Prince Albert's own Stryker Zablocki (left) and Sasha Malenfant (right) are set to go head-to-head in the SFU18AAAHL's best-of-three Provincial Finals which begin this weekend. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW Staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Local connections

Local talent set to battle in Female U18 AAA Finals

Mar 22, 2024 | 3:57 PM

A pair of Prince Albert hockey players are gearing up to go toe-to-toe in the Sask. Female U18 AAA Hockey League finals that get underway this weekend.

The puck is set to drop in the best-of-three championship series on Sunday night when the underdog Notre Dame Hounds visit the Regina Rebels for Game 1.

The Rebels enter the series as the defending Provincial Champions and the favourites to win it again following another dominant regular season and playoff run thus far. Regina finished the season atop the league with a 26-3-1-0 (W-L-OTW-OTL) record and swept the Battlefords Sharks in their previous playoff series to get to the finals. The Rebels not only won the league last season but also won Regionals and a bronze medal at the Esso Cup (Nationals) in April.

Regina is also home to the league’s best player and Prince Albert’s own Stryker Zablocki, who has been putting on a show in her second campaign with the Rebels. The 17-year-old finished the regular season with 65 points (40g, 25a) in 27 games, adding to the 40 points (25g, 15a) that she potted last year.

Zablocki and the Rebels are searching for their second consecutive Provincial title, but they’ll need to go through another P.A. product to claim it.

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Sasha Malenfant and the Notre Dame Hounds stand in Regina’s way, who have been hot in the playoffs entering Sunday.

The Hounds finished the season third in the standings with an 11-14-2-3 record and despite the losing season, they have been winners in the playoffs. Notre Dame began the postseason with a first-round sweep over the Mann-Northway Northern Bears before they pulled off the upset over Saskatoon, sweeping the favourited Stars in round two.

Malenfant, a former Northern Bear, led the Hounds in points over the regular season, netting 26 (11g, 15a) in 30 games. Her career year continued into the postseason as she has a goal and three assists entering the finals.

The winner of the series will be crowned Provincial Champions and advance to the regional finals against Manitoba. The winner of that series will represent the “West” region at the Esso Cup in B.C. next month.

The Provincial Championship series begins on Sunday with Game 1, before Game 2 in Wilcox on Wednesday and a potential series-deciding Game 3 in Regina next Sunday on the 31.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

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