Cougars begin their quest for an ACHA National Championship

The Cougars Women's hockey team is set to kick off their quest for an ACHA National Championship this weekend. The Cougars, who last won the ACHA National championship in 2022, will take part in the Division 2 tournament March 15-19 at the Centene Community Ice Centre in Maryland Heights, Missouri.

"I think in a shortened tournament, you're going to have to put people in different situations throughout the season so that they're prepared when they get to nationals," said Charles Tweed, Cougars Head Coach. "We've been able to do some different things with our team, with our lines, throughout the year, so everybody's prepared to play. Probably the biggest thing is, that we've got such good buy in from the athlete side that there's a real commitment to being prepared and being ready to go when the puck drops."

The Cougars enter the tournament as the top-ranked team in the West Region with a stellar 23-2 record at the end of regular conference play, with their only losses coming against perennial rivals Sault College 1-0 and Jamestown's Division 1 squad. Both those losses came in November, and since that time the Cougars have sported a stellar 19-game winning streak, only allowing 13 goals across that stretch while potting 126 goals during that same stretch. Part of that success came off the stick of veteran forward Kasey Fouillard. Fouillard enters this tournament with championship goals in mind, and mindset that has prepared her for the rigors of the tournament.

"As much fun as it is physically, it's also a mental battle. It really comes down to a mindset and how much we want it." said Fouillard. "We just try to remind each other to take it one day at a time and focus on the game in front of us. We can't get too caught up with the future or the past, just take it day by day, take care of yourself, and enjoy the experience. Not a lot of teams get the opportunity to come here to get to represent their school, so that is an honour. Nothing compares to competing at this level, and it's awesome."

The team is not ready to rest on their accomplishments throughout the season though as playoffs, especially tournament style playoffs, mean you have to approach each game with a must-win mindset. That pressure is not new to the program, as the Cougars won their first ACHA Championship in 2019. After an undefeated season in 2020, the Championship was cancelled due to COVID-19. After another cancellation in 2021, the Cougars successfully defended their title in 2022.

One of the challenges of the national experience is playing teams that you have not faced throughout the season, so there is some unfamiliar territory entering into those games. For Tweed though, he instills in his players that their focus remains on playing good, disciplined hockey.

"You can't take everything away in the game of hockey, because your opponents will make plays. The truth is, we're focused mainly on ourselves. We'll be prepared. If we play the way we know how to play, what we call Cougars hockey, we're going to be a problem for people. And that's our expectation. I think if you get lost looking at who your opponent is, trying to take things away from them you can run into problems. At the end of the day, you have to play your game first."

The team will kick off this year’s tournament on Sunday, March 15, as they take on Boston University. The Terriers are the fourth-ranked team in the North-East division and as mentioned are an unfamiliar opponent for the Cougars. Puck drops at 1:30 PM CST.

Tournament games will be streamed live via tournament broadcast partner FloHockey.tv. To watch, visit FloHockey.tv.