The University of Saskatchewan Huskies celebrate a 4-2 win in Game 1 of the Canada West quarter-final in Winnipeg on Feb. 25, 2022. (Daniella Ponticelli/HuskieFAN)

By Daniella Ponticelli

Canada West Quarter-final

Shirley hat trick secures Huskies Game 1 win over Bisons

Feb 26, 2022 | 12:15 AM

Huskies women’s hockey delivered a commanding playoff performance for a 4-2 win over the University of Manitoba Bisons in Winnipeg Friday night.

Game 1 of the Canada West quarter-final at Wayne Fleming Arena saw the University of Saskatchewan strike first, and in the opening frame no less.

It’s something the Huskies were unable to do through four regular season games against the Bisons.

“It helps us a lot. Obviously in any game in the regular season, getting the first one is huge, but especially in playoffs,” said Huskies assistant captain Abby Shirley.

Equally huge was the effort from Shirley, who finished the night with her first career hat trick.

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“That’s the type of game that Abby has — when it clicks, it clicks everywhere on the ice,” said Huskies head coach Steve Kook.

Shirley recorded her first goal 11:25 into the first period. The fourth-year forward was helped by rookie defenders Emily Holmes — her first U Sports career assist — and Kendra Zuchotzki.

The goal against Manitoba netminder Erin Fargey marked the Huskies first lead over the Bisons all season.

Manitoba returned the favour less than four minutes later with a power play marker from Vanessa Klimpke, helped by Camryn Gillis and Jena Barscelo.

Tied 1-1 into the second period, Shirley scored again — this time off a feed from first-year defender Larissa Bohlken.

In the third, Bisons’ first-year Julia Bird got the tying second goal past Huskies netminder Camryn Drever, with assists from Ashley Keller and Kate Gregoire.

At exactly 16 minutes into the third, Huskies other assistant captain — Kennedy Brown — came through with a clutch, unassisted, bar-down shot for the game winner.

With Game 1 on the line, Manitoba pulled their goaltender. That left plenty of room for Shirley to swoop in, unassisted, for her third goal of the night.

“I have to give credit to the whole team. We never backed down for a second,” said Shirley.

The last time postseason hat trick for the Huskies was scored by Kaitlin Willoughby in Game 1 of the Canada West quarter-final — also against the Bisons, but in Saskatoon — on Feb. 19, 2016.

After that, the program didn’t see another hatty until Huskies current captain, Bailee Bourassa, notched three in a 4-1 home win over the Grant MacEwan University Griffins on Feb. 4, 2022.

Drever finished Friday’s game with 18 saves for the Huskies while her Manitoba counterpart Fargey recorded a total of 26.

Eight Huskies rookies, and five from the Bisons, played their first U Sports playoff game Friday.

The HuskieFAN broadcast for Game 1 was also noteworthy, as the first playoff game in Canada West to have both home and away calls by women.

Game 2 of the Huskies-Bisons Canada West quarter-final is scheduled for Saturday at 7 p.m. If needed, Game 3 is slated for 3 p.m. Sunday.

The University of Alberta Pandas host the other Canada West quarter-final this weekend, against the sixth-seed University of Regina Cougars.

Alberta took Game 1 with a 3-2 win in regulation.

Listen LIVE to all University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey broadcasts on the HuskieFAN app and at huskiefan.ca.