Team Saskatchewan has their first win in the books at the Canada Winter Games, and Moose Jaw’s own Brooklyn Nimegeers played a huge part in the result.
Nimegeers scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and drew an assist on the opening marker as Team Sask took a 3-2 victory over New Brunswick in their final round-robin game on Wednesday night.
Saskatchewan finishes the preliminary round with a 1-2 record and will now face Nova Scotia in the quarter-finals on Friday.
With the game tied 1-1 in the third in a back-and-forth battle between the two teams, Nimegeers would find herself in the right place at the right time for the go-ahead goal. A shot by Morgan Hirschfeld led to a long rebound out to the top of the left face-off circle, and Nimegeers would pick up the puck and wire a shot top shelf glove side for the 2-1 Team Sask lead.
Nimegeers also played a crucial role in the opening goal for Sask, with her shot from the point tipped at the top of the crease by Janelle Evans and trickling into the New Brunswick net. The goal game with 5:11 remaining in the second period.
Paige Fisher stopped 12 shots to earn the win in goal, while Team Sask fired 44 shots at the other end of the ice.
B.C. went unbeaten at 3-0 to lead Pool B, while Quebec was 2-1 and New Brunswick 0-3.
A win over Nova Scotia will send Team Sask into the semifinals Saturday, with the medal games set for the final day of the Games on Sunday.
Moose Jaw Koseikan Judo Club competitor Kolbi Fenrick ran into the luck of the draw in the 57 kg female division, facing off with eventual medalists in her two matches on Thursday.
Fenrick opened her tournament against New Brunswick’s Mahee Savoie and lost by ippon, with Savoie going on to win the silver medal.
That defeat sent Fenrick to the consolation round, where she’d fall by ippon to Yukon’s Jaymi Hinchey. Sure enough, Hinchey would win her next two matches and claim bronze.
Earlier in the Games, teammate Avery Gibney reached the bronze medal match in the 52 kg division and settled for fifth place. Fenrick would finish tied for 11th overall.
Next up for the local competitors is the team competition, running throughout the day Saturday
Both Eric Swalm and Rowan Gray are in action in the Pre-Novice male figure skating competition later Thursday as they take the ice in the free program.
Swalm is currently 12th overall after the short program with 21.94 points, while Gray is 13th with 19.86 points.
Be sure to visit www.2023canadagames.ca for up-to-date scores and information from the Canada Winter Games.
