held that same distinction.

    On Saturday night at the ancient Rutherford Rink, the Pandas slipped past the Huskies 2-1 in double overtime in a match that resembled what a New Jersey Devils game looked like back in their Stanley Cup winning years. From the second period onwards, the contest was defined by a whole tonne of clutching and grabbing, and the officials could have called more penalties than 13 total infractions that were issued out.

    Actually, the officials seemed to be trapped in not knowing what calls they should let go and what infractions they should call, which helped to further drag the flow of play down.

    When the dust settled in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport regular season clash, one of the biggest differences that created the final outcome was the fact the Pandas went 2-for-6 on the power play, while the Huskies went 0-for-7 with the one-player advantage.

    The Pandas struck first in Saturday’s clash with 2:03 to play in the opening frame. While working the power play, fifth-year forward Lindsey Cunningham collected the rebound from a Natasha Steblin shot at the side of the U of S goal and potted her third of the season to put U of A up 1-0.

    As the contest progressed, it appeared Cunningham’s tally would hold up to give the Pandas victory. Both teams had trouble working their way up and down the ice, which helped cut down on the scoring opportunities for both sides.

Julia Flinton had a huge goal for the Huskies.

    When scoring chances did come, Lindsey Post stood tall in the Pandas net, while Cassidy Hendricks ensured the Huskies remained within a goal.

    Just when the contest appeared to be stuck in a quagmire, Huskies offensive defender Julia Flinton netted the equalizer with four seconds to play in the third period on a beautiful solo rush. The Williams Lake, B.C., product picked up speed in the centre ice zone, blew by the Pandas defenders and slipped home a backhand shot past Post to even the score at 1-1.

    Near the end of the first four-on-four overtime period, the Huskies had huge chance to pull out the win, when they went on the power play after Pandas forward Deanna Morin was given a minor for checking to the head. The Huskies had three solid chance to win the game on that power-play chance including a point shot that deflected high into the air and almost lobbed into the U of A net. The puck ended up just settling on top of the goal.

    During a second overtime period played under a three-on-three format, the Pandas went to the power play after Huskies centre Lauren Zary was given a slashing minor.

    The visitors capitalized on that chance, when Steblin fired home the winner from the slot passed a screened Hendricks to give the Pandas a 2-1 victory.

    Hendricks made 18 stops taking the overtime setback in goal for the Huskies. Post made 24 saves to earn the win in goal for the Pandas.

    The Huskies record moved to 13-9-4, and they were able to clinch a berth in the Canada West playoffs with the point they earned from the overtime setback. With two regular season games to play, the Huskies sit fourth overall in Canada West two points up on the University of Manitoba Bisons.

    The Pandas improve to 14-9-3 to sit third in Canada West with a four-point cushion on the Huskies thanks mainly to having 13-10 advantage in regulations wins.

    The Huskies close the regular season with a home-and-home series with the U of Regina Cougars (16-9-1). The two teams play this coming Friday in Regina at the Co-operators Centre and this coming Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Rutherford Rink.

Golden Bears pull out brooms in Edmonton

Sean Aschim had a goal for the Huskies in Edmonton on Saturday.

    The University of Alberta Golden Bears served notice that they are still a force to be reckoned with in Canada West men’s hockey.

    On Saturday in Edmonton, the Golden Bears completed a two-game series sweep of the Canada West leading U of Saskatchewan Huskies posting a 5-2 victory before 1,653 spectators at the Clare Drake Arena. The sweep at the hands of U of A marks the first time the Huskies have dropped two straight game all season. The Golden Bears took Friday’s clash in Edmonton between the two club’s 3-0.

    In Saturday’s encounter, Levko Koper, Jordan Rowley and Thomas Carr netted singles to stake the hosts out to a 3-0 lead.

    Jesse Ross and Sean Aschim responded with singles for the Huskies to cut the Golden Bear’s lead to 3-2 heading into the second intermission.

    In the third period, Stephane Legault and Jamie Crooks potted singles to seal victory for the Golden Bears.

    Jordon Cooke made 32 saves to take the loss in goal for the Huskies. Luke Siemens turned away 17 shots to pick up the win in the Golden Bears net.

    The Huskies, who are rated first in the CIS top ten rankings, fell to 21-5, but they have already locked up first overall in Canada West. The Golden Bears, who are rated seventh in the CIS top ten rankings, improve to 17-7-2 to sit third in Canada West just one point behind the Mount Royal University Cougars (17-6-3).

    U of S closes its regular season with a home-and-home series against the University of Regina Cougars (6-20). The two clubs play this coming Friday at 7 p.m. at the Rutherford Rink and on Saturday in Regina at the Co-operators Centre.

