CJS Olympiens leading MWHSHL’s top division

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/01/2023 (720 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Consistency remains a core strength of the Collège Jeanne-Sauvé Olympiens girls hockey team, which currently sits on top of the Manitoba Women’s High School Hockey League’s CTV Division 1.

At press time, the St. Vital-based team had just headed into the mid-season holiday break placed first in the nine-team division with a total of 24 points garnered from 12 wins in 14 games. The Olympiens have scored 61 goals so far this season, conceding 23, and are continuing the momentum of last year’s championship-winning season.

“We’ve grown a lot as a team,” Melissa Blaine, the team’s head coach, said in late December as the first half of the season was wrapping up. “The girls have been able to put the puck in the net more and more recently, and they’re getting better together.”

While most of the team played together in last season’s campaign, four new players have been welcomed into the mix this year. A recent trip to Montreal to play in a tournament was a good experience for the team, Blaine said.

“It was a fun and exciting trip. It was also a humbling experience, as we played against some elite teams, so it was an awakening in some ways, and a really good experience for us,” Blaine said.

Co-captain Mika Morand said working hard together and winning regularly are good habits to have.

“I’m really happy with the team this season,” Morand, a 17-year-old forward who had one goal and five assists in her first 11 games, said. “We work really well together, and we know how to set the pace of a game. We’re competitive and we want to win, and winning gives us a lot of confidence.”

Co-captain Annika Devine said the season so far has been a competitive one, which is something she relishes.

“So far, lots of the games have been pretty competitive,” Devine, a 17-year-old centre who had six goals and 12 assists in her first 14 games, said.

“There’s lots of competition in our league, and not every game is a given. Everyone is still working for each other and giving everything on the ice.”

“In Montreal, our games were a higher intensity, and there were teams from the U.S. and Ontario there. It was good to see how well we could compete with these teams, and it was a great learning experience,” she added.

Co-captain Alexis Van Den Driessche said going into this season as reigning champions has helped keep the players on their toes and focused.

“It’s definitely interesting knowing we’re the team to beat, and this definitely helps us improve our game,” Van Den Driessche, a 17-year-old left winger who had eight goals and eight assists in her first 14 games, said. “Even though we’re at the top of the league, we don’t take any games lightly.”

The teen also gave a nod to the team’s coaching staff, including Blaine.

“She’s definitely improved our game, and taught us a lot. She’s been a big part of how we’ve played this season,” Van Den Driessche said.

The Olympiens’ next game is against the Churchill Bulldogs on Jan. 10.

Go online at mwhshl.ca for more information.