SASKATOON – If you’re a fan of CIS hockey, it doesn’t get any better than this. Two of the best teams in the country are squaring off this weekend in the Canada West Final.
The kicker?
Both teams hate each other.
“You hear stories from fifth year guys, from our coaches who all seem to have played for the Huskies,” said Saskatchewan’s leading scorer Kohl Bauml.
“Being able to add a chapter of my own to the book is nice … they’re an intense team, as are we, so it makes for a good rivalry.”
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The Huskies have every right to hold a grudge against the Golden Bears. After all, Alberta has stung Saskatchewan in a couple of big games over the past three years.
In 2014 the Golden Bears defeated the Huskies in the University Cup Final, a game which was held in Saskatoon.
The year before that, Alberta took down Saskatchewan in the third and final game of the Canada West Championship series, the first of three consecutive conference titles for the U of A.
But unlike the past three years, Alberta won’t host the Canada West Championship series. Saskatchewan earned that luxury back in January when the Dogs locked up the top spot in the conference. The Huskies are 13-3 at Rutherford Rink through the regular and the playoffs.
“Home ice is a tremendous advantage,” said Huskies head coach Dave Adolph.
“We have it now, and they hate playing here.”
Over the past three years the Golden Bears have been bulletproof in the Canada West playoffs. They’ve won six series in a row, and three consecutive Canada West Championships. The last team to win a playoff series against Alberta was Saskatchewan back in 2012, the year the Huskies went on to win the Canada West title at Rutherford Rink.
Game 1 of the Canada West Finals goes at 7 p.m. CT Friday at Rutherford Rink.
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