The Prince Albert Northern Bears played the Regina Rebels tough for 59 minutes at the Art Hauser Centre on Friday, but that extra one minute cost them.
The two teams were tied at one heading into the last minute of the second period, but penalties 30 seconds apart gave the Rebels a five-on-three power play. Regina’s Anna Benoit scored with one second left to give the Rebels a 2-1 lead on route to a 3-1 victory.
“It’s frustrating,” Bears coach Steve Young said afterward. “Regina plays a good hard, constant, game, and they’re always coming at you. If you’re not prepared to do that all the time, that’s what happens.”
Layah Mitchell scored the lone goal for Prince Albert on a wrist shot that beat Rebels netminder Shelby Barnes high glove side with 12:22 to play in the second. The goal made it 1-0 Bears, but Barnes shut the door the rest of the way, making 21 saves to earn the win.
At the other end of the ice, Bears goaltender Maggie Schell made several tough stops in the third period to keep it a one goal game, including a blocker save on a breakaway with around eight minutes to play.
Schell kept the Rebels from expanding their lead until the final minute of the third period, when Ella Newton’s wrist shot from the sideboards to make it 3-1. Schell finished the game with 34 saves and was named first star.
“She gave us a chance,” Young said when asked about Schell’s play. “I think both of our goaltenders this year have given us a chance and that’s big for us. It’d be nice for us to reward Maggie at some point. We have to do that. They’ve been competing right to the end.”
The Bears best chance to tie the game came early in the third period when Rebels defender Jessalyn Trenouth-Kemp was called for holding, then given a second minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. However, the Rebels penalty kill did an excellent job of blocking shots and keeping the Bears power play to the outside.
Young said parts of the Bears’ game are “really coming along” but said the team still has a few things to work on.
“It’s a work in progress,” he said. “I believe the girls that we have in this dressing room can compete when it comes time that we need them.”
The Bears and Rebels are back at it on Sunday at the Art Hauser Centre. Puck drop is 1:30 p.m.
