Huskies women's hockey coach says young squad learning to compete
For the University of Saskatchewan Huskies women's hockey team, much is different this season.
"It's the youngest team we've ever had. I have 15 new to our squad and 13 that have never played at a U-Sport level,” said head coach Steve Kook.
Their only fifth year player is Bailee Bourassa, who led the team in scoring in the 2019-2020 campaign before the pandemic shut things down.
Kook says the six preseason contests they have played so far have been a good opportunity to get younger players up to speed.
"You know the first three were just introducing them to the way we play and the structure that we have. And then you know, the last three were really good I thought, and that was where we learned how to compete at this level."
The response so far, according to Bourassa, has been an impressive showing of on-ice skill from rookies, along with a desire to complete the learning curve.
“I think our younger girls have really took it upon themselves to really reach out and learn some new things. So just helping them with that was really good for me."
Perhaps the biggest skates to fill will be in goal. Gone is former U-Sports All-Canadian Jessica Vance.
Taking over between the pipes is Cameron Drever, who feels the learning experience behind Vance has been valuable and will carry over.
"I think being with the team and just practicing with the girls has given me the experience that I need in order to succeed on the ice. And so I think I'm ready for sure," said Drever.
Kook says Drever knows how to compete at a high level.
"She comes to us with three national championships at the AAA level. So she’s not without that expertise and that sort of competitive fire with her."
The Huskies averaged nearly three goals a game in preseason. Kook says he likes the offensive ability, but there are challenges behind the blue line, though a new defence core is improving.
There will be plenty of motivation as the regular season begins this weekend against their provincial rivals, the University of Regina Cougars.
"Every time we face Regina there is just that extra little bit of fire under us to play them, so it's going to be a really good game," said fourth year forward Abby Shirley.
The first of a home and home set begins in Regina on Friday, with the Huskies home opener Saturday night at Merlis Behsler place.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before Baltimore bridge collapse, officials say
The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent 'routine engine maintenance' in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
Families shocked after Niagara Falls hotel cancels bookings made year in advance of solar eclipse
After having the foresight to book their Niagara Falls hotel rooms more than a year in advance, several families planning to take in the solar eclipse next month were shocked to find out their reservations had been cancelled.
B.C. rescuers face 'high likelihood' of failure to reunite orphaned orca with pod
The race to reunite an orphaned orca calf that’s stuck in a shallow lagoon with a neighbouring pod has entered its fifth day, and a marine scientist says the clock is ticking.
Video shows police interrupting auto theft in progress outside Toronto home
New video footage obtained by CP24 shows the attempted theft of a vehicle in a North York driveway earlier this month that was ultimately interrupted by police.
Majority of Canadians believe in life after death: Angus Reid survey
A new survey from the Angus Reid Institute has found that a majority of Canadians believe in some form of life after death, a proportion that has held steady for decades.
MyPillow, owned by U.S. election denier Mike Lindell, formally evicted from Minnesota warehouse
A court ordered the eviction Wednesday of MyPillow from a suburban Minneapolis warehouse that it formerly used.