KEVIN MENZ / ALEXANDER QUON

Elizabeth Hudon (file photo)

Going into their final two games of the season, the Dogs needed two wins and required both the University of Calgary and the University of Victoria to lose all their remaining games in order to secure the Canada West’s fourth and final playoff spot.

The Huskies defeated the Regina Cougars 1-0 on Oct. 29 and the Manitoba Bisons 2-1 the following day. Calgary lost to the conference’s top two teams but Victoria defeated Fraser Valley.

The Vikes win shut out all hope Saskatchewan had for their first-ever playoff birth.

Huskies head coach Tom LaPointe said the team was disappointed when they found out Victoria had won.

“It was depressing,” added Huskies striker Elizabeth Hudon. “Lots of tears were shed.”

The match against Manitoba was Hudon’s final game of her Huskies career. She had 2 goals in the game.

“It was a good way to go out,” said an emotional Hudon. “I might cry talking about it.”

The Canada West first team all-star is the highest scoring Huskie in the program’s history.

Her career statistics also top the Canada West’s leaderboards. Since the conference started keeping records in 2006, she has the most points (53), most goals (44), most shots (241) and most games played (70).

“We focused on making sure we won this game for Liz. That was our motivation today.” said Dogs head coach Tom LaPointe after the match against the Bisons. “She’s going to be hard to replace. I doubt anybody is going to break her records for 25 to 30 years.”

LaPointe, along with the rest of the Saskatchewan team, honoured Hudon at the beginning of the final game with a plaque and a booklet signed by the entire Huskies team.

“To take a few minutes out of our program to [honour her], that’s the least we could do for her,” said LaPointe. “She’s very special and she deserves all the accolades and the honours.”

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Photo: Raisa Pezderic/The Sheaf