The Outlook Mainline Ice Hawks have to be chomping at the bit to get playoffs underway after a very successful season in the second year ever of the Saskatchewan Junior Female Hockey League.
The Ice Hawks not only finished in first place due to a tiebreaker with the Regina Rebels, but they also had the league's leading scorer in rookie Haley Braun. With 65 total points—six more than Regina's Abigail Manz—Braun's 42 goals were also 11 more than the second-place finisher in that category.
Ice Hawks head coach and GM Josh Houseman said they uncovered a gem at their spring camp with Braun.
"Haley came to us at fall camp and she has been a real special talent all year. She has a knack for the net and seems to score big goals when we need them as well," said Houseman on the great addition to the team. "Obviously won the scoring race, came right down to the wire, and it's real special to have a player like that on our team in Outlook.
"Our entire team has celebrated her, and we've really got behind it, but also played good as a team all year... Just a real good player and a special talent that is fun to watch."
Houseman was quick to shoutout the tremendous depth their lineup features overall. You need all the talent you can get trying to keep up with the tops teams out of Saskatoon and Regina.
It was a tight race to the finish against the teams from the city.
"We had the same (number) of points with Saskatoon when we got into second place after Swift. But it went to point differential, so we did the math there to see where we stood, then we managed to get by Regina in our last game. It went to the season series, so we ended up first place."
The Ice Hawk's end of season stretch, that included two shutout wins in a row, should give the team confidence headed into playoffs.
"Going from third to first in a matter of a few days was good for us. Happy to see the girls get it done, and they played a great couple of games. We've been on a good run since Christmas, they have just got better and better as the season has gone on. Really got tighter as a group.
"We are proud of all of them and can't wait for the playoffs."
Houseman talked about what's next as the team sits and waits for their playoff opponent.
Last year the league had a "playoff tournament" to help bring more attention to the first ever Bourgault Cup playoffs. This season it's back to the brackets, and Outlook will have to wait after earning a bye.
"Normal playoffs this year. We kind of knew last year this would be a one-and-done playoff style, just with the first year of the league, and they wanted a more traditional style this year."
The new format is taking after the NFL, with the Ice Hawks set to play the lowest seed remaining after the first round series between Saskatoon and the Southwest Impact, and the Western Prairie Jr. Klippers taking on Lumsden are completed.
"Should be interesting. We are excited, going to keep preparing and getting ready for it."
Braun, Houseman, and the Ice Hawks won't have long to wait before playoff hockey returns to the Jim Kook Rec-Plex.