The Battlefords North Stars weren't the only local team on a southern tour this past weekend.
Also down south were the Battlefords Female AAA Sharks, who were in Wilcox Saturday and Sunday for what proved to be an eventful two games at Duncan McNeill Arena against the Notre Dame AAA Hounds.
The first game Saturday afternoon saw the Hounds defeat the Sharks by a 6-0 score. A hat trick was scored by Katelyn Breitkreuz, while MacKenzie Kuffner scored twice. Maeve McGauley had a goal and four assists in the win. Rachel Mitchell stopped 16 of 22 shots for the Sharks.
After the game, the Sharks players hung around and watched the Battlefords North Stars take on the SJHL's Notre Dame Hounds in the evening contest.
North Stars coach Kevin Hasselberg later credited the Sharks' players for their encouragement from the stands, helping spur on the North Stars to a 3-2 overtime win to end their eight-game losing streak.
"To get that support from them was uplifting," Hasselberg said of the Sharks. "Certainly that extra boost would have helped us in that hockey game."
Unfortunately, the Sharks weren't able to translate the winning feeling of the previous night to their own rematch with the midget Hounds the following afternoon. They ended up on the wrong end of a 5-0 score.
Maeve McGauley scored the hat trick in leading the Hounds to victory. Again, Notre Dame's offence overwhelmed the Sharks despite the best efforts of goalie Rachel Mitchell, who stopped 22 of 27 shots fired her way.
The next action for the Battlefords Sharks is Nov. 9 and 10 when they are home for two games against the Melville Fox FM Prairie Fire at Battleford Arena. Game times are 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and noon Sunday.
The Sharks are planning a special promotion during those two weekend games called "Stick It to Cancer.". It will be a breast cancer fundraiser with a raffle table, a progressive 50/50, a silent auction and jersey auction. Proceeds from the auctioned jerseys will go towards cancer research.
Hockey fans in the area are being encouraged by the Sharks organization to pack the arena to lend support both to the team and towards efforts to fight cancer this weekend.
