The host Weyburn Gold Wings’ long journey to the 2016 Esso Cup got underway Oct. 3 in Prince Albert, Sask., with the 2014 national champions – the first Esso Cup winner-turned-host – splitting their opening games of the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League season with the Bears.

It was only fitting that the Gold Wings started the season with a two-game set versus a team that has been its biggest rival the past few years; the two sides have taken turns eliminating each other in the provincial semifinals the last three seasons.

In 2013 the Bears prevailed in a series that went the full five games. In 2014, it was the Gold Wings in four, and last year it was Prince Albert riding the momentum of a double-overtime win in Game 3 to wrap up the series in four.

“I think the start of the season is your benchmark and you keep building for what you got to carry on for the rest of the year,” says Chad Kish, the head coach of the Gold Wings. “There’s lot of things we need to improve on – we fit, though, that’s the biggest thing. We’re right in the mix with the rest of the teams in the league.”

Weyburn got its season started on the right foot, eking out a 3-2 victory thanks to two goals from Elise Endicott – including the game-winner in the dying minutes – and one from captain Bailee Bourassa.

Bourassa is one of five members of the 2014 Cup-winning team still with Weyburn – the quintet also includes fellow letter-wearers Jensen Hammer, Macy Leibreich, Ashten Sinclair and Madi Solie.

Prince Albert got its revenge on the Gold Wings on Oct. 4, scoring a 2-1 win to close out the weekend series.

“We’re very excited for this team,” says Kish. “We try not to talk about the Esso Cup. Our biggest thing is we want to earn our way there. We don’t look past our league and past the weekend that we got ahead of us. That’s our mentality for the year – we can’t look further than our next weekend.”

Weyburn plays its home opener at the 1,800-seat Crescent Point Place on Oct. 10. Over World Girls’ Hockey Weekend, the team will welcome the defending SFMAAAHL champion Saskatoon Stars for a pair of games.

The Gold Wings will look to ride their mix of experience (10 returnees from 2015, including the five holdovers from 2014) and youth (seven rookies cracked this year’s lineup; three of them picked up points on the opening weekend) to first, their first SFMAAAHL regular season title, and second, their second Esso Cup championship.

The Gold Wings aim to become the first Esso Cup host to win the championship. Last year, the Red Deer Chiefs won the silver medal, the best-ever finish for the tournament’s home team.

“To win it once and then to have the opportunity to win it again, that’s what you want,” says Kish. “You want to be part of a program and make sure that you continue your winning ways and hopefully you’re doing the right things to promote female hockey.”