Published: Saturday, 31 October 2020 00:48
Written by David Zammit

The Swift Current Innovation Credit Union Wildcats dropped their exhibition finale tonight against the visiting Notre Dame Hounds.

Hounds forward Kaitlyn Gilroy scored the game-winner on a breakaway with 9:40 left in the third period to lift her team to a 5-4 win and a 1-1 split with the Wildcats in preseason play.

Baylee Kirwan scored a pair of goals for the Wildcats in the second period, while Calli Arnold and Gracie Georget added single tally’s in the loss. Wildcats forward Ava Metzger picked up a pair of assists and rookie netminder Aurora Van Wormer made 23 saves.

Aside from Gilroy’s goal, Emma Thomas scored twice for the Hounds, with Alexia Hill and Ryann Perrett scoring too. Goalie Bailey Lindsay started for the Hounds stopping 13 of 17 shots while backup Kayla Bailey stopped all ten shots she faced.

“Slower start but we came back, like four shots in the first period, but 15 in the second, so I thought we got better as it came on,” Metzger said reflecting on the game.

The Wildcats spent some time this week in practice working on defensive zone play and although the team gave up three more goals in the game to the Hounds, the former Saskatoon Star believes the team made a step forward.

“We were better in our D zone, more stops and starts than in Notre Dame there,” she said. “More offensive shots, we had more shots today than we did last game. Just we showed up faster than last game.”

Next up for the Wildcats is a home-and-home with the Weyburn Gold Wings, beginning at 2:45 p.m. on Saturday at the Innovation Credit Union iPlex. The two clubs will then head back to Weyburn for a Sunday afternoon game.

Published: Monday, 26 October 2020 13:47
Written by David Zammit

The Swift Current Innovation Credit Union Wildcats won in their first exhibition game on Saturday night.

In Wilcox taking on the Notre Dame Hounds – the Wildcats overcame a two-goal deficit en route to a 3-2 win.

Ella Wingert scored the game-winner for the Wildcats while Jerzey Watteyne and Sadie Keller scored the team’s 2nd-period goals.

Wildcats goaltender Amaya Giraudier picked up the win turning aside 23 of 25 shots in the process.

The Wildcats play against the Hounds again on Friday night at 8 p.m. in Swift Current at Fairview Arenas.

Wildcats win exhibition opener
BY STEVEN MAH -October 25, 2020

The Swift Current Innovation Credit Union Wildcats scored three unanswered goals to win their exhibition opener on the road Saturday.

Amaya Giraudier made 23 saves as the Wildcats edged the host Notre Dame Hounds 3-2 in the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League.

Rookie Ella Wingert scored the only goal of the third period to put the Wildcats ahead. Rookies Jerzey Watteyne and Sadie Keller had scored for the Wildcats to pull even in the second period.

Baylee Kirwan picked up a pair of assists, while Jessica Bouffard and Calli Arnold added single helpers.

Alyssa Rasmuson and Payten Evans tallied for the Hounds.

The Wildcats will play their second and final exhibition contest on Friday when they host the Hounds at 8 p.m. at Fairview Arena.

Wildcats prepare for exhibition debut
BY STEVEN MAH -October 22, 2020

After months of practice, the Swift Current Innovation Credit Union Wildcats will get their first taste of game action this weekend when they visit the Notre Dame Hounds for an exhibition game on Saturday in Wilcox.

The Wildcats will make their home debut on October 30 when the Hounds repay the visit to Swift Current for an exhibition game at 8 p.m. at Fairview Arena.

The Wildcats will open the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League regular season the following weekend with a home-and-away set against the Weyburn Gold Wings. The Wildcats will host the Gold Wings on Nov. 7 at 3 p.m. at the Innovation Credit Union iplex. They will visit Weyburn the following afternoon.

The Wildcats finished second in the seven-team league last season with a 21-7-1-1 record before the playoffs were cancelled due to COVID-19.

They will be led by Gull Lake’s Bayee Kirwan, who finished second in the league last season with 29 goals in 30 games and third with 41 points. Netminder Amaya Giraudier returns after leading the league with a 0.949 save percentage and tying for the lead with 14 wins on her way to be named the co-recipient of the Top Goalie Award.

Innovation Credit Union New Title Sponsor of the Swift Current U18 Female AAA Wildcats
For Immediate Release – October 9, 2020

Innovation Credit Union is thrilled to announce they will become the new title sponsor of the Swift
Current U18 Female AAA Wildcats. Innovation takes over the sponsorship from Diamond Energy
Services after an impressive 14 years of Diamond Energy Services being the team’s title sponsor.

“The U18 AAA Female Wildcats are very excited with our new partnership with Innovation Credit
Union,” says Wildcats head coach Terry Pavely says. “This partnership will benefit our organization both
on and off the ice. Innovation Credit Union is a leader with their community involvement, and we
believe this will benefit our players in terms of becoming community leaders.”

With this sponsorship, Innovation supports the highest level of women’s hockey in its southwest region.
They see it not only as a way to support local sport, but also to encourage active, healthy lifestyles,
teamwork, and leadership.

“In a time where organizations are finding it difficult to obtain sponsorship and support, Innovation is
proud to be the Wildcat’s major sponsor,” says Innovation Credit Union CEO Dan Johnson. “Innovation
Credit Union is dedicated to female leadership and this title sponsorship is a perfect fit for our strategy.”

The Innovation Credit Union Swift Current U18 Female AAA Wildcats are currently awaiting direction
from the Saskatchewan Hockey Association and the Saskatchewan Health Authority as to when their
season start date will be.

About Innovation Credit Union
Headquartered in Saskatchewan, Innovation Credit Union provides a full range of financial services to
over 56,000 members including individuals, businesses, and organizations across the province. In 2017,
its membership voted in favor of seeking to become a federal credit union which will enable Innovation
to do business anywhere in Canada.
Through the lens of innovation and Responsible Banking, Innovation Credit Union reinvests its profits
into delivering economically viable solutions for all Canadians to access mutually beneficial and
affordable world class financial products and services – wherever and whenever members need them.