Siklenka overtime winner gives Bears 5th straight win

Dave Leaderhouse

Special to the Herald

By Daily Herald Contributor - February 9, 2026

The Bears are out of hibernation.

Reyn Siklenka’s second goal of the game with 32 seconds left in overtime lifted the Prince Albert Mann Northway Northern Bears to a dramatic 4-3 decision over the Saskatoon Stars in Saskatchewan Female U18AAA Hockey League action on Sunday at the Art Hauser Centre. 

Siklenka also netted the game winner in a 3-1 triumph over the Stars on Saturday. With the weekend sweep the Bears have now won a season-high five straight games putting them in a position to make a dramatic move in the league standings. 

“Confidence comes with success and the No. 1 thing to do that is win,” said Bears’ head coach Steve Young after Sunday’s victory. “I’m very proud of them. The last little while has been very good for the hockey club.” 

In Sunday’s game, Addison Davidge gave the Bears a 1-0 advantage with six minutes left in the opening frame, but penalties became a problem for Prince Albert as the Stars would score three times with the extra-player advantage by the end of the second period, including twice while enjoying 5-on-3 situations. 

Emma Christison would bring the Bears to within one just over five minutes into the final session setting the stage for Siklenka, who also notched the equalizer with 1:46 left in regulation time before potting the winner as time was running out in overtime. 

On Saturday it was Jersie Andersen and Andie Marshall also scoring for the Bears, who are now just one point back of the Stars and two in arrears of Weyburn as the regular season enters its final two weeks of play. Prince Albert has just four games left to play including three straight against the winless Notre Dame Hounds with the first of those being on Saturday when the Bears will play their final home game at 1:30 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre. The Bears will then head to Wilcox for a pair against the Hounds on Feb. 20-21 before concluding the regular schedule in Saskatoon on Feb. 24. 

“We are learning what we have to do coming into the playoffs,” said Young. “After Christmas we have been pretty solid and we are taking the positives from each game. That is how we will be successful.” 

Goaltending also played a role in the weekend sweep with Maggie Schell turning aside 36 of 37 shots on Saturday while Avery Brunnen was tested 28 times on Sunday. 

In addition to the success on the ice, it was a special weekend for the team in several other ways. For both games the Bears wore specially designed “third jerseys” sponsored by SGEU with the game-worn uniforms being auctioned off on-line and all proceeds going to the Prince Albert YWCA’s Rendalyn Home. The final tally was not available, but it was expected that the goal of $4,000 was to be easily surpassed.  

Also, prior to Sunday’s game all of the Bears’ parents and billets were presented with flowers and following the game there was a special skate-with-the-Bears session. Showing appreciation to those that help make the organization successful, whether it is through sponsorship or other means, has always been a staple of the program and the pair of victories were just icing on the cake for a successful weekend. 

Door shutting tighter on Mintos playoff hopes 

A weekend trip to Swift Current didn’t produce desired results for the Prince Albert Mintos as a 2-1 shootout loss on Saturday and 7-3 setback on Sunday to the Legionnaires leaves the Mintos four points back of both the Tisdale Trojans and Saskatoon Contacts in the battle for the final Saskatchewan Male U18AAA Hockey League playoff spot. 

There is still a chance of getting into the post-season, but they are going to need a lot of help. First, they have to take care of their own business when they host the last-place Notre Dame Hounds this weekend in their final home games of the season. After Saturday and Sunday’s tilts, both 1:30 p.m. starts at the Art Hauser Centre, the Mintos will head to Tisdale for a crucial showdown with the Trojans on Feb. 18 and then complete the regular season in Regina against the first-place Pat Canadians. Even with a winning record in those final five games they will need the Contacts and Trojans to both struggle to the finish line. 

Scoring for Prince Albert on the weekend were Carter Wingert, Burke Whitter and Beau Anholt on Sunday while Barret Berger had the lone tally on Saturday. Wyatt Nelson saw action in the Prince Albert net in both games as he stopped 48 of 49 shots on Saturday before coming on in relief of Jayden Blanchette on Sunday. 

Timberjaks set up showdown with Thunder 

The Prince Albert Timberjaks moved into a tie with the Carrot River Outback Thunder for the final Prairie Junior Hockey League playoff spot when they gained a split in Regina on the weekend beating the Silver Foxes 8-1 on Friday before falling just shy in a 4-3 loss to the league-leading Capitals on Saturday. 

The results, coupled with Carrot River losing all three of their games against Saskatoon opponents on the weekend, have the Timberjaks and Thunder deadlocked with 30 points each. Prince Albert does, however, hold two games in hand and they will try and take advantage of one of those when they head to Saskatoon to face the Westleys on Thursday. That match precedes a crucial showdown in Carrot River on Friday in a game that will likely determine who moves on to the post-season and who doesn’t. The Timberjaks play their final home game of the season on Sunday when the Westleys will make a return visit to the Northern Regional Rec Centre. Game time for that contest is 3 p.m. 

Brody Anderson and Keethan Isbister both had monster weekends for the Timberjaks with Anderson collecting three goals and a pair of assists in Friday’s win while adding an assist on Saturday and Isbister had two goals in each weekend contest along with a pair of helpers on Friday. 

Also scoring for Prince Albert in the lopsided win were Owen Willie, Ryan Lepitzki and Marc Bourdon while Evan Malenfant rounded out the scoring on Saturday, a game in which the Timberjaks battled back from a 4-0 hole, but failed to get the equalizer. 

Josh Henry recorded the win in the Prince Albert goal on Friday stopping 24 of 25 shots while Brayden Lyons was tested 34 times in the loss on Sunday.