CANORA - The U18 Prairie Ice Girls hockey team hosted the Balcarres Barracudas on Nov. 18 and came out on the short end of an 8-3 final score. The Ice have now lost three straight games to start the season in the South Division of the Sask Female Hockey League.
Head Coach Ryan Hauber said the girls worked hard, and had the deficit down to 4-3 against Balcarres after the second period, but the Barracudas pulled away with four unanswered goals in the third.
“Our girls showed some heart and grit, especially in the first two periods,” said Hauber. “Even though we’ve lost our first three games of the season, the players are showing improvement each game and in practices.”
Balcarres took a 3-0 lead early, but two unassisted late first period goals by Alaina Roebuck and Memphis Tank brought the Ice back to within one by the first intermission. Each team scored once in the middle period, including an unassisted goal by Emma Olson to once again pull the Ice to within a goal before the second intermission. But that turned out to be the home team’s last offense for the evening.
Coach Hauber said he expects the results to improve for the Ice as the season progresses, because the players have consistently given a strong effort in games and in practices.
“We’re working on improving their skills and helping the girls develop their hockey sense,” he said. “I really enjoy being out there with the players, teaching them the game and seeing the best out of every one of them.”
The U18 Prairie Ice roster for the 2023/24 season includes players from 11 communities: Canora, Invermay, Buchanan, Kamsack, Cote First Nation, Sturgis, Fenwood, Langenburg, Melville, Theodore and Yorkton.
Canora players: Paisley Wolkowski, Makayla Heshka, Katherine Hauber and Kaelyn Shukin
Melville: Memphis Tank and Indiana Tank
Yorkton: Jorja Zarowny and Isabelle Smith
Fenwood: Charlotte Henderson and Anna Henderson
Langenburg: Layla Rapchalk
Buchanan: Alaina Roebuck
Sturgis: Emma Olson
Cote FN: Jenaya Stevenson
Kamsack: Brooke Taylor
Invermay: Rachel Enge
Theodore: Helena McKay
Rounding out the team staff with Coach Hauber are assistant coach Jeff Lendvoy and Manager Sherri Roebuck.
The Ice will be busy in December with a total of five games before Christmas. A weekend road trip will see them play at Lumsden on Saturday (Dec. 2) and at Milestone on Sunday (Dec.3). Home games will follow against Carlyle on Dec. 10 and Moose Jaw on Dec. 19. The Ice pre-Christmas schedule closes out with a trip to Balcarres on Dec. 19 for a return engagement with the Barracudas.
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