Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Key rivalry games will be fought on MacEwan home turf this weekend as the Griffins women's hockey and women's soccer teams are in action.
Under a new divisional alignment in the Canada West women's hockey ranks, the Griffins will face Regina six times in 2024-25 as they try to finish among the top three teams in the East Division.
With six wins over the Cougars in 10 games since they joined Canada West in 2021, MacEwan will be looking to continue their success against them in a pair of home contests at the Downtown Community Arena.
Meanwhile, over at Clareview Field on Saturday, the Griffins women's soccer team will host cross-town rival Alberta on Senior Day as jockeying for playoff positioning in the competitive Prairie Division heats up.
WOMEN'S HOCKEY
On Tap
Friday: vs. Regina, 7 p.m., Downtown Community Arena, Canada West TV
Saturday: vs. Regina, 5 p.m., Downtown Community Arena, Canada West TV
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
Standings
MacEwan (0-2-0): 5th East Division
Regina (2-0-0): T1st East Division
Last meeting
Jan. 27, 2024: MacEwan 1 at Regina 0
Chris Leeming's coach's quote
"They're in our division now with the realignment of our league, so these games are important for us. This week, we've just been really focused on our details of execution and playing a complete game.
"The second game last weekend was improved from Friday night's game, so for Friday's game (our goal) is being ready to play – being battle ready from the drop of the puck for 60 minutes – taking care of our own end, and generating some offensive opportunities."
Players to watch
MacEwan: Tess Collier – The second-year blue-liner scored the only goal MacEwan needed to beat Regina 1-0 in their last meeting, back in the 2023-24 season. The Swift Current, Sask. product was teammates in U18AAA on the Swift Current Wildcats with Regina defenceman Shelby Rublee.
Regina: Natalie Williamson – The fourth-year goaltender stopped 49 of 50 shots she faced in the Cougars' opening weekend sweep of the Saskatchewan Huskies. Amazingly, her sizzling save percentage of .980 is only good for fifth in Canada West at the moment.
Notable
As referenced by Chris Leeming, Canada West hockey has gone to a two-division format this season with the top three teams from each qualifying for the playoffs. MacEwan is in the East Division with Regina, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, while UBC, Trinity Western, Calgary and Mount Royal are in the West this year. The Alberta teams will rotate between the divisions in different seasons … MacEwan's Joie Simon enters the weekend with 18 career CW points, one shy of the program record held by Makenna Schuttler.
Hannah Harper shares the Canada West scoring lead with 12 points in 10 games (Norman Bo photo).
WOMEN'S SOCCER
On Tap
Saturday: vs. Alberta, 12 p.m., Clareview Field, Canada West TV
Sunday: at Alberta, 12 p.m., Foote Field, Canada West TV
SATURDAY'S GAME IS FREE ADMISSION
Standings
MacEwan (8-1-1): T1st Prairie Division
Alberta (6-3-1): 3rd Prairie Division
Last meeting
Oct. 1, 2023: Alberta 1 at MacEwan 2
Playoff implications
While the Griffins clinched a playoff spot with their 1-0 win over Manitoba last Sunday, they have work to do to secure home-field advantage in the opening round of the post-season, and are also in a battle for top spot in the Prairie Division, entering the weekend tied with Calgary.
Calgary plays a home-and-home series against Lethbridge, who have just two wins this season, so the Griffins may need a sweep of the Pandas to keep pace.
However, Alberta has plenty on the line as they are still alive for one of the top-two spots in the Prairie Division if they could reel MacEwan in. And, while they're seven points up on Regina, who are in fifth and chasing a playoff spot, they need a win to officially clinch.
The top remaining seed from the Prairie Division after the opening round of the playoffs will host the Final Four.
Dean Cordeiro's coach's quote:
"With four games to go, everything is certainly tightening up, not only in the standings, but on the field each game with every team fighting to get themselves in a playoff spot. We're excited. It's always a good rivalry with our cross-town rivals U of A and we're looking forward to the home and away this weekend. It's always a date on the calendar that the local players in particular look forward to because a lot of those girls play with each other or against each other throughout the summer and their youth careers. To be able to keep that rivalry going at this level is pretty unique.
"We're definitely trying to get ourselves ready. Our motto is always to try and get better every day. We've been in a good run of form so we're expecting to keep that going into these two important matches this weekend."
Players to watch
MacEwan: Alyx Henderson – Entering the weekend with 18 career goals, she needs just two in the final four games of her Griffins' career to match Meagan Lemoine for the second-most in program history. She has two career goals against Alberta, including scoring in their last meeting last October.
Alberta: Adrienne Poulin – A Canada West second team all-star in 2023, the flashy forward shares the Pandas scoring lead with eight points so far this season. She scored twice last Sunday in Alberta's 4-0 win over Winnipeg.
Notable
Saturday's contest in the final regular season home game for the Griffins, so six graduating seniors – Grace Mwasalla, Grace Schimpf, Nicole Noble, Mariah Arnott, Alyx Henderson and Brenna Paquin – will be feted in a post-game ceremony … Griffins goalkeepers Sabrina Alexander and Elizabeth Knight are 1-2 in Canada West in save percentage (.912 and .889, respectively). MacEwan's single season program record is .904, set by Emily Burns in 2016 … MacEwan's Hannah Harper enters the weekend tied for the Canada West scoring lead with 12 points in 10 games.
