After losing a significant number of their players from last season, it was up in the air about what kind of season the U18AAA Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs would have.
But the Red Deer crew has put together a solid start in the Alberta Female Hockey League, posting a 7-3-2-0 record, backed by outstanding goaltending.
The goaltending of Brylee Hull and Ava Romanow gives the Chiefs one of the premier duos in the league.
Hull sits third in both goals-against-average (1.15) and save percentage (.950) while Romanow has a 2.31 gaa and a .919 save percentage.
Both net minders are in their first year, but have a solid background.
Hull led the Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs U18AA squad to their second straight provincial title last season while Romanow played with the Bishop Kearney Selects 16U squad in Rochester, NY.
Hull is grateful to her teammates for her strong start.
“It comes from a lot of hard work, hard work in practices, but it’s not just me, it’s the whole team,” said the 16-year-old native of Sylvan Lake. “Plus, we’ve been strong defensively.”
The Chiefs do struggle to score, sitting fifth in the league with 28 goals in 12 games, but are second defensively, allowing just 23.
Brylee, who is in Grade 11 at Notre Dame High School, had a love for goaltending from an early age.
“I first played in U11 as everyone shifted around,” she said. “Then we attended a three-on-three tournament and I played one game in goal and one as a player and I told my dad after that I wanted to be a goalie. He went out and ordered me pads the next day and it went from there.”
Hull played in Sylvan Lake until joining the Red Deer program at the U15 level.
It was her time at U15 when she knew she had the talent to play at an elite level.
“I was the top goalie in back-to-back years, which really motivated me,” she said. “There were a lot of good goalies in that league and with me being the top goalie I wondered how far I could go.”
At five-foot-11, Hull has the size to be a dominant player. She’s square to the puck and has an outstanding glove, something she gets from playing softball.
“I play first base for the Sylvan Lake Storm and we went to the Westerns last year in Port Alberni,” she explained.
Hull has one more season with the Chiefs before making a decision on her future.
“My goal is to play as high as I can, possibly USport or Div I, but it’s one step at a time,” she concluded.
Romanow is 17 and in her final season at the U18 level.
It was because she was finishing Grade 12 and her U18 career that she decided to move back to Canada.
Ava was born in Lacombe, moving to Colorado when she was nine.
“My dad’s business took us down there,” she explained.
It was in Colorado where she first strapped on the pads.
“I played ringette here but they don’t have ringette there.”
She took power skating after moving before taking a couple of years off.
But I always wanted to go back. My brother was a goalie and I always wanted to be a goalie as well so in Grade 6 I started and it went from there.”
She played on Team Colorado at the 14U level for two years and the one year at 16U before being selected by the the BK Selects and moving to New York.
“We boarded at the hockey school on the top floor. It was a good life, a lot of fun,” she said. “We had a good team, and we went to the national finals.”
But she wanted to return home.
“My family moved back here when I went to New York and I wanted to take my Grade 12 here where it all started,” she said.
It’s been different playing with the Chiefs.
“It’s different in that we play in a league. Down there, we played tournament hockey, but this is refreshing knowing a schedule and playing the odd tournament. It’s a nice setup here with being in school together with great coaches and teammates.”
Ava has enjoyed her time with Brylee.
“We have good chemistry, which is important,” she said. “We understand each other and understand when we need support.”
Romanow, like Hull, played some softball “but when I was young.”
The five-foot-eight Romanow also has a solid presence in goal while she is lefthanded.
“That kind of surprises people as they go to shoot high glove side and it’s my blocker,” she said with a laugh.
Chiefs had coach Marissa Graham likes what she sees in goal.
“They both work so hard and have a championship mindset,” she said. “It’s exactly what we’re looking for on and off the ice. They’re great leaders and we trust both of them, rely on both of them, we couldn’t be in a better spot.”
As for next season, Romanow says she’s a bit up in the air.
“I may take a gap year, although my plan is to go back to the States and play Div I. But I’m not eliminating U Sport either. Hopefully, I’ll know soon.”
The Chiefs will be part of the U18AAA Showcase at the Gary W Harris Canada Games Centre Dec. 20-21.
There will four games each day. The Chiefs face St, Albert Slash Dec, 20 at 11:30 a.m. and the Lloydminster Steelers Dec. 21 at 12:30 p.m.
Danny Rode is a retired Advocate reporter and member of the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame who can be reached at danrode@shaw.ca
