Most teams require months of practice before playing in a Western Canadian hockey championship, but that wasn't the case for the Saskatchewan Tazers. The Tazers, made up of girls from Saskatoon as well as West Central and Northwest Saskatchewan had some local talent join them for their run at the Western Canadian Shield Women's Hockey Championships.
Britt Penner of North Battleford, Bailey Sayers of Maidstone, Cami Wooster of Luseland and Kierra Minto, also from the Luseland area, played for the Tazers, which was in only in year two of the team's existence.
The Tazers were just one of two teams entered in senior female A provincials and played a best-of-three series for the championship against the Saskatoon Lady Ducks, a team which had won senior B provincials in the past. The Tazers won game one of the series 4-0, but lost game two 5-4 forcing a third and deciding game. The Tazers skated to a 5-3 win and clinched a spot in Westerns.
April 7 to 10 the Tazers were one of five teams to compete for the Western championship. More than half of the Tazers' roster has played university or college hockey in Saskatchewan, Alberta and even the United States and welcomed the highly competitive hockey.
"It was a great experience," said Penner, adding that playing at an elite level was something herself and teammates looked forward after years away from that level of high competition.
The Thursday of Westerns, the Tazers didn't have the start they were hoping for and fell 3-1 to the Alberta representative. Wooster was the Tazers' lone goal scorer.
The next day the Tazers won 7-4 against the host team. They went on to beat B.C. 8-0 and Manitoba 6-3.
The Tazers won the tie breaker and earn a spot in the final against the Manitoba Maple Leafs, who had a majority of heir team start in the a AAA league earlier in the season before getting a release from the league and playing at the Manitoba AA level. The Tazers fell 7-4 in the final but returned from Manitoba with a silver medal.
Not bad for a team that played three provincial games, five Western Canadian games and had maybe one practice this season.
"The Sask Tazers players all had a great tournament," said coach Lynda Bailey. "Several of our players were injured and played through to the end anyway. They showed true grit and it was an honour to be a part of the team."
