The Battlefords AAA Sharks' season came to an end Sunday, as they lost in game three to the first overall Regina Rebels.
The Sharks were shut out in their first two games losing 4-0 Tuesday in Regina and 6-0 on home ice Thursday, but game three was a different story.
Regina jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but halfway through the first period, Sharks forward Mallory Roy scored from Keinyn Nordell making it a 2-1 game.
Regina added one more goal in the first period and led 3-1 heading into the second.
In the second frame, Morgan Fraser scored from Brooke Lonoway and the Sharks cut into the Rebels' lead.
Five minutes later, Regina increased their lead back to two goals, but the Sharks weren't content to sit back and watch. Jetta Derenoski scored from Nordell making it a 4-3 game. Nordell failed to register a point in the regular season for the Sharks, her first full season with the team, but tallied two points in the Sharks three playoff goals.
The game ended 4-3, as the Sharks held the Rebels to just seven shots in the third period during their respectable comeback attempt. Jacy Akre, who has been the backbone of the Sharks all season, made 40 saves in the loss.
Sunday's game marked just the third time all season the Rebels have surrendered three goals, which includes four exhibition games, 28 regular season games, four tournament games and three playoff games. They didn't allow more than three goals in any game this season.
That display from the Sharks, despite their record this season, shows they were a much improved team. The Sharks had strong leadership, great goaltending and some potentially strong players in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League.
The Sunday night loss marks the end of four Shark players' careers as Akre, Taylor Durocher, Rachel Trach and Shania Rhinehart will graduate from the team. The Sharks' roster featured a first-year head coach and 11 rookies, who will be looking to the future of this improved program and finding the positives to build on for the 2013-14 season.
