Mad Hatters beat Chinook Riders 6-2 in new women's hockey league debut
The inaugural matchup took place at the Blood Tribe Twin Rinks in Stand Off as the Alberta Senior Women's Hockey League began its first season.
Medicine Hat's Mad Hatters defeated the Lethbridge Chinook Riders 6-2 on Saturday at the Blood Tribe Twin Rinks in Stand Off, marking the first-ever game for both teams in the new Alberta Senior Women's Hockey League, a division of the Canadian Senior Women's Hockey League.
Jade Bleau scored twice for the Mad Hatters, with single goals from Madison Liptak, Baili Isley, Keely Gilham and Amber Seask. Micheleen Shagin added three assists and Janaya Laqua had two. MacKenzie Fontaine earned the win in net. Ireland Greenhouse scored both goals for the Chinook Riders, who took the loss with Samantha Winder in goal.
The Alberta league features 10 teams split into north and south divisions, with each club expected to play a 12-game schedule without necessarily facing every divisional opponent. The Mad Hatters will split their schedule between Lethbridge-area opponents and the Gull Lake Falcons in the Saskatchewan league, located about 160 km east of Medicine Hat.
The Chinook Riders' next home game is Oct. 30 at the Blood Tribe Twin Rinks, followed by a three-game stretch against the Mad Hatters, including two games in Bow Island on Nov. 13 and 14 and a final matchup in Stand Off on Nov. 21. The new league grew out of a Saskatchewan-based organization's push this year to expand senior women's hockey into Alberta and Manitoba.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.