Overtime victory sends Rebels to league final
Given recent events, Larissa Bohlken is well qualified to discuss the scoring and attainment of goals.
Bohlken scored two goals on Wednesday, including one in overtime, to propel the Regina Rebels into the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League’s championship series.
She was credited with the winner at 4:13 of the extra session as Regina defeated the host Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats 3-2 to end the best-of-five semifinal set in four games.
The decisive tally, the result of a lucky bounce, gave the 16-yearold Boulken — who plays defence — two goals on the night.
Meanwhile, the Rebels advanced to the league final for the first time since 2014.
“Everyone is super excited,” said Bohlken, a second-year member of a youthful team that’s losing only two players to graduation.
“We set a few goals at the start of the year and one of them was to get to the league final. Everyone has been pushing the same way all season. Everybody on the team has bought into the system and into what the coaches are saying. That’s what got us to where we are now.”
In the championship series, the Rebels will face either the Saskatoon Stars or Notre Dame Hounds. Saskatoon carried a 2-1 series lead into Thursday night’s game at Duncan Mcneill Arena in Wilcox.
Lauren Focht scored the other goal for the Rebels on Wednesday. Carissa Hogan and Taylor Lind replied for Swift Current, who rallied from a 2-0 third-period deficit.
The Rebels’ ultimate goal is to reach the Esso Cup — the Canadian female midget AAA championship — for the second time in team history. Regina placed fourth at the national event in 2013.
The 2012-13 Rebels posted a 270-0-1 regular-season record before going undefeated in the provincial playoffs. The Weyburn Southern Range Gold Wings defeated Regina in the 2014 league final.