‘We need more banners:’ Huskies head coach Steve Kook

Mar 9, 2022 | 7:18 PM

A lack of motivation won’t be a factor for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team as they visit the UBC Thunderbirds in the Canada West Final. (Mar 11-13) Both programs have already secured spots in the USports women’s hockey championships which will run March 24^th to the 27^th in Charlottetown, PEI. For the Huskies this about the past, present and the future. “We need more banners!” said Huskies head coach Steve Kook.

Since Canada West women’s hockey competition started in the 1997-98 season, the Huskies have claimed one conference title. (2014) The U of S men’s team has earned seven Canada West titles in that same time frame. “The girls look up at the banners (at Merlis Belsher Place) and they see one of ours, and a plethora of the guys. It burns a little bit.”

The second place T-Birds finished with a 14 and 6 regular season record, while the fifth place Huskies were 11-7 with a pair of overtime losses, good enough for fifth place in the conference. Just four points separated the teams in the regular season. The Huskies and T-Birds split the lone regular season series, November 26^th and 27^th at Merlis Belsher Place.

Not only have the Huskies received great goaltending from Camryn Drever, but Kook’s veterans have taken charge in the second half of the season. “Bailee (Bourassa), Abby (Shirley), and Brownie (Kennedy Brown) have decided we are going to get it out of our zone and play in their end.” Brown, a third year forward, scored the overtime winner in last Saturday’s 2-1 semi-final victory Mount Royal which secured the Huskies’ trip to the Canada West final along with the USports Championship.

When asked what to expect from UBC, Kook said “Physical play. They’ve got a lot of players who can rip the puck.” The Thunderbirds are led by second year forward, Chanreet Bassi, who had 22 points in 19 regular season games. Kook knows his team will have to be mindful of Bassi. “She’s got good wheels. She’s just a mature player with a lot of composure.”

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Asked if the Huskies will make many alterations for the Canada West final against the T-Birds, Kook said: “The team is really starting to identify what they are good at. You try not to change too much, but you add little tweaks here and there, depending on how you are playing.”

HuskieFAN’s Daniella Ponticelli will have the play by play of the Canada West Final on the HuskieFAN app/HuskieFAN.ca live from Vancouer. The schedule for the best of three conference Canada West women’s hockey championship is:

Friday March 11^th – Saskatchewan at UBC – 9 pm (Saskatchewan Time)

Saturday March 12^th – Saskatchewan at UBC – 9pm (Saskatchewan Time)

Sunday March 13^th – Saskatchewan at UBC – 3pm (Saskatchewan Time) (If necessary)

by Wray Morrison

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‘We need more banners:’ Huskies head coach Steve Kook

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