X-Women hockey season preview

Fast-paced X-Women shooting for conference crown

ANTIGONISH, NS – Speed, speed and more speed could describe the StFX X-Women as they embark on another AUS hockey season.

"I think that up front, and even now on the back end, as well, [speed] is the thing that we really have to focus on," veteran head coach David Synishin said, in an interview about the upcoming campaign.

"It is a puck possession game, so you have to really, on the defensive side and the fore-check side, look at taking time and space away."

He added training camp practices have been "geared towards" that goal.

"We have had a really good tempo, with speed, which is something that we are really going to push home every day that we practice, and in our games, that we are team with some really good speed, and we have some agitators and some really aggressive players that we want to take advantage of that, certainly on our fore-check," Synishin said.

"When we are clicking, I think people are going to see a team that is fun to watch, just from that speed perspective, and we are going to be a team that puts a lot of pressure on the opposition, which I think will help us, hopefully, get some wins."

Strong recruits

The new faces that will help the X-Women play their aggressive speed game include Santana Gravelle (Lumsden, SK), a 5'7" right-handed defender, who played the past three seasons with the Regina Rebels in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA League.

 "She is just a really, really good all-around 'D'. Her mobility is very good and she has already adjusted and won't have any issues playing at this level. She plays an aggressive game, with her head up," Synishin said, adding Gravelle will "see lots of minutes early on."

"We have been trying to build on that back-end, which I think is really, really important to be successful. And, over the years, we have been able to do that."

Joining Gravelle, as part of that focus, is Lindsey Donovan (Miramichi, NB), a left-handed defenceman from Rothesay Netherwood School, who Synishin said had "a really good camp" with Canada's National Development Team.

"On the intelligence level, I like to compare her to Suzanne Fenerty [former X-Women defender], or one of those players of that calibre. She sees the ice very well, she puts pucks in little open areas for players to pick up and sees things that the average player, I think, doesn't see," he said.

"She moves very well and makes the game look very, very simple, and slows it down. We are really, really excited about having her."

Synishin also noted her size, with Donovan measuring in at 5'9', and skating ability.

Becky Higgs (Goderich, ON), a 5'6" right-handed center, joins the X-Women from the PWHL's KW Rangers. She played the 2013-14 season with the Bluewater Hawks and was with the KW Rangers for the past two seasons.

"Up front, she is going to bring some speed and some aggressiveness and, I think, will be a really good grinding player, someone who is going to take time and space away from opposing players," Synishin said.

"She will take a little bit of time to adjust to this level, but is working hard right now and, I think, will make a contribution for sure."

Synishin compared the playing style of Natsha Costello (Guelph, ON), a 5'0" forward who played with the PWHL's Cambridge Rivulettes, to retired NHL'er Ken Linseman, known for his aggressiveness and ability to get under the opponent's skin.

"She plays that type of game, but she has some skill, as well; skates very well and is hard on the puck. She is another good addition," he said.

"She can be another one of those [type] forwards, which, I think, is kind of the style of hockey we are looking to play this year; that kind of grind it out, with lots of pressure, and taking time and space away."

Synishin described Kathryn (Kate) Gotaas (Sherwood Park, AB), a 5'5" right-handed forward, as "a real diamond in the rough," noting that the program was, kind of, late in recruiting her.

"She is a very, very intelligent player and one of the fastest players on our team, right now," he said.

"She doesn't mind mixing it up, as well, and will play, I think, when she gets adjusted to this game, which, I think, will be pretty quickly. She will put some offensive numbers up for us. We are definitely excited about her."

After red-shirting last season, Carley Molnar (London, ON) will suit up to form a goaltending tandem with senior Pascale Daigle (Irishtown, NB).

"She is a big, tall, mobile goalie, so we are excited to have her in the line-up, as well. She is getting the itch to play," Synishin said.

As for the X-Women between the pipes, Synishin said he is pleased.

"Obviously, losing someone like Sojung (Shin) is difficult; you don't replace players like her, but I think we are certainly happy," he said, noting sophomore Ariana Orasanin (Ancaster, ON), rounds out the trio in net.

"They get to develop, on a daily basis, which is extremely important, at this level."

On the blue line

The freshman duo of Gravelle and Donovan will join a defense corps that is without Jenna Pitts of Antigonish, which Synishin described as "arguably one of the best 'D' that we have ever had."

"She is only one person – I guess that's the way we are, kind of, looking at it," he noted of the loss of Pitts, who wrapped up her fifth season last year.

Noting the challenge of establishing depth on the blue line, Synishin said the X-Women are "looking good back there."

"We do have six really solid 'D' that are intelligent and play a good game, but adding two of the caliber that we did [Gravelle and Donovan], just adds depth for us, which has been a little harder to find lately," he added.

Amongst the returning defenders are seniors Nicole Corcoran (Bloomfield, PE) and Heather Tillsley (Aurora, ON), along with juniors Emma Winters (Lower Sackville, NS) and Nicole Halladay (Smiths Falls, ON).

"They all bring a great level of experience and talent to our team," Synishin said.

He noted Jessica Geddes (Oakville, ON), who had a "rough first year because of injuries," is back for her sophomore campaign.

"When she gets to where she is capable of, she is an intelligent 'D', as well," Synishin said.

The eighth defender is freshman Carly Burrows (New Glasgow, NS), who made the team as a walk-on.

"She is more of a forward, but we have her there, for now. She is a very skilled player and adjusting to that position," Synishin said.

"I am not sure if she will stay there, or not. If we have injuries, we certainly have the numbers on defense."

Up front

At the forward position, the X-Women will have to make-up for the loss of former captain Taylor Dale, along with Schyler Campbell, Catherine Civitarese and Alanna Grossutti.

"We worked on quite a bit of offensive stuff last year and, looking at how they came back from the strength and conditioning perspective, and how they are shooting the puck and how they are seeing the ice, we are very pleased," Synishin said of his returnees.

"You really count on – you can talk about all the recruits and usually everyone does, at the start of the year – if the returning players come back in shape, fit and hungry, it really makes a huge difference."

Synishin added those qualities have been there in training camp, noting the forwards are shooting the puck "really well."

"We are not sure what our lines will be – we have been working with some lines and we will see how exhibition play goes," he said.

"But, they are already putting the puck in the net in practice, which I think is a really nice thing to see, and just doing the little subtleties of the offensive game, which I think are going to help us."

Noting the X-Women have a "really good mix" up front, Synishin said, if you are looking at "pure offensive players," veterans Kara Power (New Glasgow, NS) and Daley Oddy (Cranbrook, BC) "come to mind."

"I guess you can say we will rely on them, but we will need scoring across the board to be successful," he added.

Synishin said both scorers have come in fit and are skating and shooting the puck extremely well.

"Sarah Bujold (Riverview, NB) is somebody, who in her third year, is a player that can really play at any level; if you want offense from her, we can get that; if we want a grinding style, we can get that," he said.

"She is somebody who, I think, is kind of yet to break out. She has had some good days and days, where the consistency hasn't been there. We have talked about that and, I think, she is somebody who could run over the league, if she wanted to, so she is another one of those players who, I think, will put the puck in the net for us, this year, as well."

The X-Women opened the pre-season Friday, Sept. 23^rd with a close 3-2 shootout loss to Dalhousie in a neutral-ice match-up in Liverpool.

The blue and white will skate on home ice, for the first time, Thursday, Sept. 29, when the rival and defending conference champion Saint Mary's Huskies come to Antigonish.

Game time is 7 p.m. 

"We are happy so far. The players, the returning ones and first years, came in fit; they worked hard over the summer, which is a really good sign of how hungry they are," Synishin said.

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