Holly Danners scores game-winner for Wildcats

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This article was published 24/01/2024 (604 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The game had a feel of a post-season contest, but it was just another U15 AAA Manitoba Female Hockey League game featuring the Brandon Wheat Kings hosting the Westman Wildcats.

When the ice chips had settled following 60 minutes of hockey, it was the fifth-place Wildcats earning two points by edging the second-place Wheat Kings 2-1.

Wildcats coach David Kirkup said both teams played well, with his squad earning the victory thanks to Wawanesa’s Holly Danners scoring her first goal of the 2023-23 season — the game-winner — on Brandon goalie Shannon Hees.

“You can tell all teams have improved and there is a lot more system play to the game now than at the start of the year,” he observed. “I think that is such a positive as we want to develop the skills so, as players, they are able to make the jump to the next level (like U18 AAA).”

Payton Smith had the other goal, while Jade Campbell answered for the Wheat Kings, who outshot the Wildcats 24-13, but trailed 2-0 after 40 minutes.

Wildcats goalie Indigo Stone was especially sharp in the final period, thwarting any comeback attempts until Campbell scored on a power-play.

Playing .500 in their last 10 games, the Wildcats (9-12-0-1) are especially good as a road team, with six of the nine wins as visitors when away from Deloraine’s home ice.

“We have had some success in the last few games,” said Kirkup. “We have been working a lot on our system plays in all zones of the arena. We have had some good practices that is showing some success in games as of late.”

From his perch on the bench, Kirkup is happy with his team’s play so far following Christmas break.

“The break was a time for the girls to disengage with the game and recharge the battery,” he said. “Before the break, my message was to take some time to enjoy family and come back ready to focus on the remaining part of the season.

“At this moment it looks like the break was good for us as the girls have done that.”

According to Kirkup, special teams will be important in the second half of the season, leading up to the post-season. This is especially important because playoff games tend to be closer as teams implement tighter checking to negate the top snipers than they would during the regular season.

“For the most part, this league has low and close scoring games which will most likely mean the specialty teams could make a difference in a key game. We need to place some attention to making sure those systems are as good as they can be.”

While the Wildcats, currently on a three-game win streak, have been outscored 39-57 in 22 games and trail the first-place Eastman Selects by 26 points, Kirkup said that team can be beaten if you approach the opponent with a simple game plan.

Defence is known to win championships, but Kirkup wants his Wildcats to take the game to a team like the 22-3-0-1 Selects, who have outscored opponents 100-24.

“Success for us will be breaking down their defensive zone to get more traffic in front of the net and make it tough for the goalie to see the puck is needed against any team in this league.”

With the post-season just around the corner for the Wildcats, Kirkup’s message to his players “is to have no regrets.”

It’s a new season, with all teams having a clean slate.

“You do not need your glasses for looking backwards and when the season is over and you look back on how you performed personally, I don’t want any of them to have any regrets,” he explained.

“Leave it all out there and be the best you can be day in and day out. We all want to win, but you can only control your play, so play to the best of your ability and the results will be what they will be.”

And Kirkup and the Wildcats are looking to build on this recent victory facing the Wheat Kings at J&G Homes Arena going into weekend tilts with the sixth-place Yellowhead Chiefs (7-15-0-2) on Saturday in Shoal Lake at 4:30, then hosting the Selects the following day in Deloraine at 1:15 p.m.

Currently, the top three scorers on the Wildcats roster are Jaedyn Hoemser (12-3-15), Chloe Astle (6-4-10) and Callee DeSpiegelaere (7-3-10).

The Wheat Kings (15-9-0-4), meanwhile, have just one weekend game on the MFHL schedule — travelling to Niverville on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. tilt against the Selects.

In the team’s last three league games under the coach Karissa Kirkup, the Wheat Kings have needed shootouts in two, one a 3-2 win facing the fourth-place Central Plains Capitals (8-11-1-4), and a 1-0 setback to the Chiefs.

In the latter contest, it was a goaltenders duel between Hees, who faced 17 shots, and Madison Fleury, who faced 19 shots. Rose Cochrane was the only skater for Yellowhead to score in the shootout.

Against the Capitals, Hees handled 22 shots, while Mandy Anderson in the Central Plains net faced 24.

Outscoring their opposition 51-35, the top three scorers for the Wheat Kings are Brynn Rice (fourth in league 17-6-23), Quinn Twordik (6-10-16) and Rachel Lyver (5-7-12).

Yellowhead might be outscored 45-82 in league play, but the Chiefs can boast having Chloe Facey in third among the league’s top snipers with 11 goals and 24 points. Teammates trailing her among the team’s top three are Nicole Rozdeba (7-10-17) and Casey George (8-8-16).

The top sniper remains Selects forward Emilie Carriere, who has a league-best 21 goals and 38 points.

With just the one game last weekend facing the Wheat Kings, avenging a loss five says earlier when Brandon won 4-2, it will be a busy weekend for Yellowhead hosting two games in Shoal Lake.

Besides the Saturday game with the Wildcats, the Chiefs will face the Capitals on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

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