MOOSE JAW — A Moose Jaw-area hockey team has been setting league records this season and is preparing for an upcoming semifinal series in its quest for its first championship.
Briercrest College’s men’s hockey team finished first this season in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) for the second year in a row with a record of 18-5-1-0, earning them a first-round playoff bye and the ability to host the semifinals.
The team’s playoff run kicks off at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 7 at the Barkman Arena in Caronport, with game 2 the next night at 8 p.m. and game 3 — if needed — on Sunday, March 9.
The Clippers will learn who their opponent is after the quarter-final series — scheduled for the Feb. 28 to March 2 weekend — concludes. The soonest the team will learn who they're facing is after game 2 on Saturday night, while the latest would be Sunday afternoon/evening.
Briercrest is the lone Saskatchewan team in ACAC and has “been making waves” due to their record-breaking season, Kiera Milgate, the team’s social media co-ordinator, said by email.
The league readjusted to a 24-game schedule in 2020, and this year, the Clippers claimed several records, including most wins in a season with 19, most points by a team in the regular season with 57, and most goals scored by a team in the regular season with 113, she continued.
Furthermore, the team has registered several Briercrest hockey records this year, including the program’s all-time win record with 19, compared to 17 victories during the 2023-24 season, and the program’s longest winning streak with six games.
“Those who are unaware of where this program has come from in recent years might not understand just how incredible this is for this local college team,” said Milgate.
Until the 2022-23 season, the Briercrest hockey club “had sat comfortably at or near the bottom of the league for many years,” she continued. That season, the team finished fourth, and then claimed first place during the 2023-24 season.
“As playoff hockey had only just recently become a reality for this program, the unseasoned team’s hopes of claiming their first program ACAC championship title (were) dashed after losing out in the semifinals last season,” Milgate remarked.
However, after again claiming first place this season, the players “are ready to redeem themselves in their quest for a championship title,” she said.
“It is an accomplishment in itself to go from the team everyone beats to the team to beat — but their eye is on the prize and this team that is full of heart and passion is hungry for a championship,” the social media co-ordinator added.
“What an honour it is for this team to represent Saskatchewan.”
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