Three Stars: Gotaas, Erickson, Lemoine earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Men's hockey student-athlete Cam Gotaas is the MacEwan Athletics' first star of the week after his performance in leading the Griffins to a weekend sweep of the SAIT Trojans.
Gotaas recorded three goals and six assists as the Griffins beat the Trojans 6-3 in Edmonton and 6-5 in Calgary.
Other stars recognized this week include second star Jaime Erickson of women's hockey and third star Meagan Lemoine of women's soccer.
It's the second time this season that Gotaas is being recognized, having also been named third star on Oct. 22. Lemoine also makes her second appearance after netting second star honours on Sept. 3. Erickson is being honoured for the first time in 2019-20.
1st STAR: Cam Gotaas, F, men's hockey
Sherwood Park, AB, fourth-year, Commerce
In leading the MacEwan Griffins to a weekend sweep of the SAIT Trojans, captain Cam Gotaas hit the scoresheet on nine of his team's 12 goals in the two-game set.
The captain was in fine form, producing three goals and six assists as the Griffins put some distance between themselves and the Trojans for third place in the standings, while remaining in the hunt for second place, just a point back of Red Deer College.
In Friday's 6-3 win in Edmonton, Gotaas scored the game-winner early in the second period when he jumped on a loose puck in the slot and wired it past Kyle Dumba. He added an empty-net goal and two assists.
In Saturday's 6-5 win in Calgary, he was given credit for MacEwan's third goal, while drawing assists on their first, second, fourth and fifth tallies.
For the season, Gotaas is tied for third in the ACAC scoring race with 34 points in 24 games.
He leads MacEwan into action against Portage College on Friday (7 p.m. in Lac La Biche, Alta.) and Saturday (6 p.m., Downtown Community Arena).
2nd STAR: Jaime Erickson, D, women's hockey
Leduc, AB, fourth-year, Science
In need of a hero after Red Deer College tied Saturday's game with 2:33 remaining, the Griffins got one in Erickson, who took a feed from Jill MacWilliam and slid in five-hole to give MacEwan a 4-3 victory in double overtime.
The win's significance? As the 21st victory of the season for the Griffins, they tied the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference record for the most women's hockey wins ever, matching the 2010-11 Mount Royal University Cougars. It also extends MacEwan's ACAC record win streak to 14 in a row.
Erickson also played a big role in MacEwan's 3-0 win over RDC on Friday, setting up the game-winning goal when her blast from the point was tipped in by Chantal Ricker.
And that's just her offensive production. Erickson's steady play on the blueline was a big reason why the Griffins only allowed three goals against in two games.
For the season, the fourth-year veteran has four goals and 11 points in 21 games, which is tied with Carley Jewell for tops among MacEwan blueliners.
Jaime Erickson scored the double overtime game-winning goal in Saturday's 4-3 win over Red Deer College (Joel Kingston photo).
3rd STAR: Meagan Lemoine, F, women's soccer
Edmonton, AB, fourth-year, Commerce
A force for the Griffins during a weekend exhibition trip to Vancouver, Lemoine was involved in three of four goals the team scored.
During a 2-0 win over UFV on Friday, she scored the game-winning goal when she headed home a Salma Kamel cross in the 73rd minute.
In Saturday's 2-1 loss to Victoria, she combined with Sofia DiGiacomo in an 88th-minute scramble for the Griffins' lone goal.
In Sunday's 1-1 draw with UBC, Lemoine was taken down in the box and Raeghan McCarthy scored on the ensuing penalty kick.
Lemoine is coming off a successful fourth season in Canada West last fall when she was named to the conference's second all-star team.
Meagan Lemoine, seen going against Victoria in playoff action last fall, made major offensive contributions in all of MacEwan's exhibition games in Vancouver over the weekend (Chris Piggott photo).
