The Estevan bantam Bearcats saw their season come to an end on Feb. 23 against the Moose Jaw Mavericks, but they still put an early scare into a team that went a perfect 22-0 during the regular season.
The Mavericks defeated the Bearcats 6-1 on Feb. 23 at the Power Dodge Ice Centre to sweep the best-of-three series in the Saskatchewan Female Hockey League. Moose Jaw won Game 1 9-4 six days earlier.
Much like Game 1, which was tied 3-3 after the first period, the Bearcats battled hard in the opening frame. Caydence Chapman scored 5:53 into the frame to get the Bearcats the lead. Moose Jaw tied the game a few minutes later, and notched the go-ahead goal with 56 seconds remaining in the period.
The Mavericks would strike twice in each of the second and third periods to wrap up the series.
Emmey Rae was in goal for the Bearcats.
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The Estevan atom Bearcats and the Estevan Senchuk atom Bearcats were in Swift Current from Feb. 22-24 for league playoffs.
The atom Bearcats went 1-2, but they were in the pool with the top two teams. They opened the tournament with a 5-4 loss against the Western Prairie Redwings, who went on to win the tournament. Kaybree Fonstad, Kadence Grimes, Presley Hollingshead and Julia Durr scored for Estevan.
Their second game was an 8-1 win over the Weyburn Red. Alexis Williamson had three goals, while Durr and Hollingshead each scored twice. Fonstad had the other goal.
The atom Bearcats final game was a 4-1 loss to the Swift Current Thunder, who had the best record in the league during the regular season. Durr’s goal with seven minutes to play in the first opened the scoring.
Taylor Short was in goal for all of the games.
The Senchuk Bearcats went 3-0 in their pool in the round robin, but came up short in the semifinal.
They played Weyburn Gold in the first game and won 2-1, with Gracyn Einarson scoring both goals. Their second game was against the Southwest Cyclones, which they won 3-1. Finity Bourassa, Ella Fornwald and Miley Lockerby each scored once.
In their final round robin game, they played the Weyburn Blizzards and won 3-0, with Fornwald, Einarson and Lockerby each getting a goal.
In the semifinal, they met the Thunder, and lost 2-1 in a shootout. Lockerby had their lone goal.
Kiara Barker was in goal for all of the games.
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The Estevan peewee Bearcats were eliminated from the playoffs after losing two overtime games to the Parkland Fire.
They lost 4-3 in overtime on Feb. 24 in Melville, and 3-2 in extra time on Feb. 27 in Estevan.
Kaylin Wilhelm, Kallie MacMillan and Lauren Hassler scored for Estevan; Hassler’s goal midway through the third sent the game to overtime, but Melville scored with six minutes remaining in extra time.
Brooke McKinnon and Kallie MacMillan scored for Estevan in Game 2. Both goals game in the second period, and gave Estevan a 2-1 lead.
The Fire scored in the third, and added the overtime winner in the second frame.
Riley Scott was in goal for Estevan for both games.
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The Carlyle midget A Wildcats were eliminated from the playoffs in a 2-1 to the Prairie Storm Thunder Feb. 24 in Pilot Butte. The Thunder won the best-of-three first round series in three games.
Beth McCarthy’s goal four minutes into the first period gave the Wildcats a 1-0 advantage, but the Thunder responded with two of their own in the second.
Kaili Adams was in goal for Carlyle.
