Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – At opposite ends of their careers with the Griffins, graduating senior Makenna Schuttler and first-year rookie Maria Ayre scored back-to-back clutch third-period goals to lift MacEwan past Manitoba 3-2 in their final game of the 2023-24 regular season Saturday.
The moment couldn't be more incredible for Schuttler, who was mobbed by her teammates and lauded by a large, jubilant crowd mostly filled with friends, family and alumni on Senior Day after her goal put the Griffins up 2-1 2:37 into the third period.
"It was exciting," said Schuttler, who has been with the Griffins since transferring from the University of Ottawa midway through the 2019-20 season. "The big theme for us all year was just to play for each other, and I think we just left it all out there tonight. To score for my teammates tonight … when I got back to the bench there was lots of hugs fist-bumps, so it's something I'll remember forever."
W��| RECAP
— MacEwan Griffins (@MacEwanGriffins) February 4, 2024
Makenna Schuttler scores in her final university game on #SeniorDay as @MacEwanHockey beats the @umbisons 3-2 to close out the @CanadaWest season on a high note.#GriffNation
STORY➡️https://t.co/F25ukV2Z0o pic.twitter.com/Wd1e0tceU9
With the result, the Griffins finish the Canada West women's hockey season with a 5-21-2 record, while Manitoba drops to 10-15-1. The Bisons have already clinched a playoff spot with two games remaining.
Through all the ups and downs of the 2023-24 season, for the Griffins to finish it off with a win meant the world.
"I think it meant a lot, especially to the seniors, but to our whole team," said head coach Chris Leeming. "Especially after yesterday, facing the adversity that they did, we came back hungry. I could tell leaving the room yesterday they weren't going to roll over and be satisfied with that. They showed up today and played a great 60 minutes for each other."
Goaltender Brianna Sank, who plans to return to MacEwan for her fifth season of eligibility in 2024-25, was front and centre in the victory as the Griffins were outshot 30-17. But she made 28 saves, including a scintillating pad stop in the first period that had the crowd roaring and clanging cowbells.
W��| UPDATE
— MacEwan Griffins (@MacEwanGriffins) February 3, 2024
Brianna Sank gets the crowd roaring after a huge save on the penalty kill.@MacEwanHockey and the @umbisons are tied 1-1 after 20 minutes. Shots are 9-6 for the visitors.@CanadaWest #GriffNation pic.twitter.com/uMrZhZfcQ4
Then, with Manitoba enjoying a 6-on-5 advantage after pulling goaltender Emily Shippam with 2:10 left, Sank held the fort and preserved the victory.
The waning moments had the potential to be a déjà vu after the Bisons tied Friday's contest and won it in overtime. But the Griffins went to school on what they didn't do when they got stuck in their zone a night earlier, led by their seniors. Schuttler had a huge clear, Jack a key block and Sydney Hughson froze the puck on the wall to kill the final few seconds.
"We just talked in between the second and third that it was going to take second and third efforts," said Leeming. "And I think it really showed, especially with Sank holding that post there when they took three or four whacks at a puck. Jesse blocked a couple shots, one with her face – right in the neck. There was just a lot of sacrifice. That was what we needed to do to execute. It was nice to finish with that win."
Allee Isley opened the scoring for the Griffins just 1:35 into the game when her power-play shot caromed off Manitoba's Camryn Gillis and in as she was attempting to clear the rebound.
Manitoba tied it with 3:26 left in the first period, when Brenna Nicol scored her third goal of the weekend – tipping Rachel Gottfried's power-play shot past Sank.
Schuttler had a great chance to put the Griffins out front in the second period but her back-hander clanged off the mask of Shippam. Turns out that was just target practice for her third-period tally. Schuttler emerged out of a battle on the wall with the puck and, with Shippam down in her RVH, snuck a backhander through her and in.
W��| GOAL��
— MacEwan Griffins (@MacEwanGriffins) February 3, 2024
How about that for #SeniorDay!
In her final game as a Griffin, Makenna Schuttler puts @MacEwanHockey up 2-1 over @umbisons early in the third period!@CanadaWest #GriffNation pic.twitter.com/HEs0Z2yZyG
"It's always cool to have the seniors score on Senior Weekend," said Leeming. "It's something we've been preaching all year is taking pucks to the net. We had good puck support and she pulled it out of the battle there and put it on net and found a way at the right time to give us a boost.
"I know coming back to the bench, she had a lot of people maul her and give her hugs and fist-bumps. It was a pretty cool moment. Same with Mila (Verbicky) yesterday when she scored on Senior Weekend, it's something cool that they'll never forget."
Ayre, who already held the program record for the most goals by a rookie in a Canada West season, scored her fifth of 2023-24 midway through the third, converting a beautiful back-door pass from Jennifer Andrash.
"That's one of the things that she brings," said Leeming. "She's got some offensive touch and when she gets into the right spot, she's got a sneaky release. She found a quiet spot and Jenny found her back door there. It was kind of the midst of a change, so they might have lost her a little bit.
"She snuck in there – right place, right time – and put a puck in the back of the net for us."
W��| GOAL��
— MacEwan Griffins (@MacEwanGriffins) February 3, 2024
What a pass from Jennifer Andrash to Maria Ayre, who buries her rookie record fifth goal of the season!@MacEwanHockey takes a 3-1 lead on @UMBisons.@CanadaWest #GriffNation pic.twitter.com/IBbE43v1lw
The goal would stand up as the winner after Julia Bird scored for the Bisons with 6:56 remaining.
But the Griffins hung on and will finish the season on a high note.
"It was awesome," said Schuttler. "We had so much family in the stands and lots of alumni and friends, so to play in front of that crowd is something special. From the start of the year to the end, we've just had such growth. So, to finish it off like this is just awesome."
ICE CHIPS: Jesse Jack picked up an assist to finish the season with a program record seven goals and 13 points – the most by a Griffin in a Canada West season … Jack also established a new record for the best shooting percentage by a Griffin in a Canada West season (minimum 15 shots) as her 17.5% mark broke the old record of 12.8, set by Sydney Hughson in 2022-23.
Mila Verbicky poses with her family and head coach Chris Leeming after receiving her graduating senior picture (Rebecca Chelmick photo).
Makenna Schuttler poses with her family and head coach Chris Leeming after receiving her graduating senior picture (Rebecca Chelmick photo).
Sage Sansregret poses with her family and head coach Chris Leeming after receiving her graduating senior picture (Rebecca Chelmick photo).
Jesse Jack poses with her family and head coach Chris Leeming after receiving her graduating senior picture (Rebecca Chelmick photo).
Sydney Hughson poses with her family and head coach Chris Leeming after receiving her graduating senior picture (Rebecca Chelmick photo).
