Published: Tuesday, 17 November 2020 11:44
Written by Corey Atkinson

In any normal hockey season, former Swift Current Wildcat Crystal Wale would be able to go to a place like Dakota College at Bottineau and be able to come back home for weekends or have family come down to see her play.

It is, after all, only about a five-hour drive from her hometown in Moose Jaw to Bottineau.

But while being tantalizingly close to home geographically while pursuing post-secondary schooling and hockey, the 18-year-old Wale is helping to start a women’s hockey tradition at the school, which is putting a women’s team on the ice for the first time.

Last weekend was the Ladyjacks’ first-ever regular-season games with the Dakota College at Bottineau, as they play in the American Collegiate Hockey Conference Division 2. Wale had spent the last three seasons with Swift Current of the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League.

“I wasn’t planning on playing hockey, but once the recruiter called me, I got really excited, and the expenses weren’t too much of a difference if I’d stayed in Sask and not played hockey, and I really did want to play hockey after (U18),” Wale said.

Wale recorded 16 goals and 24 assists in 86 regular-season games with Swift Current.

Wale is taking nursing at the school in her class time. The Ladyjacks lost a close couple of games at North Dakota State.

“We have a lot of work to do. But the team played very well last weekend, given the limited time we’ve been together… We lost our first game 2-0 and lost the second game in overtime 4-3,” she said. “Which, honestly, I didn’t think that was that bad at all with the circumstances that we’ve only been together for a few months and these other teams have been playing together for years and practicing a lot longer than we have.”

Wale said the Ladyjacks are getting a lot closer and feels they’re going to have a good season.

With the pandemic, though, it’s a bit different.

“When we go back to Canada, we have to quarantine for two weeks no matter what,” she said. “It’s pretty difficult not having my family here with me, especially not being at my first game, and not being able to come to my games no matter what. The support of my family has gotten me far and my parents are very supportive with the decisions I make. I’m hoping the borders will open up at some time.”

Games are going to be live-streamed, so they will be able to watch her, as she plays against Minot State University this weekend in non-league games.

“Our team and North Dakota State University (in Fargo) are the only teams in our league that are playing right now,” she said. “We’re just playing Minot next weekend just to get some games in and more practice, and the weekend after that we play North Dakota State University two more times.”

Published: Sunday, 15 November 2020 17:00 Written by David Zammi

For the second time in as many days, the Regina Rebels were able to eke past the Swift Current Innovation Credit Union Wildcats, this time in double overtime.

Rebels forward Greta Henderson scored the overtime winner, her second of the game, helping Regina securing a 3-2 win over Swift Current this afternoon.

Janelle Evans was the other Rebels goal scorer, she also added an assist too. While goalie Payton Schlamp made 32 saves in net picking up her second win of the weekend.

Swift Current received goals from Paris Appel and Ava Metzger. And Wildcats goaltender Amaya Giraudier was busy in net making 34 saves.

“I think that’s more the style Terry wants us to play, we competed hard,” Metzger said. “I think that was the closest to a full 60 minutes we’ve played all year and it showed off.”

In the first period, the two teams exchanged goals, with Henderson opening the scoring with just over 2 minutes remaining in the period putting the Rebels ahead 1-0. The Wildcats answered right back before the end of the period with 23 seconds remaining Appel jumped on a rebound left by Schlamp and netted her first goal of the year tying the game at 1-1.

There was no scoring in the second period, however, Giraudier made a potential save of the year on Rebels forward Allee Gerrard.

“Amaya played very well today,” Metzger said. “She had a couple deadly save and robbed a couple of girls.”

Evans put the Rebels up 2-1 with about 9 minutes left in the 3rd period as she converted on a 2-on-1 beating Giraudier high glove. Less than two minutes later, the Wildcats evened the game back up as Samantha Thompson centred the puck for Metzger who made no mistake and beat Schlamp through the five-hole to tie the game at 2-2.

“Sam and I went down on a 2-on-2,” Metzger explained. “Sam got down low and set me up in the slot and just a quick release and hit the back of the net.”

Both teams had plenty of chances in the first overtime frame. It wasn’t until the second overtime (3-on-3) when Henderson’s goal decided the game’s fate.

The special teams battle was fairly even as both teams had six powerplay opportunities with the Wildcats going 1-for-6 and Regina going 0-for-6.

Swift Current’s back in action on Saturday when they welcome the 2-0 Norte Dame Hounds to the Innovation Credit Union iPlex.

“We need to practice hard all week,” Metzger said is the key to preparing for their pair of games against the Hounds next weekend. “We had a good week of practices this week and I know we didn’t win but I think those were the best two games we’ve played this season and that was followed up by three good practices.”

Puck drop for Saturday’s game is 3:45 p.m.

