The Prince Albert Family Pizza Foxes celebrate a goal in the third period of Sunday’s Game 3 against the Northwest Sharks at Dave Steuart Arena. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Craddock / Logan Lehmann

GO FOXES GO

P.A. U18AA Foxes look to the future after season ends in North Division Finals

Mar 18, 2024 | 12:00 PM

It was an exciting but tough weekend for the Prince Albert U18 AA Foxes in their quest to reach the provincial final.

The Foxes had the best record in the North Division heading into the playoff semifinals against the number two-ranked Northwest Sharks.

The women’s hockey team won the first game last Tuesday at the Kinsmen Arena 4-3 thanks to two goals from Natasha Gyoerick.

Game two took place on Saturday at the Access Communications Centre and this time, the Sharks squeaked away with a 4-3 overtime victory. Jersie Andersen scored two goals for the Sharks with Kadence O’Brien scoring the winner in the extra period. Sarah Jones had two goals for the Foxes.

Sunday’s do-or-die Game Three was held at the Steuart Arena in Prince Albert with Naveah Bird-Clarke scoring the opening goal early in the first period. The Sharks scored twice in the third period with one goal coming from Sienna Spence of the Foxes. That left the game tied with the two squads heading back to overtime.

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Once again, Kadence O’Brian was the hero for the Sharks, scoring the winning goal and putting them through to the league final.

Foxes Captain Lucy Harding shakes hands with the Northwest Sharks following a hard-fought three-game series in the SFHL’s North Final. The Sharks managed to take the series-deciding Game 3 in overtime, 3-2 on Sunday night. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

While it was a disappointing end to the season for the U18 AA Foxes, head coach Scott Reid had nothing but positive comments for his team and their opponent.

“We knew they were going to push hard at the end there being down and we both played an elimination game in the round before,” he said.

“We’ve had close games with them all year. They’re a heck of a hockey team and sometimes the bounces don’t go your way and tonight there was just a puck thrown at the net and a deflection and sometimes (that’s) the way it goes.”

The Sharks will now face the Regina Rebels in the league finals after they beat Swift Current in three games in the South Final.

Looking back on the season, Reid was incredibly proud of what the Foxes accomplished, finishing in the top four and clinching the best record in the North Division.

“We sat down as a group before the season started and set the goal to try to win a provincial final in the last stretches of the season, we wanted to make sure that we finished first in the North Division and we accomplished that,” he said.

The end of the playoffs and the season is bittersweet for some members of the Foxes set to graduate. Some hope to take their skills to the AAA level next season.

As for Reid, he hasn’t decided if he will be back coaching the U18AA Foxes next season. Right now, he’s taking time to reflect on the season that was and how much his team grew.

Regardless, he said he wants to continue to be a part of the Foxes Hockey Program.

“I love coaching. I love being a part of all these little groups of athletes along the way. We’ve seen these girls grow up right from peewee level now to the graduating players, so it’s fun to see them develop as young adults and become good people and so I hope to be involved in some way, shape or form,” he said.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com