Road Preview: Griffins focused on their mindset ahead of series at defending champion UBC
Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Ever since the MacEwan Griffins entered the U SPORTS women's hockey ranks in 2021, they've only ever seen the UBC Thunderbirds hoist the Canada West championship trophy.
Three-straight titles belong to the T-Birds, so it can certainly be a daunting task heading to their barn this weekend.
That won't be at all where the Griffins' focus will be, however.
They have upset UBC before. Almost three years ago to the day of their matchup this weekend, the Griffins knocked off the Thunderbirds 3-2 at the Downtown Community Arena.
They know their best chance of success will come if they look after themselves first this weekend.
"If we're dialed into the things we can control, that's what's going to be most self-serving for us," said head coach Chris Leeming. "If we get focused on uncontrollables, our energy's going to be expended in all the wrong areas."
On Tap
Friday: at UBC (6-2-0), 8 p.m. MT, Canada West TV
Saturday: at UBC, 4 p.m. MT, Canada West TV
Standings
MacEwan (1-4-1): 4th East Division
UBC (6-2-0): 2nd West Division
Last meeting
Jan. 16, 2024: UBC 6 at MacEwan 1
Chris Leeming's coach's quote:
"Coming off of last weekend, we've had to re-find a focus and I think we've landed on mindset of who we want to be as a team when we practise and play every day. Going into this weekend, that's our focus is what's our mindset every shift, every period for two games there against UBC."
Players to watch
MacEwan: Brianna Sank – Coming off a stellar effort at Manitoba last Saturday where she stopped 41 of 43 shots, the fifth-year netminder will need to be sharp again this weekend against the tough Thunderbirds, who have won the last three-straight Canada West championships. In MacEwan's last road trip to UBC in October 2023, the T-Birds combined for 91 shots in the two-game series.
UBC: Mackenzie Kordic – Like a sleeping lion, Canada West's leading scorer from a year ago with 36 points in 28 games, is only tied for sixth in scoring on UBC at the moment with two goals and six points. The last time the Griffins met the Thunderbirds (a 6-1 loss on Jan. 16, 2024), the Edmontonian scored twice and had five shots.
Notable
Joie Simon needs one point to become the program's career Canada West points leader as she shares the mark with Makenna Schuttler (19) … In her last outing, Sank became the second Griffins goaltender to reach 4,000 career minutes. She enters the weekend having played 4,043:18 career minutes in regular season action, stretching back to the Griffins' ACAC era. That's tracking towards the program record of 4,184:11, set by Sandy Heim (2015-19), who graduated one season before Sank entered the program in 2019-20 … Griffins head coach Chris Leeming won't be with the team this weekend as he is traveling to New Brunswick for the national U18 women's hockey championship as bench boss of Team Alberta.
