Sticks and Skates [Wayhaught]

On the Road (Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder)

TSN @TSN_Sports

FINAL from #PURGvsPEG: Blue Devils bounce back from Tuesday's heartbreaker to defeat Peg City Pirates 8-2 on the strength of Nicole Haught's first career goal and first career hat trick

12 Oct – 4:35 PM MDT

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PURGATORY SPORTS REPORT @JeremyC_PG

Blue Devils rookie Nicole Haught on her performance in today's win over Peg City: "Scoring your first goal is something every little hockey player dreams of, so obviously I'm excited, but all the credit goes to the team today. Solid team win."

12 Oct— 6:00 PM MDT

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CBC: Monday Night CEWHL Action—Brandon Bobcats defeat Purgatory Blue Devils 3-1

Hot and cold Devils struggle to find consistency.

Tuesday, October 15th

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PURGATORY GAZETTE

SPORTS: Up and Down Devils Depart for Road Trip Amid Ownership Tensions

Story By: Jeremy Chetri

The hometown Blue Devils have not quite sprinted out of the starting blocks, but haven't exactly stumbled either. The 3-2 Purgatory squad have shown flashes of brilliance in their victories over Peg City, Moose Jaw and most recently last night's victory over the Red Deer Rampage, but have looked less than average in their losses to Victoria and Brandon. Success is undoubtedly hard to come by in this league, but there are already questions circling about the consistency of the team.

Despite finishing at the bottom of the league for the last six seasons, the new ownership has high expectations. "I didn't buy this team for it not to succeed," says owner Bunny Loblaw. "I expect greatness and I expect them to win. I don't think that's too much to ask." Strong words from the ownership are sure to have tensions running high due to the weight of expectations. General Manager and Director of Hockey Operations, Xavier Dolls, doubled down on Loblaw's sentiment: "A rebrand and a relocation means a fresh start. The higher ups expect a certain level of performance, and it's the team and the coaching staff's jobs to reach that. All we ask is for a little bit of consistency."

The Blue Devils appear to be taken aback by the strong demands. Team captain Shae Pressman was a little more than vocal, saying: "The competition in this league is elite and a complete turnaround isn't going to happen overnight. I've got a lot of faith in the girls on this team, and if the higher ups ease up and give us a little more time to get into the swing of things, we'll give them the results they want to see." Coach Nedley backed up his captain's response, "I've been around the game my entire life, I've been on both sides of the coin. If you're a manager and you want your team to succeed, let them know what you expect, but give them a little breathing room to figure it out and do it right."

With a ten-day, five-game road trip looming, it appears the Devils will be put to the test, not only physically, but mentally as well as they navigate their schedule and the murky waters of tension created between them and the team's ownership.

The Blue Devils will look to find production from unlikely sources, as rookie center Nicole Haught leads the team in assists and is tied with Shae Pressman for goals with 4 apiece. Other team notables are center Corine Saunders and left winger Mary Anne Johnson.

Blue Devils Upcoming Schedule:

Monday, October 21 @ Sydney Challengers (7:00 pm ADT)