Huskies forward Kate Ball recorded her seventh assist of the season against the University of Manitoba Bisons in Winnipeg on Feb. 12, 2022. (Daniella Ponticelli/HuskieFAN)

By Daniella Ponticelli

Sask. closes season with 24 points

Huskies women’s hockey look to postseason after 2-1 loss to Bisons

Feb 12, 2022 | 9:32 PM

The 2021-22 regular season came to a close in Winnipeg for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team.

Looking for redemption after a 3-0 loss to the University of Manitoba Bisons Friday night, the Huskies rallied for a rematch at Wayne Fleming Arena Saturday afternoon.

Manitoba opened scoring 15:10 into the first period on a goal by Kylie Lesuk, assisted by Vanessa Klimpke and Halle Edwards.

The Bisons added another to the tally 19 minutes into the second, a goal by Julia Bird — her second of the series — with help from Kate Gregoire and Camille Enns.

Huskies foward Sophie Lalor recorded her fifth goal of the season to put Saskatchewan on the scoreboard 4:26 into the third, assisted by Kate Ball and Kara Kondrat.

shutout victory

Complete effort gives Huskies weekend sweep of Manitoba

Nov 03, 2024

Huskies advance to Hardy Cup

18-point fourth quarter lifts Huskies to victory

Nov 02, 2024

women lose in ot

Huskies men survive late scare to claim shootout win

Nov 02, 2024

Despite the momentum, and a 6-on-5 effort in final seconds, Saskatchewan fell short — defeated 2-1 by the Bisons.

“No matter what the outcome of the last game here was, we really had a strong push at the end — we almost tied the game — and the girls came out with fire in that last period,” said Huskies captain Bailee Bourassa.

Fifth-year Bourassa closed her final regular season as the leading scorer for Saskatchewan with seven goals, four assists for 11 points.

Lalor is the second-leading scorer at 10 points, and the only Huskie to score against the Bisons this regular season. Both goals came in the third-period besting Manitoba goaltender Kimberley Davidson, who made 26 saves Saturday.

Huskies goaltender Camryn Drever made 21 saves in her sixteenth start, finishing the regular season with a 8-7-1 record, a 1.49 goals against average and 0.949 save percentage.

Saskatchewan closes the 2021-22 regular season with 11 wins, seven losses and two overtime defeats for 24 points.

“If the third period (Saturday) is how we end, and we walk out of here, I’m okay with that. We just gotta make sure that we’re ready to play whoever we play (in the postseason),” said head coach Steve Kook.

Saskatchewan now falls to fourth in Canada West, tied with UBC, who still have a regular season series next weekend and the tiebreaker over the Huskies.

Without a win in Winnipeg, the Huskies are destined to play a best-of-three Canada West quarterfinal series on the road the last weekend of February.

Their opponent will be determined next weekend, as several Canada West teams close their seasons.

Kook said the end of season bye will be welcome rest for the team.

Two Huskies, first-year forwards Bronwyn Boucher and Kara Kondrat, sustained boarding injuries on separate plays Saturday.

Boucher was helped off the ice by teammates and a trainer in the final minute of the second, while Kondrat tweaked her shoulder in the third frame. Both continue to be monitored at this time.

With Boucher out of the starting line, rookie forward Miranda Heidt was rotated in — delivering several good shots on net.

“That’s why we put Miranda up there. She was skating well, shooting well tonight, finding holes,” Kook said.

“We moved (Jordyn) Holmes in for Kondrat. By the end of the game we had to Frankenstein a lineup together.”

Bourassa said this final weekend of the regular season has shown the Huskies’ rookie core what’s needed in the postseason.

“If I’m being honest, I couldn’t pick a better group of girls to be more excited about going into playoffs with, so I’m just taking in all the positives,” she said.

The best-of-three Canada West quarterfinal series is scheduled for Feb. 25-27.

HuskieFAN will continue broadcasting all home and away games for Huskies women’s hockey throughout the postseason.