Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos

The Sault College Cougars women’s hockey team delivered a dominant performance over the October 9–10 weekend, sweeping their cross-border rivals, the Lake Superior State Lakers, in American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division I women’s hockey action at the Northern Community Centre.

The Cougars opened the two-game series with a convincing 6-1 victory on Friday before completing the weekend sweep with a 5-0 shutout win on Saturday. Sault College received contributions throughout its lineup, combining offensive production, effective puck possession and strong goaltending to secure both victories.

Game One: Cougars Pull Away for 6-1 Victory
After a scoreless opening period on Friday, the Cougars broke through early in the second period when Danika West scored at 19:37, with Payton Stos picking up the assist to give Sault College a 1-0 lead.

The Cougars doubled their advantage at 15:25 on the power play, as Maddy Fick found the back of the net with an assist from Katelynn Jacques.

Lake Superior State responded at 11:25 when Kaylee Erikson scored off a pass from Linneau Preugschas, cutting the deficit to 2-1. However, Sault College restored its two-goal advantage at 4:20, with West scoring her second goal of the game on a play set up by Matea Land.

The Cougars carried a 3-1 lead into the third period and continued to build on their advantage.

At 19:34, Taryn Sullivan scored on the power play, with Stos and Maia Hammell earning the assists to make it 4-1.

Sault College added another goal at 7:24 when Matea Glavota converted a pass from Stos. The assist marked Stos’s third point of the contest.

Sullivan capped the scoring at 4:17, finding the net for her second goal of the game on an unassisted effort to secure the Cougars’ 6-1 victory.

West and Sullivan each recorded two goals, while Stos contributed three assists to lead the Cougars offensively.

In goal, Farrah Farstad turned aside 10 of the 11 shots she faced to earn the win. Lake Superior State goaltender Lauren Blattenberg made 38 saves on 44 shots in the loss as the Cougars generated considerable offensive pressure.

Game Two: Stos Leads the Way in 5-0 Shutout
The Cougars carried their momentum into Saturday’s rematch, producing another strong performance to complete the weekend sweep with a 5-0 victory.

Katelynn Stos got the offence going early, scoring an unassisted goal at 19:53 of the first period to give Sault College a 1-0 lead.

Stos struck again at 14:52, finishing a play set up by West and Sullivan to extend the advantage to 2-0.

The Cougars’ forward completed her three-goal first period at 5:56, scoring another unassisted goal to give Sault College a commanding 3-0 lead.

Sault College continued to control the game in the second period. Annika Babineau increased the lead to 4-0 at 16:09, with Tara Knight and Gracie Dale collecting the assists.

The Cougars added their fifth and final goal in the third period. Sullivan scored at 14:36, with Lydia Steen recording the assist, putting the finishing touch on another convincing performance against the Lakers.

Stos led the way with a hat trick, while Sullivan contributed a goal and an assist. West also recorded an assist as the Cougars received another productive performance from their veteran players.

At the other end of the ice, Denali Forsyth delivered a shutout performance, stopping all 11 shots she faced to secure the 5-0 victory.

Lake Superior State goaltender Kaylee Lang made 26 saves on 30 shots in the Lakers’ second consecutive loss to Sault College.

Dubas Proud of Cougars’ Weekend Performance
Following the sweep, Cougars head coach Megan Dubas told Saultsports she was proud of the team’s performance against its familiar cross-border rival.

“It’s a huge accomplishment for our group. Anytime you can sweep a weekend against a cross-border rival, you know you’ve earned it because those games are always hard-fought and competitive,” Dubas said.

“I’m incredibly proud of the way our players approached the weekend. They stayed committed to our identity, competed for every puck, and found ways to respond in key moments. It’s a great weekend for our team and we will keep building from here.”

Dubas identified puck possession and speed as two of the biggest factors behind the Cougars’ success in both games.

“When we controlled the puck, we were able to dictate the pace of the game, spend more time in the offensive zone, and limit their opportunities,” she explained. “Our speed allowed us to create pressure, win races, and generate chances off the rush.”

The coaching staff also made adjustments between the two matchups, emphasizing a simpler approach, consistent movement and quicker puck distribution.

“Between the two games, we made a few adjustments to simplify our game, keep our feet moving in all three zones and quicker puck movement,” Dubas said.

The Cougars’ veteran players were particularly effective throughout the weekend. Dubas highlighted the contributions of West, Sullivan, Stos, Weaver, Jacques and Land, while also praising the complete team effort in Saturday’s shutout.

“Saturday, I believe we had a complete game by everyone. Solid performance from our defence and goalie, and our forwards executed,” she said.

Cougars Look to Build on Early-Season Momentum
The weekend sweep provides Sault College with a confidence boost as the team continues its early-season schedule. However, Dubas emphasized that establishing consistent habits remains a priority as the Cougars prepare for their next challenge.

“Getting back-to-back wins against a familiar rival gives our group confidence, but it also reinforces that when we play to our identity, we can have success,” Dubas said. “At the same time, we know it’s still early, and there’s plenty of work ahead.”

The Cougars will head west to North Dakota for three games from October 16 to 18, beginning with a pair of matchups against the Minot Beavers on October 16 and 17.

Sault College will then close out its road trip on October 18 against the Jamestown Jimmies.

As they prepare for the upcoming contests, the Cougars will focus on maintaining their speed, controlling possession and managing the puck in all three zones.

“We will focus on continuing to build our consistency,” Dubas said. “We want to keep playing with speed, controlling puck possession, and managing the puck in all three zones. We will continue to clean up the small details and make sure we’re getting better every day.”

With two decisive victories over Lake Superior State behind them, the Cougars will look to carry that momentum into their upcoming North Dakota road trip.