The Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats demonstrated some offensive firepower during the opening weekend of 2019. The Wildcats scored 15 goals during two weekend wins over the host Battlefords Sharks in their return to Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League action.
Saturday, the Wildcats scored twice on the power play and once while shorthanded in a 5-2 win over the Sharks. The Wildcats trailed 2-1 after one period before scoring four unanswered goals while outshooting the Sharks 27-4 over the final two periods.
Sara Kendall led the Wildcats with two goals, while Maddy McCleary added a goal and an assist and Taylor Lind registered two assists.
Layne Hryhoriw scored while shorthanded to tie the game and Ryleigh White also scored. Tobi Fontaine and Baylee Kirwan also added assists. Amaya Giraudier earned the win with 13 saves on 15 shots.
Sydney Rowley and Madison Samsom replied with power play goals for the Sharks, while Haylie Biever took the loss with 22 saves on 25 shots over 43:36. Yelena Zaleschuk played the final 16:24 and allowed two goals on 12 shots.
The Wildcats put their offense into overdrive on Sunday in a 10-1 win over the Sharks. Lind led the way with three goals and two assists, while Kendall followed with a goal and two assists.
Ashlee Wolfe and Kirwan each scored twice, while Crystal Wale and Kate Wagner also found the back of the net. Fontaine registered a pair of assists, while White and Carissa Hogan added single helpers.
Giraudier made 26 saves to improve to 6-7 with a 3.02 goals against average in her sophomore campaign.
Jordan Blais scored the only Sharks goal to break up the shutout in the third period. Zaleschuk took the loss with 20 saves on 30 shots.
The Wildcats moved into fifth spot in the SFMAAAHL with an 8-9-0-1 record, three points back of the Sharks (6-10-4-2) with four games in hand.
Lind now leads the league with 22 assists in 18 games and is tied for the scoring lead with Saskatoon’s Grace Shirley with 34 points.
The Wildcats will head east this weekend for two games against the sixth-place Melville Prairie Fire (6-7-2-1).
