A grim start to the Canada West season — to the tune of three wins in 16 games — took its toll on Iya Gavrilova.
“It was tough, not going to lie,” sighed Gavrilova, the Russian three-time Olympian who stars for the University of Calgary women’s hockey team. “Thank God for the coaches who kept pushing us, kept believing in us.
“(Head coach) Danielle (Goyette) had to talk to me a few times during the first half, trying to convince me ‘Iya, it’s OK, it takes time, we’re going to get better.’
After four years of having a good team it was tough to start the season like that.