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

Huskies finally get rewarded

Kaitlin Willoughby celebrates her second period goal for the Huskies.

    It might be a bit of an understatement to say the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team needed to break back into the win column.

    Entering play Friday, the Huskies had won only won one of their last six games, and in the five setbacks, they had the edge in shots on goal. The effort was there, but the goals had dried up as the Dogs only scored eight times over that stretch. What made the losses even more painful was the fact two were by one goal and two were by two goals.

    The biggest challenge facing Huskies head coach Steve Kook and his staff was trying to keep the confidence of their players elevated and make them believe that the goals will come, if they keep their effort up.

    Heading into their home game Friday night at the ancient Rutherford Rink, the Huskies, who were no longer rated in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport top ten rankings, faced a huge challenge taking on the University of Alberta Pandas, who are a powerhouse club year in and year out in the Canada West Conference.

    In one of those that’s why they play the games moments, the Huskies pulled out a 2-1 victory in the match that resembled what one might see in the post-season.

    The contest turned out to be a goaltending duel between fourth-year veterans Cassidy Hendricks of the Huskies and Lindsey Post of the Pandas. Hendricks turned way 30 shots, while Post made 27 saves.

Centre Lauren Zary jets up ice for the Huskies.

    Over the opening 20 minutes, the Huskies stormed out of the gates with huge jump and outshot the Pandas 17-5. The hosts had some golden chances, but Post slammed the door shut.

    The Huskies mental toughness was tested even further in the second period. The Pandas responded with a big push back, where they were spending large stretches of time in the U of S zone.

    U of A broke through at the 13:23 mark, when third year forward Ashley Morin deked around a Huskies defender and tucked a smart shot past Hendricks to give the Pandas a 1-0 lead.

    The Huskies were at a point they could have folded, but they kept digging deep and finally started to get rewarded around the net. Just three minutes after the Pandas tally, Huskies winger Kaitlin Willoughby broke into the U of A zone with speed, deked past a Pandas defender and roofed a shot top corner on Post to tie things up at 1-1. The tally energized the home side.

    With 22 seconds to play in the second, Huskies were buzzing in the Pandas zone, and U of S centre Lauren Zary corralled a rebound from a Marley Ervine shot at the side of the U of A net and lifted a backhander home to put the Huskies up 2-1. The normally calm Zary proceeded to leap in the air and then jump into the glass with excitement.

    In the third, the Pandas had the majority of the chances, but the Huskies still had a number of moments where they applied pressure in the offensive zone in search for an insurance goal.

Cassidy Hendricks makes a clutch save late in the game for the Huskies.

    The biggest difference maker down the stretch was Hendricks in goal. With under a minute to play, Pandas standout rookie Alex Poznikoff had an opportunity to score from point blank range, but Hendricks was able to trap the puck between her arm and body.

    The win allowed the Huskies to improve to 13-9-3 to remain fourth in the Canada West standings with three games to play. The Pandas dropped to 13-9-3, but they remained three points ahead of the Huskies due to having three more regulation wins. In Canada West women’s play, teams are awarded three points for a regulation win and two points for an extra time victory.

    Both teams will go at it again on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Rutherford Rink, and the Huskies should have a little extra boost in confidence from seeing positive results come from their efforts.

Dogs winning streak ends at nine

Huskies goalie Jordon Cooke made 22 stops in Friday's loss in Edmonton.

    It seemed the University of Alberta Golden Bears men’s hockey team wanted to do everything they could to end the winning streak of their forever rivals, and they were successful in doing just that.

    On Friday night in Edmonton, the Golden Bears blanked the U of Saskatchewan Huskies 3-0 before a large gathering of 1,839 spectators at the Clare Drake Arena in a tightly contested match. Jayden Hart tallied for the hosts at the 9:40 mark of the second period to give the Golden Bears a 1-0 edge.

    The Golden Bears potted a couple of power-play goals in the third, with Jordan Rowley scoring at the 45-second mark and Kruise Reddick tallying at the 17:10 mark. Luke Siemens turned away 23 shots to earn the shutout in goal for U of A.

    Jordon Cooke stopped 22 shots taking the loss in net for the Huskies, who saw their nine-game winning streak come to an end. U of S was 11-0 on the road this season before falling to the Golden Bears on Friday night. The Huskies, who are rated first in the CIS top ten rankings, fell to 21-4, but they entered play Friday having first place in the Canada West Conference all locked up.

    The Golden Bears, who are rated seventh in the CIS top ten rankings, improved to 16-7-2 and sit a point behind the Mount Royal University Cougars (16-6-3) for second in Canada West.

    The Huskies and Golden Bears go at it again on Saturday at the Clare Drake Arena in Edmonton.

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