PROFILE
TRINA ALLARD
NO BAD DAYS
BY ADAM PELESHATY Photos by Laurie Anderson
If the first game of the new calendar year was any indication , Trina Allard of the Manitoba Women ’ s Junior Hockey League ’ s Manitoba Blizzard has emerged as a player to watch .
Experts around the MWJHL think of Allard as a hardworking , grinding , reliable , lunch-bucket type of player , but in her post-Holiday opener – and throughout the 2017-18 season -- she has demonstrated a different side . Despite the fact her team lost 3-2 to the Northern Stars at Bell MTS Iceplex , the thirdyear , 5-foot-11 centre scored both of the Blizzard ’ s goals in the first period of the contest . Her two-goal game increased her 2017-18 season total to eight tallies ( tied for second in team goal scoring behind Stefanie Leslie ) and 10 points in 16 games . The Blizzard are also in a dogfight for second place in the MWJHL standings , right behind the Polar Ice .
“ I think we ’ re doing pretty good this year ,” Allard said .
“ We ’ re closer to the top of the standings . So I think we have a good chance this year . I feel like if we make it to the finals this year , that ’ s a pretty good goal . We ’ ve only made it to the first or second round of the playoffs ( in recent years ). Finals would be a good goal for our team .”
As the Blizzard ’ s schedule winds down , Allard ’ s eight goals are only one short of the career-best nine she scored in her rookie year of 2015- 16 , providing a dependable veteran presence and a vital player for the Blizzard .
“ I think I ’ ve been doing better than in my previous season . I think I ’ m actually quite pleased with this year ,” she said , adding that her personal goal this season was to surpass her point total from last season , when she scored only two goals and added seven assists .
Allard learned the game at Dakota Community Centre and played her minor hockey there before suiting up for the AA Female St . Vital Victorias .
112 | GAME ON | REGULAR SEASON EDITION 2018