What an NCAA rule change might mean for junior hockey in Sask.
Nov 18, 2024
Previously, WHL players were declared ineligible to play NCAA hockey in the U.S.
Provincial rivals will meet in the Canada West women’s basketball final, but it likely isn’t the rivals — or the province — many would have expected.
Less than 24 hours after the third-seeded University of Calgary Dinos took out the second-seeded University of Regina Cougars in the Queen City, the fourth-seeded University of Alberta Pandas beat the top-seeded University of Saskatchewan Huskies in Saskatoon on Saturday afternoon.
Alberta defeated the Huskies 69-57 at the Physical Activity Complex, putting the Pandas into the Canada West final against the host Dinos next weekend.
The Pandas and Dinos also earned Canada West’s two automatic berths in the U Sports championship tournament, March 9-12 in Sydney, N.S. As a result, the Huskies and Cougars now must wait to see which U Sports team earns the one wild-card spot available at nationals.
Saskatchewan was 10-0 at home in the Canada West regular season and had won its previous playoff game this post-season at the PAC. According to game notes put out by the conference, the Huskies hadn’t lost a Canada West playoff game in Saskatoon since 2009.
The loss Saturday also dashed the Huskies’ hopes of winning four straight conference championships and six of the past seven.
Alberta led 18-14 after the first quarter Saturday and then outscored the Huskies 17-5 in the second to seize control of the game. Saskatchewan was 2-for-20 from the floor in that quarter.
Jenna Harpe had 22 points for Alberta, which got 15 points from Emma Kary. Gage Grassick led the Huskies with 14 points, while Tea DeMong had 12 points and six steals.