They set a league record with 25 wins in 30 games, skated to a hard fought provincial championship, and had a top national tournament in their sights, their ultimate goal.
The Northern Cougars of Prince George, with three local girls on the roster, were two wins away from representing the Pacific Region at the 2015 ESSO Cup in Red Deer, Alta., which is underway until April 25.
Unfortunately, a powerhouse team looking to make its seventh straight Esso Cup appearance stood in their way – the Edmonton Thunder.
The Female Midget AAA clubs went head-to-head in a best of three series in Edmonton, April 3-4. The Cougars’ season ended with 3-2 and 3-1 losses.
Forward Cassidy Mellott and goalie Emilie Nichols were members of the Cougars all season, while the team called up Cailey Mellott, Cassidy’s younger sister, to play with the club during the British Columbia championship and the Pacific Regional series.
Cailey scored the first goal of the series in Edmonton, with an assist by Cassidy. Game 1 went into triple overtime. Nichols was injured during the Cougars provincial championship series win against the Fraser Valley Phantom on March 22, and was happy to suit up again as the backup goalie in Edmonton.
“I think those were two of the best games I’ve seen our team play all year,” Nichols says. “It was so exciting, being on that bench, feeling the vibes off everyone and how we all want this. It just wasn’t enough.”
Nichols had an incredible run in net when the team’s starting goalie, Kelsey Roberts, went down with an injury early in the season. In 17 regular season games, Nichols’ record was 15-2, with a goals against average of 1.5 per game.
Looking back on the year, Nichols says it was a real confidence booster for her. She’s mentally and physically stronger now. At 16, she still has one year left of minor hockey eligibility.
“[Having this kind of year] makes you think you can go further in life. For myself, I thought I was going to be done hockey after last season in 100 Mile. [But] I want to go further. My big goal is to make it to the Olympics if I can.”
Cassidy, 17, scored six goals and eight assists in her final regular season of minor hockey. She’s hoping to continue to play as she pursues a post-secondary education.
“Playing my last year of minor hockey [with the Northern Cougars] was definitely one of the best things I could have done,” she says. “To get that opportunity to get past the B.C. championships and go on to the Pacific Regionals is not something that happens all the time. That was a really cool opportunity. Just to have the chance to play with all these girls in my last year was awesome as well. I had awesome teammates to play with.”
