Hounds bounce Wildcats for nationals berth

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/04/2022 (1486 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HARTNEY — Hundreds of fans were packed in the Hartney Community Rink stands as the Westman Wildcats and Notre Dame Hounds fought for a trip to nationals.

Not long after the final buzzer signalling a 4-1 Hounds win to sweep the Esso Cup western regional series 2-0, everyone knew their place.

The Hounds and their families, parents decked out in the bright red sweaters the team wore for Friday’s win, hit the ice for hugs, photos and loud cheers that echoed throughout the building.

Westman faithful swiftly shifted to the foyer, watching a moment they wished was theirs through the glass.

And the Wildcats trudged to their basement dressing room, where there were few dry eyes.

“A lot of emotions and sadness but I am proud of this group and what we have accomplished this season,” said captain Makenna Beard. “It just sucks we have to go out losing but I love this program and wish I could honestly come back next year.

“With a young group, not many girls had seen a playoff game … I didn’t know what to expect but this group right from the start has been exceptional, right from our goalies to our defence to our forwards.”

Westman still exceeded expectations for a team graduating just three players, Beard, Kelsey Page and Emma Ramsey. The Wildcats went 17-8-2 and earned the No. 3 seed. They swept Central Plains, then bounced Yellowhead in four games and crushed the Winnipeg Ice 3-0 to defend the title they won in 2019.

Players from that team and older squads showed up to cheer their team on to its first trip to nationals since 2009. Their parents took it a step further. The Wildcats require a bunch of volunteers to take care of the gate, 50/50, concessions and more. Parents take turns doing the jobs throughout the year, but moms and dads of graduated players stepped up this weekend so the current ones could enjoy the action.

Westman coach Guy Williams said that’s a first, at least in his time with the club.

“They’re part of a family here and we try and build that as most teams do, but I really think that’s the key,” Williams said.

“Kids as far back as 10, 12 years we talked to this weekend, they still come out to watch and that’s why you see the tears of sadness. It’s a conclusion.”

The Wildcats were clear underdogs but battled hard to stay in both games. They killed two penalties in the first period on Saturday before getting half their eight opening-frame shots on a late power play. Westman goaltender Grace Glover made a couple of big saves to keep it scoreless through 20 minutes. She ended up stopping 37 of 41 shots in a dazzling performance.

“She kept us in it right from the start and she’s the reason why we’re here today,” Beard said.

Mia McGregor nearly opened the scoring on a 2-on-0 eight minutes into the second, but Hounds netminder Eva Filippova kicked her shot aside and Amy Dvernichuk scored almost immediately at the other end.

Callie Rice came close to a highlight-reel marker minutes later, deking out a pair of Hounds on a coast-to-coast rush before Filippova swallowed up her backhand shot.

Notre Dame took the 1-0 edge into the break and doubled it soon after. Kyra Anderson forced a turnover in the Wildcats zone and walked in, rifling the would-be game-winner into the top right corner.

“The message was just ‘This is our last 20 minutes.’ We’re a third-period team and we showed that again (Saturday),” Anderson said. “When I came off the bench and saw the puck I was just like ‘This better go in.’ … I saw that corner and had a lot of anger in that shot. I just ripped it and it went in.”

Westman killed its fourth penalty and drew one right after. On the power play, Rice wired a shot at the top corner that forced a fantastic glove save. She repeated the play on the ensuing faceoff, this time leaving Filippova no chance.

But the one-goal game barely lasted a minute as Payten Evans snuck into the slot and slid a shot through traffic, past Glover without leaving the ice to make it 3-1 with 10 minutes left.

Series MVP Ryann Perrett added an insurance marker with 1:37 remaining, ending Westman’s season.

“We had to come with some grit and play a really hard game. We knew it was going to be tough, stuck with it, fought our hardest and the outcome’s the outcome,” Rice said. “… This year was a great year and it’s a year I’ll never forget. All the girls on the team meant a lot.”

The Hounds are headed to the Esso Cup on May 16-22 in Okotoks, Alta.

“All the hard work we put in over the year, it all paid off and we’re going to nationals. That’s just everybody’s dream,” Anderson said. “The fact that I can be on a team that’s going there, it’s amazing.”

Melita’s Spring Mosset and Dauphin’s Mya Kubrakovich are part of the prep-school program, which is making its first trip to the nationals since winning the tournament in 2011.

The Wildcats aren’t quite done as they head to the Female World Sport School Challenge tournament in Winnipeg this weekend. It’s a chance for the graduating players to end on a better note and for rookies to get more ice time. So there’s still something to play for, but it’s tough to see silver linings in the moments after heartbreak.

Still, Beard found some perspective after her final home game as a Wildcat.

“These past three years have been unreal,” Beard said. “This program is so amazing, I can’t thank them enough for the experience and everything they have taught me moving forward in my hockey career. I’ll take all these memories with me.”

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @thomasmfriesen