Breann Frykas scored 42 seconds into overtime as Manitoba edged Saskatchewan 1-0 Friday in a thrilling women's hockey semifinal.
The Manitobans will face Ontario for the gold medal after the two-time defending champions downed Quebec 3-1 in the other semi.
Audrey Cournoyer-Belanger of Montreal has Ontario goalie Jaime Miller (41) of Richmond beat but fails to score during the women's semi-final hockey at the Canada Winter Games in Whitehorse on Friday. At left is Tara Watchorn (52) of Newcastle, Ont.
(Chuck Stoody/Canadian Press)
Frykas, who plays for Winnipeg's Balmoral Hall Blazers, batted a loose puck past Saskatchewan goaltender Kayley Herman.
Her team poured out onto the ice and swarmed Frykas, cheered wildly by a pro-Manitoba crowd, which included eight shirtless gentlemen spelling out the name of the province.
Delayne Brian preserved the victory with a 35-save performance as Manitoba advanced to its first Canada Games women's hockey final. The province's previous best result was a pair of fourth-place finishes in 1995 and 2003.
With Manitoba providing the largest, loudest and most boisterous crowds in Whitehorse, Frykas expects a noisy reception for Saturday's championship game.
"They definitely make a big impact," said Frykas. "Manitoba strives on having good support for every sport we play.
"It's great to have the support behind you … it makes you feel more at home. And we're hoping for the best support we can get."
The Manitoba women have a chance to upstage the performance of the men's team, which blew past the tournament's top two seeds last week before settling for silver. Prior to the Games, Manitoba had never finished higher than third in either men's or women's competition.
"The first day we walked into the Canada Games Centre and we saw the boys with their silver medals, we thought of what it would be like if we were there," said Frykas.
An emotional Herman took the loss harder than most. The five-foot-five sparkplug from Weyburn, Sask., allowed just one goal in the entire tournament — it just happened to be the goal that torpedoed Saskatchewan's chances at a gold medal.
Herman, who made 28 saves Friday, said her team would have to quickly shift its focus to Saturday's bronze-medal game against Quebec.
"We have to let it go," said Herman. "It's a hard thing, but we have to shake it off and come hard [Saturday] so we can go home with some hardware."
Despite the loss, Herman said she's proud of how well she played at the country's marquee hockey tournament for 15- and 16-year-old girls.
"This is a great experience," said Herman. "This has been a good tournament for me, and a good stepping stone to get to the next level."
In Friday's other semifinal, Rebecca Johnston scored the game-winner early in the third period as Ontario upended Quebec in a rematch of the 2003 title game.
Tournament scoring leader Jennifer Wakefield added a goal and an assist, while Carolyne Prevost also scored for Ontario.
Lauriane Rougeau had the lone goal for Quebec, which can finish no better than third — its worst result since 1995.
