Two days after seeing their dream of claiming the program’s first-ever Esso Cup title dashed, the Saskatoon AAA Stars are battling a wave of emotions.
Players and coaching staff are grappling with the fact that they came so close to reaching the goal they set at the start of the year, comforted by the knowledge that they left every ounce of sweat on the ice in Lloydminster.
“Obviously, we wanted a gold medal,” said Stars head coach Alana Serhan. “It truly is what we talked about since the start of our season, something that we reflected on a lot. At the end of the day, being ranked second in the nation for our group – it does really showcase the talent that we had.”
The Stars fell to the Edmonton Junior Oilers 7-3 on Saturday in the gold medal game of the 2025 Esso Cup, meaning the Saskatoon group would return home with silver medals around their necks.
Stars captain and graduating forward Maggie Freeman said the team felt a mixture of disappointment and gratitude leaving the ice for the final time as a group over the weekend.
“There was a lot of emotions flying in the last day,” said Freeman. “A lot of, ‘Oh, this is our last time together.’ But we always just try to keep it light, keep it about finishing hard. No matter what happens, at least we got here.”
Saskatoon’s crowning moment of the tournament came in the semi-finals on Friday against the North York Storm from Ontario, with forward Mikayla Broadfoot scoring her second goal of the game with just 5:34 remaining in regulation to put the Stars ahead 3-2. They held the score to the end, and the Stars secured their spot in the gold medal game.
“I was just coming on the ice and I had absolute chills,” said Freeman. “I told [Broadfoot], ‘You just gave me chills.’ It was crazy, I was so happy for her because she had two that game and it was absolutely unreal. In the moment you don’t really realize that it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, we’re going to a gold medal game.’ After you reflect back on it, it’s really extraordinary.”
Saskatoon would get goals from Halle Duchene, Ayla Anderson and Avery Barry in the gold medal game against Edmonton, while Tarynn Sutter and Adriana Bashnick split the net, combining for 26 saves on 33 shots against.
To even make it to the national championship game the Stars had to overcome several must-win games including a winner-take-all Game 3 of the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA League finals against the Battlefords Sharks, two elimination games in Esso Cup West Regionals versus the Eastman Selects and their semi-final victory over North York.
Serhan said those games showcased the team’s resiliency throughout the 2024-25 season.
“Being backs against the wall in elimination games, I think it just really speaks to some of the strong personalities that we had in our dressing room that propelled us through those moments.”
While the Stars were unable to win the one trophy that has eluded the program, they were able to equal their best result ever at the Esso Cup from 2018 when they also took home a silver medal.
Freeman said she feels a great amount of pride in what her team has accomplished this spring, a feeling which she expects will grow as the years go on.
“It’s a bigger deal than I think a lot of us think,” said Freeman. “Especially for our first-years, I’m really glad they got to experience it so that they know what it takes for their coming years. It’s insane that we made history and that people will look back on this being like, ‘Wow, we want to be just like that.’”
The silver medal caps off a historic weekend for U18 AAA hockey teams in the province, with the Regina Pat Canadians and 15-year-old phenom Maddox Schultz winning the 2025 Telus Cup in Chilliwack, B.C. on Sunday.
Set to return next year with the majority of their roster intact, the Stars add they’re confident the experience gained in Lloydminster will pay off when the 2025-26 season rolls around.
“The hockey, the calibre of competition at that level, it’s incredible to see the female game at this high level,” said Serhan. “To be a part of it with our squad was a lot of fun.”
Leading the team in scoring during the regular season, Duchene was named the Esso Cup’s top forward with six goals and 12 points in seven games.