Three Stars: Epp, Cabana and Donohoe earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Men's hockey student-athlete Brett Epp is the MacEwan Athletics' first star of the week after stopping 102 of 110 shots in the Griffins' first round playoff series at UBC on the weekend.
The fifth-year goaltender's signature moment was stopping 41 of 43 shots in Friday's 3-2 overtime win – the first Canada West playoff win in program history.
Being the only Griffins team in action on the weekend, all three stars go to men's hockey this week with Caden Cabana and Hunter Donohoe earning second and third star honours, respectively.
Epp is being honoured for the fifth time in 2024-25, having previously been named first star on Jan. 21, second star Nov. 26 and Feb. 11, and third star Oct. 1.
It's the first time Cabana is being honoured, while Donohoe appears for the third time this season, having previously earned second star honours on Jan. 7 and a third star nod on Jan. 28.
Brett Epp stopped 102 of 110 shots sent his way during the Canada West quarter-final series against UBC (Jacob Mallari photo).
1st STAR: Brett Epp, G, men's hockey
Edmonton, AB, fifth-year, Arts
Finishing with a .927 save percentage (102 saves on 110 shots) in MacEwan's three-game series at UBC on the weekend, the fifth-year goaltender gave the Griffins a chance against the defending Canada West champions.
In Friday's 3-2 overtime win, he stopped 41 of 43 shots and was the biggest reason MacEwan got to OT as they were outshot 43-25. He had 20 saves in the first period alone, including eight on one UBC powerplay and later had a big save on a point-blank chance by Ottawa Senators draft pick Carson Latimer.
In Saturday's 3-1 loss – in which the Griffins allowed an empty netter against – he stopped 21 of 23 shots.
In Sunday's 4-3 loss, he locked it down after allowing four first period goals, refusing to let the Thunderbirds put it away, stopping breakaways, one-timers and other point-blank chances as the Griffins rallied and almost tied it up. He finished with 40 saves on 44 shots.
Wrapping up the playoffs with a 2.65 GAA and .927 save percentage, Epp broke program records in both categories, while also topping the mark for the most saves by a Griffins goaltender in a Canada West playoff game.
Caden Cabana celebrates a goal against UBC last Friday. He scored three times in the series for the Griffins (Jacob Mallari photo).
2nd STAR: Caden Cabana, F, men's hockey
Bonnyville, AB first-year, Open Studies
Providing just the spark the Griffins needed on the weekend, Cabana scored three times in the three-game series against UBC, establishing a new program record for the most goals by a Griffin in a CW playoffs season.
In Friday's 3-2 overtime win, the rookie scored both of MacEwan's goals in regulation – opening the scoring with a rebound goal in the first period and following that up with a wrap-around tally in the second period.
Cabana then scored MacEwan's only goal in Game 2 early in the third period when potted another rebound tally.
For the series, he finished with seven shots and went +1. His shot total also set a new program record for the most by a Griffins player in a Canada West playoff season.
After recording six goals and 10 points during the regular season, the rookie served notice he is an impact player for the Griffins in the playoffs.
Hunter Donohoe led the Griffins with four points in the series against UBC - all them assists (Jacob Mallari photo).
3rd STAR: Hunter Donohoe, D, men's hockey
Surrey, BC, fourth-year, Arts
The Griffins' points leader in the 2024-25 playoffs, Donohoe produced four assists in the three-game series at UBC.
Just as he did all regular season when he broke the program record for the most assists with 22, Donohoe also established the MacEwan playoff mark.
In Friday's 3-2 overtime win, the graduating senior defenceman had two assists, including on Loeden Schaufler's overtime winner.
Donohoe also had two assists in Sunday's 4-3 loss. His point shot with 14:28 remaining was tipped in by Liam Ryan to pull MacEwan to within two.
Then, he put a shot on net into traffic that was fished out by Marc Pasemko and wrapped around for MacEwan's third goal with 3:25 remaining.
He was also a huge part of MacEwan's defensive efforts, which held the Thunderbirds to just five 5-on-5 goals in the three-game series.
Both two-assist games tied the program record for most points by a Griffin in a Canada West playoff game, matching Cabana's two goals from Game 1 and Ryan's pair of tallies from Game 3.
