Two weeks after a pair of Diamond Energy Female Midget AAA Wildcats cracked Team Sask's U16 Female team, another three Wildcats are off to Winnipeg for a weekend tournament with Team Sask's U18 Female squad to try and make the final roster.

Forwards Taylor Lind and Carissa Hogan, along with defenceman Ryleigh White join Wildcats head coach Terry Pavely in the Manitoba Capital for a trio of games against the University of Manitoba Bisons, University of Regina Cougars, and Team Manitoba's U18 Female team.

"Well it's always nice - I think part of the thing, especially our southwest kids that make it, you've got to give kudos to their minor hockey programs, and the coaches they had coming up to our level with the skill set they have," Pavely explained. "For our program, it's nice to see the kids are being recognized - that when they play here, they learn the game and usually play it the right way. Obviously the scouts that are watching them feel that those are kids that deserve opportunities to maybe don the Saskatchewan jersey."

The Wildcats and Team Sask take on the U of M Friday at 1 p.m., U18 Team Manitoba Saturday at 7 p.m., and the U of R Sunday at 11 a.m.

The final cuts will be made later on in 2018. Those players that make the roster will compete with Team Sask at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer, Alberta from February 13 - March 3.

"I mean it's a pretty big commitment. I'm pretty proud of myself to make something that big, and I think it's going to be awesome going into this tournament, it's pretty cool," said Carissa Hogan (pictured above), a product of Rosetown. "Going into there, the speed of the game - that's going to be a key to success. Obviously those teams are going to be good, they're the high end teams."

The 17-year-old forward is being rewarded for a late surge in her Midget AAA career, after coming into the SFMAAAHL as a defenceman.

Hogan tallied a respectable 24 points (12 G, 12 A), playing in all 28 regular season games in 2017-18. That mark rocketed up from the previous season, where she recorded four assists in 22 games on the blueline as a rookie.

Pavely, her bench boss with the Wildcats, and now team Sask, spoke on her growth as a player:

Hogan says this experience with Team Sask will help her get up to pace, and hopefully thrive in her final year of Midget.

"Honestly it's the speed of the game that gets you going and keeps you going. Then the points, that'll follow along. If you're on your game every game, that'll follow through," said Hogan, forecasting a strong year for the Wildcats.

"I think we're going to be a good team - we're going to be in the mix. If we have the speed and come mentally prepared every game ready to work, then we're going to be right in there."

"It's pretty cool to be able to represent your province and represent the Wildcats of course, so I'm excited," said Ryleigh White (above), a 16-year-old blueliner from Warman.

White noted that, with post-secondary aspirations two seasons away, this tournament serves as a great opportunity.

"I think it'll be nice to see the competition, because that's where I plan on playing or playing against - in the (U-Sports) league. It'll be nice to just get a feel for it."

White is into her second season with the Wildcats, and third SFMAAAHL season overall.

The 5-foot-9 defenceman posted three assists in 14 games in her rookie year with the Battlefords Sharks. White added 10 points (six goals, four assists) last season with the Wildcats.

Able to rush the puck end-to-end with poise,she says her third Midget AAA season will see a balance of aggressiveness and patience.

"I like to skate the puck, but I'm definitely not going to go out of my comfort zone. I'm going to play my game, and that's usually staying at home. If there's an open lane, I'll for sure take it though."

Pavely spoke on how her game has evolved the past calendar year:

Though not looking past her current Teams Sask experience, White says she's excited for what's to come at the club level in Swift Current.

"I think we're going to be really good this year, and I kind of want to leave it all on the ice this year for sure, every game. I think we have a lot of potential this year."

"It means even more this time I think - my first year it was obviously an unreal experience, and I'm so excited to have a chance to have another one of those," said Taylor Lind (above), who looks to ramp up her experience in her second go-round.

"I think this time around it's not only just being excited that I get to play, which I still am. It's more getting to really play in the game and get my pace up to that level, and not just being excited being there."

After playing alongside Taylor Kirwan last season with the U18 team as a 15-year-old, Lind now has a new pair of teammates along with her.

"I'm just going to tell them that it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so yeah for sure have fun and be excited," she said of her message to both Hogan and White. "But, when you get on that ice, just show them everything you've got, and don't let them forget what you're about."

Few individual accolades remain for Lind at the Midget AAA level, as through her first two seasons with the Wildcats, already holds the franchise record in points (110), goals (64), and is 16 helpers away from Swift's all-time assists record of 62.

"For my career here, it's obvious I want to keep pounding the goals back, but I for sure want to make sure this year we have a really good chance at having something special. I don't want to let that slip with any individual goals. I'm just really hoping we have something huge come as a team here."

Averaging two points-per-game in her career, Lind says year three isn't about growth in the stat sheet.

"I want to show everyone that I'm not just the offensive player that they think," she said. "I want to show them that I can play defence, and that when my team needs me to be killing penalties, and saving goals, I can do that. I also want to show them that I'm a big team player, and that my leadership isn't just on the surface - that it goes deeper than that."

Leadership is the key for Lind in year 3. Taking the reins from the now-graduated Taylor Kirwan, Lind will look to expand her role on the team.

"Well for sure I want to use some of the things that Tay (Kirwan) left us with - she was a very good leader. I want us to be the hardest working team in the league this year, and I don't want anyone to forget who they're playing. I want them, every time they see that they have to play the Wildcats, say 'oh shoot, we better get going'."

Wildcats head coach Terry Pavely added to that point, speaking on the importance of this season to Lind's long-term growth.

Pavely added that growth in the communication aspect of leadership is a key one that doesn't necessarily come on Day 1 for players - and Lind looks to be in line with that progression.