Less than 18 months after construction began on Merlis Belsher Place, the new facility at the University of Saskatchewan is ready for competition.
With the puck set to drop on the Canada West women’s hockey season this weekend, there’s likely no team more excited to get going than the Saskatchewan Huskies.
Not only are they eager to play their first U Sports game of the 2018-19 regular season, they have the honour of being the first Huskies team to compete at Merlis Belsher Place when they host the Alberta Pandas at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 5.
The newly constructed arena is a massive upgrade over Rutherford Rink, where the women’s dressing room was actually in a trailer.
“The best expression I’ve heard is we went from the outhouse to the penthouse. It’s been quite the change; there’s been a lot of adjustment going on,” Huskies captain Brooklyn Haubrich said.
“It’s pretty awesome, I mean it just makes us feel like a first-class organization. I mean even like you can compare it to the NHL too. Our dressing room, I mean it just, it makes you feel like an all-star playing in here,” Huskies goaltender Jessica Vance added.
The brand new home of Huskies hockey will be shared with basketball and soccer teams, as well as Saskatoon minor hockey.
The first Huskies men’s game will take place on Oct. 12 against the Calgary Dinos.