What a difference a day makes - 19 hours to be exact.

After last Wednesday saw a loud Fairview West during the Diamond Energy Female Midget AAA Wildcats' season-ending OT loss to the Regina Rebels, Thursday was an atmosphere at the other end of the spectrum at the southside Swift Current rink.

Thursday afternoon saw a somewhat uncomfortably quiet Fairview West - the quiet was broken only by the buzz of the lights outside the dressing rooms, and the Wildcats, who were cleaning out the dressing room and having routine exit meetings with the coaching staff.

Swift Current graduated seven players from this year's roster, but for four in that group, their time donning the Wildcats' crest was especially special.

Forward Taylor Lind, Brynne Doerksen, Carissa Hogan, and goalie Harper Davey all logged three full seasons in the southwest, all stepping into the program ahead of the 2016-17 season.

The quartet were a part of Wildcats teams that went to the league semi-finals twice (2016-17 as the fifth seed, and 2018-19 as the third seed), and the quarter-finals in 2017-18.

Taylor Lind

"There's been nothing but positives out of this program - everyone here wants you to succeed, and everyone always has your back," said the Shaunavon-born Lind. "It's been the best three years of my life, and I'm so thankful for this organization."

Lind will long be regarded as one of the best to ever don a Wildcats jersey. She hold the organization's all-time lead in regular-season points (170) with a comfortable 66-point margin between Lind and second place.

Meanwhile in the Sask Female Midget AAA Hockey League's all-time ranks, Lind stands alone in second place with those 170 regular-season points.

For a player who recorded 58 points in her rookie season and 60 in Year 3, stats didn't tell the story of growth in Lind's game.

"I think that my hockey sense grew, and just getting the exposure to girls hockey - I had never really played it before now, and it's a whole different game than guys hockey," said Lind, who played a couple games with the Bantam AA Broncos in the 2015-16 season.

"My defensive game - it was insane how much I learned," added Lind on her growth. "Obviously I learned how to play centre, which that's just another huge part of my game that just makes me that much more well-rounded."

Though somewhat intangible, leadership was a big box that the 2018-19 league MVP checked off this season serving as the captain, after the early stages saw her sport alternate captain status in Year 2.

"They've grown a lot. I'm a very independent person, and I think that being a leader on this team has kind of taught me that you can rely on other people to help you out with things, and you don't always have to try and do it yourself."

Now, a dedicated summer lies ahead for Lind, who is set to reunite with former Wildcats captain Taylor Kirwan on the Lindenwood University Lions women's hockey team next season.

"I'll be training every day, and hopefully I'll get up to Saskatoon and Regina quite a bit to skate," Lind noted. "Just going to push myself as hard as I can this summer, so that I don't question myself once next year on whether I worked hard enough to be where I am."

However, with one last look back at what her favourite memories were from her time in Swift Current...

"There's too many to count. Every day coming to the rink with these girls, there was always some sort of something going on that was going to make you giggle, so it's kind of hard to pick one. But, just having the girls around all the time."

Carissa Hogan

It was a career of positional diversity for the Rosetown product, who seemed to do everything except play goalie and coach with the Wildcats.

"Being on the blue line as a D-man for my first year was definitely an experience," said Hogan. "Then, moving to forward during my second year, then developing into a centreman for my third year was definitely an honour to be able to represent the Wildcats and wear the jersey."

Hogan didn't take long to find her scoring touch in the forward unit, after a rookie season that saw four assists on the blue line.

In her sophomore season in Swift Current, she notched 12 goals, second on the team, while her 24 points were a tie for second as well.

Then into Year 3, Hogan again posted an even dozen goals, with 25 total points. Those marks were both good for third on the Wildcats.

Hogan was also able to crack Team Sask for the 2019 Canada Winter Games along with Lind and head coach Terry Pavely this past February in Red Deer.

"I'd say on-ice, my work ethic improved incredibly from my first year, going into my second, and then into my third year," she noted. "Being up front definitely improved me as a player on and off the ice."

Though her Midget hockey career is done, the sport continues for Hogan, who is set to make the jump to the Red Deer College Queens of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) in the fall.

"Hard training in the gym is going to be my goal. Improve my foot-speed, and keep up on the weights and cardio, and hopefully going into Red Deer camp April 5-6 fully conditioned."

Though, as was the case with Lind, it was a three-year run Hogan said was a memorable one.

"It definitely went way too fast, and it went in the blink of an eye. I just want to thank my parents for all the support, and all of the Wildcats for making an unforgettable experience."

 

Brynne Doerksen

One of the hometown players on the team, Doerksen's game and presence was a steady addition to the lineup.

Though, despite seizing the opportunity to play Female Midget AAA, the humble Doerksen said it was maybe more a case of head coach Terry Pavely forecasting future leadership.

"From Day 1, I know was definitely kind of the runt of the litter, and I wasn't anything special at all," she said. "But, Terry took a chance on me, I came out here, and I know I definitely improved my hockey skills."

Doerksen said the growth was just as noticeable in the dressing room and off the ice.

"I know through Wildcats I really improved my social skills, and working with all different types of people, getting to know everyone and getting along with them," she explained. "With a team, you've just got to figure your stuff out and get along."

The Swift Current product posted seven points this season, tied for her career-high set in Year 1.

Having played on a trio of strong Wildcats teams, Doerksen said the memories stacked up over the years.

"Playoffs are definitely always something that you remember no matter what, because they're always so high-paced, and exciting games."

"I know lots of our trips I remember really fondly - our team-bonding ones like Winnipeg this year, or Mac's last year," she added. "Those ones you always have fun little things that you do while you're there that you take pictures of, and have memories of for life."

Though hockey may not continue on past high school for Doerksen, the not-too-distant future looks to have a clear path ahead.

"Right now I'm planning on going to Olds College to take my Animal Health Technology there, not sure if I'm going to play hockey there or not, so guess we'll just see what happens."

Harper Davey

A constant in the crease the past three seasons, the Moose Jaw-born goalie can't seem to find a negative over her Wildcats career if she tried.

"It's been the best experience of my life. Nothing but positive things from the girls, to the coaches, to community activities - it's just been amazing," said Davey, who had a career year in her senior season.

In 13 total appearances over the regular season and playoffs, Davey earned a 6-3 record. She also posted a 2.73 goals-against-average and .893 save-percentage - both marks were career-best efforts.

"I just feel like I've improved so much as a player and a person, matured so much throughout living away from home," Davey explained.

Over a combined 47 regular-season and playoff appearances, Davey owns an 18-24 record, a 2.92 goals-against-average, .882 save-percentage, and four shutouts.

The aforementioned memories of the other third-years were also noted by Davey, though one game in particular earned the status of 'unforgettable'.

"My first year of beating Regina... That was probably the best game ever - just that feeling that you got when we won in double overtime, it was just awesome," said Davey on the quarter-final clinching Game 4 win over the Rebels to head to the league semis in 2016-17.

As for the future, Davey says she hopes to stay involved in the sport with coaching, though her decision on which school she's going to attend is up in the air.