The Battlefords AAA Sharks continue to pile up the points early in the SFMAAAHL season.
For the third consecutive time, the Sharks won one of two games in a weekend series, this time splitting games with the Swift Current Wildcats.
In Saturday night's weekend opener, Chloe Marshall made 44 saves for the shutout as the Sharks edged the Wildcats 1-0.
The game's lone goal came early in the first period. Jetta Derenoski struck for the Sharks, netting her sixth goal of the season 4:57 into the game. She beat Wildcats goaltender Loghan Hennes with assists from Misty Bird and MacKenzie Cey.
Marshall preserved the one-goal lead as the Wildcats outshot the Sharks 44-14. It was her first win and first shutout of the season. Hennes made 13 saves to take the loss for the Wildcats.
Swift Current scored twice in the first period of Sunday's match up and held on the defeat the Sharks 3-1.
The Sharks had two early chances to open the scoring in the first period. Cey carried the puck into the Swift Current zone, but her shot was turned aside by the SFMAAAHL's first star of October Jasey Book. Later in the frame, Derenoski blocked a clearing attempt by Gabrielle Gray. The Sharks forward fell down and got back up to receive a pass from Cey, but her shot was stopped by Book.
Battlefords spent the remainder of the first period trapped in their own zone. The Wildcats made them pay with 7:16 to play in the frame. Chloe Smith handled the puck in the Sharks' zone, eventually getting down close to the crease. Her backhand shot beat Marshall to put the Wildcats up 1-0.
Less than three minutes later, the Wildcats went up 2-0. Karlie Bell redirected Gray's high point shot under the cross bar and past Marshall with 4:19 remaining in the first.
The Wildcats kept up the pressure in the second period, but Marshall was equal to the challenge. Her best two saves of the period came after Bird turned the puck over to Kaci Jones. The Swift Current forward snapped the puck on net, but Marshall used her blocker to make the save. The Wildcats recovered it and worked the puck back to the point for a big shot, but Marshall made a blocker save again. The Sharks were outshot 11-2 in the period.
However, Battlefords turned up the pressure in the third period and were rewarded with a goal. Cey took a pass from Derenoski in the corner and skated behind the net. She tried to make a pass into the slot, but it went off a skate and past Book for Cey's second of the season. Derenoski and Maya Tupper were given assists on the goal.
The Sharks kept pressuring for the equalizer as time ticked away. Their best opportunities to even the score came on a five-on-three power play. Cassidy Fehr faked a slap shot and made a backdoor pass to Cey, but the puck was just out of the Sharks forward's reach. Later in the power play, a point shot was deflected by both Laura Harper and Morgan Fraser, but the puck went just wide of the net.
Near the end of the third, Cey skated into the zone and behind the net. Her pass to Derenoski in the slot went off a skate and forced Book to make a good save. The rebound stayed in front of the net and both Cey and Derenoski were unable to knock it into the net.
With 2:39 left to play, Fehr took a penalty for hooking. Despite that, Derenoski had a shorthanded chance. She fended off two Wildcats defenders, but had the puck knocked off her stick just before her shot.
The Sharks continued to apply pressure late. They pulled Marshall to have five-on-five hockey again. However, with 44 seconds left, Smith got the puck out of the Wildcats zone and scored into the Sharks' empty net, sealing the 3-1 win.
Book earned her sixth win of the season by stopping 13 of 14 shots. She remains unbeaten on the year. Marshall was strong as she made 33 saves in a losing effort.
With the one win this weekend, the Sharks (3-5-0-0) matched their point total from all of last season. They hit the road next weekend for two games in Melville. The Sharks return to Battleford Arena Nov. 15 and 16 for games against the Saskatoon Stars. Game times are 7:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. respectively.
