By Jeff D'Andrea

Hobson’s long road to Western Regional qualifier

Mar 30, 2017 | 2:00 PM

Even after sweeping all three playoff series in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League, the Prince Albert Northern Bears’ job isn’t over yet.

They are hosting a best-of-three 2017 Western Regional series against the Westman Wildcats from Manitoba Friday through Sunday. The winner will advance to the 2017 Esso Cup national championship.

Although the mission still isn’t accomplished, the journey just to get to this point has been a long and winding road.

Just ask Bears’ hometown captain Brooke Hobson who played her first game as a Bear Dec. 18, 2011 as a call up, and scored a goal in her debut, as well. Since then, Hobson has played 174 regular season and playoff games for the Bears before finally lifting the SFMAAAHL trophy.

“It’s basically been my life for the last five years here,” Hobson said. “I wake up, go to school and go to practice. It’s the one thing I look forward to during the day, coming to the dressing room and being with the girls. It’s definitely been a big part of me.”

Missing pet

'She means the world to our family': Woman seeks help in finding missing pet parrot

2h ago

BE CAREFUL ON THE ROADS

Semi flips outside P.A.; one of dozens of incidents on Sask. roads due to winter weather

2h ago

NO GO FOR BUSES

School bus routes outside P.A. canceled due to spring snowstorm

7h ago

In her five full seasons with the Bears, the team has at least reached the semifinals. The Bears lost in the finals twice, in 2013 to the Weyburn Gold Wings and 2015 to the Saskatoon Stars, before the Bears swept the Stars this year.

“Since I’ve had four years and a couple losses in the final, couple losses in the semifinals. Definitely in my last year, holding that trophy over my head is definitely an amazing feeling,” Hobson said.

“It’s so special for her to finally get this. I’m so happy for her. It’s been five years of hard work,” Bears head coach Jeff Willoughby said. “She’s a leader on the ice, off the ice. She’s always the first in line at practice; never misses practice, never late. Plays through injuries. It’s just been a nice combination of hard work that’s come to a peak for her. Just so happy for her.”

Stopping the Bell from ringing

The one thing the Bears must do to beat the Westman Wildcats is to shutdown, or at least slowdown captain Ashton Bell. That will be a lot easier said than done.

Bell captained Hockey Canada’s Under-18 Women’s Team – the same team Hobson was on – and puts up outrageous goal totals at the Midget AAA level scoring 58 goals and 92 points in 44 games this year. The next highest scorer on the Wildcats, Andrea Sanderson, had 21 goals and 44 points in 57 games.

“[Bell] scores a lot of goals for them, we need to know when she’s on the ice, for sure,” Willoughby said.

Western Regionals schedule

The best-of-three series will take place entirely at the Art Hauser Centre.

Game 1 is on Friday at 7 p.m., with Game 2 on Saturday at 7 p.m. If there needs to be a Game 3, it’s slated for Sunday at 2 p.m.

The winner of the series will advance to the 2017 Esso Cup national championship, starting on April 23 in Morden, Man.

jdandrea@jpbg.ca 

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW.