Huskies Women’s Hockey 2022-23 Season Preview
By Allan April / SMU Huskies Athletics
The Saint Mary's Huskies Women's Hockey team are optimistic for another great year on the ice, heading into this weekend's home opener (Sat. Oct. 8 vs. the Dalhousie Tigers).
Head Coach Chris Larade says the Huskies are looking forward to playing a full season for the first time since 2019-20, after the COVID-19 pandemic shortened the 2021-22 season, and completely cancelled the 2020-21 campaign.
"Our goals are always the same, which is just trying to play our best hockey when it matters most," says Larade, who will be entering his 12th season as head coach. "All the interruptions the last two seasons made that difficult and derailed our goals at times, but we're hoping we can get a full season this year and peak when the time is right."
Expectations are high for a Huskies team that was voted the #1 team in the country for a pair of weeks last season (Nov. 23-30). The Huskies finished the season with a 16-4-1 record, but were upset by the St.FX X-Women in the AUS semi-final.
The Huskies graduated seven players from last year's team, but have added six new recruits to a strong group of returning players, headlined by last season's AUS MVP, fourth year forward Shae Demale (Red Deer, AB).
"Shae is obviously a very important player for us," says Larade. "There's no doubt in my mind that she can continue to take her game to another level. People see the stats, but what they may not notice right away is everything she does without the puck, and how she contributes on both ends of the ice. She's a perfect example of treating the game the right way and getting rewarded for it."
The Huskies did graduate 75% of their leadership group from last season, in captain Alexa McMillan, who is now playing professionally in Sweden, and assistant captains Laura Horwood and Siobhan Birch.
Fourth-year defenceman Caleigh Meraw (Red Deer, AB), will wear the C for the Huskies this year after wearing the A last season, and will be joined by assistant captains Demale, Miranda Hatt (Regina, SK) and defenceman Maddy McCleary (Swift Current, SK).
"Caleigh is the type of player that says and does all the right things, all the time, both on and off the ice. Shae, Miranda and Maddy are more the types that will lead by example, but we hope they'll also speak up when they need to. We're challenging our leaders to hold others accountable and challenge each other so we get the best of each other every day," says Larade, who says he also expects fourth year defenceman Eve LeBlanc (Petit-Rocher, NB) and second year forward Ashley Penney (Lawrencetown, NS), to step up as leaders this season.
Demale is not the only returning Huskies forward expected to provide a scoring punch. The Huskies return seven of their top eight scoring players from last year, including forwards Hatt, Kara MacLean (Antigonish, NS), Mary McDonald (Calgary, AB) and Ellen Laurence (Kentville, NS).
"Miranda and Mary are really reliable forwards in their fourth year and will be leaders for us, on the ice and in the locker room," says Larade. "We're hoping for a big jump from a few of our second and third year players who are still kind of learning as they go because of the interrupted season. Kara McLean was AUS All-Rookie team last year, and I'm sure she'll have a great year. Ellen Laurence has looked great in pre-season, and we expect a big bounce back year for her this year after being a bit more quiet last season."
Rounding out the Huskies forward group are returnees Penney, Kate Gallant (Brooklin, ON), Erin Denny (Eskasoni, NS), Jillian Duggan (Halifax, NS), Keyara Nelson (Belleville, ON), Aimee O'Neill (Glace Bay, NS) and first years Abby McCarthy (Falmouth, NS) and Mackenzie Beggs (Kemptville, ON).
"We've got a great cluster of core forwards returning this season, and I think our depth is a strength," says Larade. "The rookies (McCarthy and Beggs) are good two-way forwards up front, pretty smart off the puck, and play a very mature game for their age."
On the backend, Meraw and McCleary are joined by returnees Eve LeBlanc (Petit-Rocher, NB), Allie Barter (Hammonds Plains, NS), Lauren Papp (Brampton, ON) and 2021-22 AUS All-Rookie selection Maddy Corbett (Sydney, NS), who led the Huskies defence group with 11 points (4 goals and 7 assists) last season. First years Abigail Mackenzie (Stellarton, NS) and Marisa McClocklin (Saskatoon, SK) round out the defence group.
"Abigail will be looked to provide some offence on the back-end, and Marisa is a great, smooth skating defenceman who does things the right way and doesn't cheat the game," says Larade. "The AUS definitely isn't a first year players league, but we're pretty excited about what we've seen so far from them, both in practices and games, and it gives me a good idea of what we'll see the next four or five years."
In goal, the Huskies graduated last season's primary starter Dagny Hudspeth, but second year Ashley Imlach (Newtonville, ON) returns after starting seven games last season, and posting a solid 2.00 goals against average and .900 save percentage. Joining Imlach will be a pair of first year goaltenders, Ridleigh Hansen (Red Deer, AB) and Sophie Scully (Ottawa, ON).
"We expect some good healthy competition for sure," says Larade. "We know Ashley is really capable, and the two rookies have looked really solid from the get-go, both very athletic, competing at a high level. We're very comfortable with all three and look forward to some good competition for playing time."
The Huskies will start the 2022-23 regular season on home-ice, hosting crosstown rivals Dalhousie Tigers on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Dauphinee Centre. BUY TICKETS NOW.