The margin of defeat continues to be slim for the Diamond Energy Female Midget AAA Wildcats against the Notre Dame Hounds this season.

In the two teams' first two meetings of the season, the Hounds escaped with a 1-0 overtime win (October 13) and 3-2 double-OT win (November 8).

Fast forward to last night in Wilcox, and the Wildcats once again were edged by a single goal in a 4-3 regulation loss.

The two teams traded goals to start the game, with the Hounds' Abbey Nimegeers scoring under three minutes in, and Taylor Lind scoring her 25th of the season three-and-a-half minutes later.

Notre Dame jumped back ahead a minute after that on a goal from Claire Nimegeers, who pushed the lead to 3-1 six minutes later with her second of the game.

Swift Current was able to respond once more before the end of the period on a short-handed breakaway goal from rookie forward Baylee Kirwan.

"Two players were on her," said Wildcats head coach Terry Pavely. "We thought there should have been a hooking penalty and there wasn't - she just battled through it and went top shelf."

Despite the 3-2 score through 20 minutes, Pavely wasn't too thrilled with the start.

"For whatever reason we weren't ready - we got totally dominated in the first period, the shots were 18-9," said the Wildcats head coach. "Our goaltender (Amaya Giraudier) played really well, and we were really fortunate - we got out of that period and it was only 3-2."

Giraudier stood on her head in the second period as, despite getting outshot 14-5, the Wildcats were the lone team to find the back of the net - on another an impressive second short-handed goal from Kirwan.

"Another break-away chance on a turnover, faked forehand, went backhand, and beat the goaltender," Pavely shared. "Two breakaway goals short-handed and she just really used her speed - both highlight-reel goals."

Tied 3-3 in the second intermission and getting outshot 32-14, Pavely explains that they were very fortunate to be in the game, given 19 minutes in penalties.

"Probably the biggest thing in the first two periods is we were really undisciplined - we took way too many penalties," he noted. "It's hard to really get momentum when you're killing penalties for almost a full period. It's really hard to get going, because you don't get enough bodies in the game, you let the other team play in the offensive zone, they've got full control of the puck - so it was really difficult in those first two periods when you combine maybe not enough compete and some undisciplined penalties."

Coming off a tough second period where they managed the lone goal, fortunes reversed for the third period.

A Wildcats' tripping penalty with 10:22 left in the game sparked a quick power play goal for the Hounds. Alicia Fournier needed just 25 seconds to score the game's final goal in a period that was certainly the Wildcats' best.

"In the third period we were really happy with the way we played. We made one mistake really, and we ended up having to take a penalty to recover and they scored," Pavely said. "But, we're okay with mistakes, mistakes are going to happen. But, our compete level, the way we played defensively, we outshot them 8-7 with a really short bench, and we were extremely happy with the way we played."

The game finished with shots 39-22 in favour of the Hounds, and Giraudier stopping 35 of them in net for Swift.

A positive individual accomplishment coming from the game was attached to Taylor Lind's first-period goal.

The goal marked the Shaunavon-born sophomore forward's 100th career point (61 G, 39 A) Sask Female Midget AAA Hockey league - a feat that took Lind just 49 games.

Her 100th point puts her in a tie for 17th in SFMAAAHL all-time scoring. On top of that, Lind's 61st goal equates to seventh all-time as well - a scoring pace (2.0 points-per-game) that is the fourth-fastest.

A player of that calibre (second all-time in Wildcats scoring behind Chloe Smith - 104 points) is an unmistakable asset according to Pavely - not just in scoring, but in work ethic.

Lind and the Wildcats have another quick turnaround before their next pair of games.

They're on the road against the Melville Prairie Fire Saturday and Sunday, and welcome their captain Taylor Kirwan back to the lineup - an addition that Pavely knows is essential.

Saturday afternoon's contest between the Wildcats and Prairie Fire will be played out in nearby Balcarres as part of Hockey Day in Saskatchewan. It's an event that once again Pavely and his Wildcats find themselves a part of, something he welcomes the experience of.

Puck drop in Saturday's contest between the Wildcats (9-8-1-3) and Prairie Fire (6-14-1-1) is set for 1 p.m. from Balcarres Arena.