The Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs couldn’t have asked for a better start to their Alberta Female Hockey League U18 AAA season after winning both games to begin the season.
On Saturday the Chiefs beat the Edmonton Jr. Oilers 3-2 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre followed by a close victory on the road against the Rocky Mountain Raiders 5-3.
Head coach Brett Wold said it was a great start for his team.
“We came out flying. The girls came put and battled hard and then our returning players really came out to play all of our returners scored our goals this weekend. Kudos to them for showing the young ones the ropes this weekend,” Wold said.
Against the Oilers, Alyssa Shaw, Nadia Lavoie, and Belle Smith all scored for Red Deer. Meanwhile, goaltender Ashtyn Berthiaume had a solid game and made 19 saves.
In the second game, Ryann Holbein, Rylee Mcleod (three), and Sydney Hollman all recorded a tally for the Chiefs. This time around Taya Christie was in net for Red Deer and made 19 saves.
This season they have eight returning players. Throughout the team, they have seven from Grade 12, five in Grade 10, and eight in Grade 11.
“Our leaders have done a good job so far being leaders. We expect them to continue to do that and teach the younger girls the ropes,” Wold explained.
Last year they finished tied for third with 16 total wins but fell to fourth due to a tiebreaker. In the playoffs, they defeated Lloydminster in the first round and won bronze in provincials.
“Our goal right now is just to get 17 wins out of 30 games,” he said. “That’s our goal so we’re two out of 17 we’re well on our way. I think we’re going to be high in the top six in our league. Seventeen wins would put us at our team record for most wins in a season so that’s what we’re shooting for.”
Wold believes they have a mix of talent on both their forward group and the defence and is also confident in the Chiefs’ goaltending tandem of Ashtyn Berthiaume from Spruce Grove, and Taya Christie from Medicine Hat.
This weekend on Saturday, Oct. 8 the Chiefs will look to extend their winning streak against the Lloydminster PWM Steelers at the Servus Sports Centre-Rusway at 4 p.m. The two will rematch on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 1 p.m.