For the first time since 2014, a team from Saskatchewan captured the Esso Cup, the national championship for U18 AAA women's hockey. The Regina Rebels, with a roster that includes three players from Weyburn - Addison Greve, Rayna Hennie, and Ella Schenher - beat the North York Storm 2-1 Saturday evening to take the 2024 edition of the tournament.

The Rebels entered the game having finished second in the round-robin, behind the Edmonton Junior Oilers and defeated the host Thompson-Okanagan Lakers in the semifinals Friday night. The Storm advanced to the final game with a win over Edmonton. 

The first period Saturday would see the two teams testing each other early, but neither goalie would give way, and the opening period ended at a 0-0 deadlock. Then, in the second, the Rebels put things into another gear. The second period alone saw the Rebels put 22 shots on goal, and they had 39 over the final two periods while limiting their opponent to just 11. 

Regina would score the first goal of the game with 7:04 remaining in the middle frame when Berlin Lolacher scored an even-strength goal. The assists on the goal were provided by an all-Weyburn connection, with Addison Greve and Rayna Hennie getting on the scoresheet. 

Just over two minutes later, Stryker Zablocki scored an unassisted goal, and the Rebels were up 2-0. 

In the third period, a power play goal from the Storm would pull them within one, but Hannah Tresek would stand tall in the crease for the remainder of the game. 

The Rebels win is the first national championship for a team from the SFU18AAAHL since the Weyburn Gold Wings won the title in 2014.