Madison Howg of the Medicine Hat College Rattlers high fives her teammates after scoring her second goal of the game in their 4-2 loss Sunday night against the SAIT Trojans at Big Marble Go Centre.--NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
Medicine Hat College Rattlers history was made Sunday night at the Big Marble Go Centre.
The college’s women’s hockey team made their first appearance on a local rink against the SAIT Trojans and scored their first goal as a program. They lost 4-2 and were outshot 60-19 but both those stats are irrelevant for the club team that is just looking to garner interest and work its way to becoming a full-time sports program at MHC.
“The reality is, it was just so rewarding,” head coach and MHC manager of athletics and recreation Terry Ballard said about the Rattlers scoring their first goal. “I’ve been in a lot of hockey games and a lot of good moments but that was probably one of the top, simply because it looked like they really wanted it and they cheered like they just won something really special and that was just awesome to see.”
The college announced in mid-July the introduction of the program on the basis of garnering enough interest from girls not only at the college but those a year or two away from post-secondary. The Rattlers made their debut as a team on Oct. 22 with an 8-0 loss against the Red Deer Queens, who were the 2021-22 ACAC champions. Sunday was their first time playing on a local rink, wearing the Rattlers logo in front of friends and family.
“It has been talked about a lot, and a lot of things are just talked about, but I think the girls, the coaches, we’re all just so thankful that the college is behind this program, they’re really supportive,” Ballard said. “To see something come together that’s been in the works for years and actually have a game in front of family and friends is more than outstanding. It’s actually a little hard to believe that it’s happening, but so thankful that it is.”
The Trojans opened the scoring and led 2-0 through the first period. It was midway through the second frame when Maddison Howg scored the first goal in program history. Later in the third period she scored the second.
“It was very bittersweet,” Hog said of the inaugural tally. “At first I was kind of stunned because I was like, ‘Oh, it went in the net.’ But I thought it would make us better for the rest of the game once we got that first goal.”
She is one of the Rattlers who isn’t studying at the college but is suiting up for the team. She said she’s enjoyed getting back on the ice after not playing for a couple years and helping to grow the program.
“We just want to work hard every single game and improve as a team,” she said. “Just getting more people interested in playing so we can have a full-time program.”
Between the pipes for the Rattlers, Kinlee Fahset turned aside 56 Trojans’ shots, a slower night compared to her 62-save performance against Red Deer. She says she prefers to stay busy in net.
“It was tiring but it was super fun,” Fahset said. “It’s way better to take shots than just stand in the net, so I had a great time.”
The psychology student says she was overjoyed to see the Rattlers score their first goal and is excited to share the first win as a team.
“The girls are amazing, the team has really come together and it’s been awesome,” Fahset said.
Ballard says they don’t have any exhibition games set up yet but have received interest from other teams, and he is hoping to get a couple more in before they have to shut down for Christmas in early December. He’s just thankful a women’s hockey team at the college has finally become reality.
“A lot of our girls are going to start working in the community with other young girls and I just think this community, it could be a really special place for female hockey at some point like it already is with SAHA and some other groups,” Ballard said. “We’re just wanting to do our part and make the game grow for the girls.”
