Cougars set sights on Western Shield return

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This article was published 18/03/2015 (4045 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As defending provincial champions, the Assiniboine Community College Cougars women’s hockey team knows they’re going to have a giant target on their backs this weekend.

The Cougars travel to St. Adolphe for Hockey Manitoba’s female Senior B provincials, kicking the tournament off against Minnedosa on Friday at 10 a.m.

“We know all the teams will be gunning for us because we’re the defending champions,” Cougars head coach Terry Arksey said.

While the team has undergone quite a few changes from one year ago, Arksey said the exposure the Cougars got from making it to the final of the Western Shield Senior B women’s championship in Red Deer, Alta. last spring aided the recruitment process this season. The Cougars earned a berth in the championship by winning provincials.

“We had a fair amount of turnover, but we still have a very strong nucleus that know what is expected of them,” Arksey said.

Though the team doesn’t play in a collegiate league, ACC gives priority to college students that want to play on the team, then use Brandon University students and other hockey players from the area to fill out the roster.

Arksey said the Cougars played a 31-game schedule this season, including a home-and-home with teams in the Manitoba Women’s Junior Hockey League and two trips to the United States to play teams in the American Collegiate Hockey Association.

ACC is led by mobile defencemen Bree Vanhove and Simone Turner-Cummer, while Laura Williams and Karissa Haney have provided the lion’s share of the offensive punch.

“When we get our legs under us we can skate with any team,” Arksey said. “We like to get in on the forecheck. We move the puck well and if we move our feet we can put a lot of pressure on the other team.”

The team’s greatest assets, however, might be between the pipes where Brianna Workman and Amy Murray are capable of stealing a game even when the Cougars aren’t at their best.

“They’re both really competitive and they know how to play in the big games,” Arksey said.

Workman, who starred for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies for two seasons before returning to Brandon University to finish her history degree, is eager to try to get back to the Western Shield again this year after tasting success last season.

“I think that was a good experience for a lot of girls that maybe haven’t played that competitive of hockey before,” the 23-year-old Workman said. “It helps us prepare for provincials.”

The Cougars have been to provincials in four consecutive years, never finishing higher than third before winning last season.

Workman backstopped the team in two of those tournaments, and has her eyes set on capturing another title.

“We have a good chance to win again,” the right-handed catching goaltender said. “We’re a well rounded team. Everyone is really excited and ready to play their part.”

ACC plays its second game against the Prairie Fire on Friday at 4:45 p.m., before wrapping up the round-robin portion of the tournament on Saturday against the Royals at 1:30 p.m.

The top two teams from both four-team pools advance to the championship round on Sunday.

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