The Innovation Credit Union Wildcats are pleased to announce a partnership with Amateur Sports TV to broadcast all home games played at the Credit Union iplex this year. The broadcasts will consist of a live video feed with play-by-play. The online broadcast will be available on the Amateur Sports TV website (https://amateursports.tv/). Access to the Amateur Sports TV broadcast can be found on the Innovation Credit Union Wildcats website.

The Innovation Credit Union Wildcats are excited to announce that former Swift Current Broncos (WHL) and Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL) play-by-play broadcaster, Shawn Mullin, will be doing the majority of the play by play for Wildcats hockey this winter. Mullin spent nine seasons as the play-by-play voice of the Western Hockey League’s Swift Current Broncos. Prior to coming to Swift Current, Mullin was the play-by-play voice of the Trail Smoke Eaters of the British Columbia Hockey League.

The first broadcast will be Saturday, November 7, 2020 when the Weyburn Gold Wings come to Swift Current to open the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League’s 2020-2021 regular season.

If your company is interested in advertising on the Wildcat broadcasts, contact Amateur TV Sports or the Innovation Credit Union Wildcats.

BY STEVEN MAH -October 31, 2020
Southwest Booster

The Swift Current Innovation Credit Union Wildcats lost their exhibition finale 5-4 to the visiting Notre Dame Hounds on Friday. The Wildcats never led, but they fought back to tie the game on three occasions before allowing the only goal of the third period.

Captain Baylee Kirwan scored twice, while Gracie Georget and Calli Arnold also scored. Ava Metzger led the Wildcats with two assists, while Kamryn Johnson, Caitlyn Perlinger, Jessica Bouffard, and Laiken Swan added singles. Aurora Van Wormer made 23 saves on 28 shots.

Emma Thomas led the Hounds with two goals as they replied to a 3-2 loss to the Wildcats one week ago in Wilcox. Kaitlyn Gilroy, Ryann Perrett, and Alexia Hill also scored for the visitors. Bailey Lindsay made 13 saves on 17 shots in the start. Kayla Bailey stopped all 10 shots she faced to earn the win in a relief appearance.

“Slower start but we came back, like four shots in the first period, but 15 in the second, so I thought we got better as it came on I guess,” said Metzger, a Moosomin product who skated for the Saskatoon Stars last season. “We were better in our D zone, more stops and starts than in Notre Dame there. More offensive shots, we had more shots today than we did last game. Just we showed up faster than last game.”

The Wildcats had also found themselves behind by two goals in their exhibition opener before scoring three unanswered goals to earn the win.

“Conditioning. Make sure we’re focused up at the start and we need to protect the house a little bit more than we have been,” said Metzger of the slow starts.

Notre Dame scored twice on three power play opportunities, while the Wildcats scored once on three man-advantages.

The Wildcats will open the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League

regular season on Saturday when they host the Weyburn Gold Wings at 1 p.m. at the Innovation Credit Union iplex. The two teams will rematch on Sunday in Weyburn.

“Yeah a little bit more work to do, but I think we’ll be ready to go come next weekend,” said Metzger.

The Wildcats will play all of their games until January 17 against the Gold Wings, Regina Rebels, and Hounds due to COVID-19 precautions.

“We want to be that team that when we leave the rink they will be ‘Holy that was a hard team to play against.’ Just our compete level is there every shift and work hard with purpose,” said Metzger of her new team.

Published: Saturday, 31 October 2020 00:48
Written by David Zammit

The Swift Current Innovation Credit Union Wildcats dropped their exhibition finale tonight against the visiting Notre Dame Hounds.

Hounds forward Kaitlyn Gilroy scored the game-winner on a breakaway with 9:40 left in the third period to lift her team to a 5-4 win and a 1-1 split with the Wildcats in preseason play.

Baylee Kirwan scored a pair of goals for the Wildcats in the second period, while Calli Arnold and Gracie Georget added single tally’s in the loss. Wildcats forward Ava Metzger picked up a pair of assists and rookie netminder Aurora Van Wormer made 23 saves.

Aside from Gilroy’s goal, Emma Thomas scored twice for the Hounds, with Alexia Hill and Ryann Perrett scoring too. Goalie Bailey Lindsay started for the Hounds stopping 13 of 17 shots while backup Kayla Bailey stopped all ten shots she faced.

“Slower start but we came back, like four shots in the first period, but 15 in the second, so I thought we got better as it came on,” Metzger said reflecting on the game.

The Wildcats spent some time this week in practice working on defensive zone play and although the team gave up three more goals in the game to the Hounds, the former Saskatoon Star believes the team made a step forward.

“We were better in our D zone, more stops and starts than in Notre Dame there,” she said. “More offensive shots, we had more shots today than we did last game. Just we showed up faster than last game.”

Next up for the Wildcats is a home-and-home with the Weyburn Gold Wings, beginning at 2:45 p.m. on Saturday at the Innovation Credit Union iPlex. The two clubs will then head back to Weyburn for a Sunday afternoon game.