Cougars find rhythm in nationals opener
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/03/2025 (208 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The Assiniboine Cougars women’s hockey team opened the American Collegiate Hockey Association Division 2 national championship on the right foot Friday with a 4-1 win over the Providence College Friars.
But it wasn’t a great start.
The team struggled for the first 10 minutes according to head coach David Kirkup before settling into a rhythm and playing the type of game they built their reputation on.
Assiniboine College goaltender Payton Murray, shown during a home game earlier this season, turned away 18 of 19 shots in the Cougars’ 2025 ACHA Division 2 national championship opener on Friday. (Matt Packwood/The Brandon Sun)
“You could tell they were playing with a lot of nerves and excitement,” said Kirkup.
“Once we settled into our own natural game and started playing like we can they all started to play a much better brand of hockey.”
For a team that has been to nationals multiple times and has been eagerly waiting the past three weeks for the tournament to get underway, you could understand why the team was playing with heightened emotion in the opening frame.
No better time for some reassuring words to a skilled and experienced team.
“I said to the girls on the bench halfway through the first period, ‘I want you to be intense but I want you to be relaxed,’” Kirkup said.
“You could tell everyone was really uptight. Once everyone started to relax we just went out and played the kind of game that got us here.”
Madison Haliuk had a pair of goals, as the Binscarth product opened the scoring 6:35 into the second period before adding another just 46 seconds into the third.
Providence’s Caroline Sharpe answered seven minutes later, but it was the only success the Friars found all day as goaltender Payton Murray turned away 18 of 19 shots for the Cougars.
Payton Malchuk and Kasey Fouillard also scored for the Cougars while Lexy Waddell had a pair of assists.
Despite the rocky start, Kirkup was pleased with how his team played in the final two periods, and credited the entire team’s ability to stay focused on the end goal.
“After the game I commented that everyone contributed in some way,” said Kirkup.
“Everyone on the team helped pull the rope, sure some might have played more minutes than others, but everyone stepped up today and made an impact.”
The squad opened the national championship at the Centene Community Ice Center in Maryland Heights, just outside St. Louis, Mo.
The Cougars second game comes today against Central Michigan University before concluding pool play Sunday against Eastern Michigan University.
» mpackwood@brandonsun.com