The final game of the Saskatchewan Junior Female Hockey League game is tonight as the Outlook Ice Hawks host the Regina Jr. Rebels in a winner take all Game 3 for the Bourgault Cup.
Speaking with Ice Hawks head coach Josh Houseman prior to the winner-take-all game, he first went into their series with Lumsden that got them to the finals.
"First round was good. Lumsden gave us all we could handle." said Houseman giving the Lynx props on a talented roster. "It was a good series, tight all the way through, and managed to sneak through that one and then on to Regina." he said with the series deadlocked at one game apiece.
The Ice Hawks and Rebels finished tied for first in the regular season standings, Outlook earning the all-important home ice advantage through regular season tiebreakers. The Ice Hawks won Game 1 in overtime 4-3 and then lost 5-2 in Game 2 after a four-goal explosion from Rebel's forward Brooklyn Hramalak.
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In only the league's second year, Houseman feels like these playoffs have been a good building block. They hosted an exciting playoff tournament last year, and now in their first year of traditional playoffs have a must-win game for either side in the finals.
"You couldn't have drawn it up any better for the league, and our team. Everybody dreams of those games so it should be exciting. Hope we come out on the right side of it, and we are just really excited for the opportunity. I think it's good for the league and our club, everybody involved is just really excited about it."
Last season's playoff tournament was held in Outlook, as for the second straight year now the Bourgault Cup will be awarded inside the Jim Kook Rec Plex.
Houseman is excited to see the rurally based Ice Hawks making a name for themselves in the second year of the league.
"Us being a rural team, it's nice to see some success. It's obviously tough competing with the cities, they are going to have access to players, and we just try to do a good job with our program and our girls have done a phenomenal job this year."
Regardless of the result in the finals, the Ice Hawks will be celebrating their season with a banquet this weekend. Houseman's team is going to do their best to bring a title home to Outlook.
"We are really proud of the team, and the town for all the support. Hopefully we can bring it home for everybody."