WHKY: Cougars eliminate Spartans, advance to semis
February 19, 2023
CALGARY - The Cougars are moving on.
The Mount Royal University Cougars eliminated the Trinity Western Spartans with a 3-1 win in game three of the Canada West Women's Hockey Quarter-Final and advance to play the University of Alberta Pandas in the semi-final.
For the third straight game, these two teams were scoreless after the first period.
The Cougars started the second period on a five-on-three powerplay. Mount Royal was unable to score in overtime of game two with the same advantage. But this time, the Cougars lit the lamp. Emma Bergesen fed a pass over to Athena Hauck who shot a slapshot through Spartans goaltender, Kate Fawcett. The tally was Hauck's second of the low-scoring quarter final series.
Game two overtime hero, Kate Klassen tied it up for Trinity Western early in a four minute powerplay. Amy Potomak's point shot was deflected by Klassen and fooled Cougars netminder, Kaitlyn Ross.
The Cougars regained the lead late in the third when Ava Metzger received a drop pass from Kaia Borbandy and fired a wrist shot past Kate Fawcett.
"I've really been listening to the older girls and Scott [Rivett]," said Metzger, a rookie for MRU. "Whatever they say I really take to heart and it's really helped."
Breanne Trotter sealed the win for MRU when she jammed one through for a goal.
The Spartans can hold their heads high after a courageous effort in their first ever Canada West playoff series.
"For a first playoff series, the learning curve was pretty steep and I think we learned quite a bit," said Jean Laforest, Trinity Western head coach. "Three games in three nights is pretty tough."
"I'm super proud of our team. We came from winning two games last year, to giving MRU all that we had in this series," said Chelsea Debusschere, a fourth year defender for the Spartans.
The Cougars will move on to play the University of Alberta Pandas in the semi-final. Mount Royal will look forward to resting up but then preparing to head to Edmonton for their second round matchup.
"It'll be rest and recovery here for the next few days," voiced MRU head coach, Scott Rivett. "We'll try to build energy and a game plan for U of A through the course of this week and then be ready to hit the ice at two o'clock on Friday. Their obviously a great opponent, so we'll certainly have our hands full but it will be a challenge our group will be up for."
The Mount Royal University Cougars eliminated the Trinity Western Spartans with a 3-1 win in game three of the Canada West Women's Hockey Quarter-Final and advance to play the University of Alberta Pandas in the semi-final.
For the third straight game, these two teams were scoreless after the first period.
The Cougars started the second period on a five-on-three powerplay. Mount Royal was unable to score in overtime of game two with the same advantage. But this time, the Cougars lit the lamp. Emma Bergesen fed a pass over to Athena Hauck who shot a slapshot through Spartans goaltender, Kate Fawcett. The tally was Hauck's second of the low-scoring quarter final series.
Game two overtime hero, Kate Klassen tied it up for Trinity Western early in a four minute powerplay. Amy Potomak's point shot was deflected by Klassen and fooled Cougars netminder, Kaitlyn Ross.
The Cougars regained the lead late in the third when Ava Metzger received a drop pass from Kaia Borbandy and fired a wrist shot past Kate Fawcett.
"I've really been listening to the older girls and Scott [Rivett]," said Metzger, a rookie for MRU. "Whatever they say I really take to heart and it's really helped."
Breanne Trotter sealed the win for MRU when she jammed one through for a goal.
The Spartans can hold their heads high after a courageous effort in their first ever Canada West playoff series.
"For a first playoff series, the learning curve was pretty steep and I think we learned quite a bit," said Jean Laforest, Trinity Western head coach. "Three games in three nights is pretty tough."
"I'm super proud of our team. We came from winning two games last year, to giving MRU all that we had in this series," said Chelsea Debusschere, a fourth year defender for the Spartans.
The Cougars will move on to play the University of Alberta Pandas in the semi-final. Mount Royal will look forward to resting up but then preparing to head to Edmonton for their second round matchup.
"It'll be rest and recovery here for the next few days," voiced MRU head coach, Scott Rivett. "We'll try to build energy and a game plan for U of A through the course of this week and then be ready to hit the ice at two o'clock on Friday. Their obviously a great opponent, so we'll certainly have our hands full but it will be a challenge our group will be up for."