Griffins captain Casson named Sutton Player of the Month for March

Morgan Casson's strong play in the post-season for the Griffins women's hockey team nets her the final Sutton Player of the Month award for the 2019-20 season (Joel Kingston photo).
Morgan Casson's strong play in the post-season for the Griffins women's hockey team nets her the final Sutton Player of the Month award for the 2019-20 season (Joel Kingston photo).

MacEwan Athletics

EDMONTON – Women's hockey student-athlete Morgan Casson has been named the Sutton Player of the Month for March.

Although the season ended prematurely for Casson and the Griffins women's hockey team in light of the COVID-19 situation, her play in March was a big reason behind the squad's success.

In two March games, she had a goal and an assist while combining with linemates Chantal Ricker and Jordyn Reimer to wreak havoc in a pair of shutout wins over the NAIT Ooks in the ACAC Championship final before the series was cancelled short of Game 3.

"It obviously means a lot to be recognized with this award," said Casson. "At the end of the day, I'd trade individual awards for a championship in a second, but it's a silver lining and it's nice to be recognized."

Over her five-year career with the Griffins women's hockey team, Casson has long been known as a key playoff performer, scoring the series-clinching goal in two of MacEwan's three ACAC championships (2017, 2019).

Against NAIT, it was more of the same as the two-way forward and captain of the Griffins scored the game-winning goal and drew an assist in their 3-0 win over the Ooks in Game 2 on March 7. She finished with two goals and two assists in four playoff games.

"I think just with more on the line, it brings the best out of players," said Casson. "You're sacrificing everything you have and want to leave it all out on the ice. I think that's how I was playing."

Casson is the sixth and final MacEwan student-athlete of the 2019-20 season to receive the award, which comes with a free night's stay at the Sutton Place Hotel in downtown Edmonton.

MacEwan Athletics would like to thank Sutton Place Edmonton for their generous sponsorship of this award in 2019-20.

2019-20 Sutton Player of the Month award winners

September: Justin Berget, men's golf

October: Suekiana Choucair, women's soccer

November: Haley Gilfillan, women's volleyball

January: Max Vriend, men's volleyball

February: Cam Gotaas, men's hockey

March: Morgan Casson, women's hockey