Sam Sweet hasn’t forgot how last year ended for the UPEI Panthers.
The women’s hockey team dropped a pair of 2-1 games to Moncton in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) quarter-finals. The first game went to double overtime, the last ended in triple overtime.
“My blood is still boiling from last year,” Sweet said Thursday.
Teammate Keirstin Visser said she thinks about it all the time.
“It was a great experience, not the outcome we wanted,” she said. “It’s frustrating knowing we were that close.”
Moncton went on to claim the conference title.
The Panthers begin their quest to get back to the playoffs and write a different ending tonight when they host the St. F.X. X-Women in their first game of the regular season.
After being on the ice since Sept. 4, the players are ready to start the year.
“We’re pretty excited. We love opening against X,” Sweet said. “We get fired up to play X.”
The Panthers host the Saint Mary’s Huskies Saturday at 2 p.m. The X-Women and Huskies finished the 2013-14 season first and second, respectively, in the regular season, while the Panthers (9-13-2) were tied for fifth.
“We’re pretty excited about the challenge,” coach Bruce Donaldson said.
“You want to play the best teams up front (to) set the bar.”
Donaldson said the team’s strength is its back end, led by third-year goalie Marie Soleil Deschenes.
“We still have . . . I think some of the best defensive corps in the conference,” Donaldson said.
It includes Visser, Laura Bradley and Emma Martin.
The Panthers added two young goalies, who will each get an opportunity to backup Deschenes this weekend.
The Panthers lost a few players from last season, notably Christina Kelly and Anja Weisser, who tied for the team lead with six goals. They have eight new players wearing the UPEI jersey.
“In general, we’re quicker and I think we have better depth,” Donaldson said.
Second-year captain Ferran Brown is back for fifth year. The alternates are Visser, Sweet and Bradley.
The team has seven possible graduates in this year’s lineup.
“We need that core group to really play like they’re fourth- and fifth-year veterans,” Donaldson said.
Scoring goals has been an issue for the squad the past few seasons. It tied for the fewest scored in the AUS conference last year with 45.
“Offence is still going to be a challenge for us,” Donaldson said. “We really need to commit to get pucks to the net.”
The team’s goal is to improve daily and to be playing its best hockey going into the playoffs.
Moncton beat Mount Allison in last year’s conference final in a matchup of teams that finished third and fifth, respectively, during the regular season.
Donaldson said he expects the league to be tight again this season with many one-goal games and where special teams will play a huge role in determining teams’ success.
Need to know
UPEI Panthers women’s hockey team
2013-14 season – 9-13-2 regular season, tied for fifth. Lost 2-0 in the best-of-three quarter-final to Moncton. Both games decided 2-1 with the first going to double overtime and the second to triple overtime.
Did you know? Longtime program supporter Don MacFadyen will drop the ceremony puck before tonight’s home game.
Past AUS champions
2013-14 Moncton
2012-13 St. F.X.
2011-12 UPEI
2010-11 St. F.X.
2009-10 Saint Mary’s
2008-09 Moncton
2007-08 St. F.X.
2006-07 Moncton
2005-06 St. F.X.
2004-05 St. F.X.
Sam Sweet hasn’t forgot how last year ended for the UPEI Panthers.
The women’s hockey team dropped a pair of 2-1 games to Moncton in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) quarter-finals. The first game went to double overtime, the last ended in triple overtime.
“My blood is still boiling from last year,” Sweet said Thursday.
Teammate Keirstin Visser said she thinks about it all the time.
“It was a great experience, not the outcome we wanted,” she said. “It’s frustrating knowing we were that close.”
Moncton went on to claim the conference title.
The Panthers begin their quest to get back to the playoffs and write a different ending tonight when they host the St. F.X. X-Women in their first game of the regular season.
After being on the ice since Sept. 4, the players are ready to start the year.
“We’re pretty excited. We love opening against X,” Sweet said. “We get fired up to play X.”
The Panthers host the Saint Mary’s Huskies Saturday at 2 p.m. The X-Women and Huskies finished the 2013-14 season first and second, respectively, in the regular season, while the Panthers (9-13-2) were tied for fifth.
“We’re pretty excited about the challenge,” coach Bruce Donaldson said.
“You want to play the best teams up front (to) set the bar.”
Donaldson said the team’s strength is its back end, led by third-year goalie Marie Soleil Deschenes.
“We still have . . . I think some of the best defensive corps in the conference,” Donaldson said.
It includes Visser, Laura Bradley and Emma Martin.
The Panthers added two young goalies, who will each get an opportunity to backup Deschenes this weekend.
The Panthers lost a few players from last season, notably Christina Kelly and Anja Weisser, who tied for the team lead with six goals. They have eight new players wearing the UPEI jersey.
“In general, we’re quicker and I think we have better depth,” Donaldson said.
Second-year captain Ferran Brown is back for fifth year. The alternates are Visser, Sweet and Bradley.
The team has seven possible graduates in this year’s lineup.
“We need that core group to really play like they’re fourth- and fifth-year veterans,” Donaldson said.
Scoring goals has been an issue for the squad the past few seasons. It tied for the fewest scored in the AUS conference last year with 45.
“Offence is still going to be a challenge for us,” Donaldson said. “We really need to commit to get pucks to the net.”
The team’s goal is to improve daily and to be playing its best hockey going into the playoffs.
Moncton beat Mount Allison in last year’s conference final in a matchup of teams that finished third and fifth, respectively, during the regular season.
Donaldson said he expects the league to be tight again this season with many one-goal games and where special teams will play a huge role in determining teams’ success.
Need to know
UPEI Panthers women’s hockey team
2013-14 season – 9-13-2 regular season, tied for fifth. Lost 2-0 in the best-of-three quarter-final to Moncton. Both games decided 2-1 with the first going to double overtime and the second to triple overtime.
Did you know? Longtime program supporter Don MacFadyen will drop the ceremony puck before tonight’s home game.
Past AUS champions
2013-14 Moncton
2012-13 St. F.X.
2011-12 UPEI
2010-11 St. F.X.
2009-10 Saint Mary’s
2008-09 Moncton
2007-08 St. F.X.
2006-07 Moncton
2005-06 St. F.X.
2004-05 St. F.X.