Jason La Rose
With the 10-year anniversary of their 2009 Esso Cup championship quickly approaching, the Westman Wildcats returned to the top of the MFMHL in 2018-19. The Wildcats never had a season-defining win streak, but instead put together a number of short runs; they posting at least three victories in a row on five occasions, including a season-high five-game streak from Oct. 20-Nov. 3. Ali O’Hara (14-16—30) and Paige Hubbard (16-13—29) were the leaders up front, taking fourth and fifth in the MFMHL scoring race, while Natalie Williamson (9-3, 1.73 GAA) and Jillian Szabo (12-3, 1.86 GAA) backstopped Westman between the pipes.
PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS 1) Westman Wildcats vs. 8) Interlake Lightning 2) Winnipeg Avros vs. 7) Pembina Valley Hawks 3) Yellowhead Chiefs vs. 6) Central Plains Capitals 4) Winnipeg Ice vs. 5) Eastman Selects
FINAL STANDINGS (W-L-OTL) Westman – 44 points (21-5-2) Winnipeg Avros – 40 points (20-8-0) Yellowhead – 38 points (17-7-4) Winnipeg Ice – 37 points (17-8-3) Eastman – 33 points (15-10-3) Central Plains – 25 points (12-15-1) Pembina Valley – 20 points (8-16-4) Interlake – 6 points (2-24-2)
LEADING SCORERS Rylee Gluska (Yellowhead) – 16G 21A 37P Jena Barscello (Yellowhead) – 16G 17A 33P Julia Bird (Winnipeg Ice) – 18G 13A 31P Ali O’Hara (Westman) – 14G 16A 30P Paige Hubbard (Westman) – 16G 13A 29P
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE 2017 (Pembina Valley Hawks – fourth place)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES 3 (2009, 2012, 2015, 2017 (host))
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2012 (Pembina Valley Hawks)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2 (2009 – Westman Wildcats; 2012 – Pembina Valley Hawks)