The Northern Bears celebrate a goal from earlier this season against Swift Current. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

By Logan Lehmann

heading into hibernation

Northern Bears ring in 2023-24 season with year-end awards

Mar 21, 2024 | 7:00 AM

The Mann-Northway Northern Bears wrapped another season in the Sask. Female U18 AAA Hockey League (SFU18AAAHL) over the weekend.

The Bears closed out the season with their annual year-end awards after their playoff run, and hockey season, was ended at the hands of the Notre Dame Hounds. The Hounds defeated Prince Albert in the opening round of the postseason, sweeping the Bears in their best-of-three series 2-0 with a pair of 3-2 overtime wins.

The club’s Head Coach Steve Young reflected on this past season and said despite the outcome, there were many green signs from this past season. The Northern Bears finished the regular season sixth in the standings with a 6-18-3-3 (W-L-OTW-OTL) record.

“I thought as a group we started off slow, maybe tested the waters instead of jumping right in but as the season went on, I thought we grew stronger and more confident. That carried into the first playoff round where we went those two games in double overtime. Obviously disappointed when you look back… and maybe not achieve what you wanted to achieve but at the same time, there were many positive things with our hockey club.”

The awards night began with words from Al Dyer which was followed by a nice meal before the club then bid farewell to their five graduating players: Raelyn Vezeau, Bree Purcell, Maci Nowosad, Tristyn Endicott, and Julia Cey.

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Purcell, Nowosad, Endicott, and Cey are set to continue their hockey careers at the post-secondary level next season, while Vezeau is heading to school to become a teacher.

“We’re going to miss them,” said Young. “Hopefully they left a legacy here that our girls can continue working with.”

The 2023-24 Mann-Northway Northern Bears. (Mann-Northway Northern Bears/Facebook)

To wrap up the night, the team then handed out their awards which were as follows:

MVP: Julia Cey

Top Forward: Julia Cey and Tristyn Endicott

Top Defenceman: Elizabeth Udell

Top Rookie: Addison Davidge

Most Improved: Kinley Brassard

Hardest Worker: Zayda Summach

Scholastic Award: Julia Cey

Players Choice: Tristyn Endicott

With the Northern Bears sibling club, the Prince Albert Mintos, undergoing some major offseason changes with their roster and coaching staff, Young affirmed that the Bears’ offseason is going to be the opposite saying that everyone is expected to be back come puck drop next season.

The Northern Bears are set to host their annual spring camp at the Art Hauser Centre next month on the weekend of April 20 and 21.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com