No quarter was asked, and none was given during the semifinal games of the U18 Women’s National Championships at the Canada Summit Centre on Saturday.
The top four teams – Ontario Red and Blue, Manitoba and British Columbia – were playing for a berth in today’s gold medal final, and the chance to make history alongside former U18 championship alumni and Olympic gold medallists such as Meghan Agosta, Gillian Apps and Natalie Spooner.
For the teams in the consolation bracket, pride and potential scholarships were on the line, with scouts in the stands from across Canada and the United States. The ensuing on-ice play was a treat for all in attendance, as the nation’s best female hockey players battled for supremacy in Canada’s most prolific junior women’s hockey tournament.
Beginning with the 7th place game at 10:30 am, Saskatchewan broke out of their week-long winless funk to overcome Alberta with a decisive 4-0 victory. Nara Elia was a one-woman highlight reel, factoring in on all four of Saskatchewan’s goals to finish the day with two goals and two assists, tied for second overall in tournament scoring. Emma Johnson was perfect between the pipes, stopping all 23 shots she faced in her second start of the week.
Marie-Pier Coulombe watches a puck trickle behind her during the 5th place game against Atlantic yesterday afternoon
In the 5th place game, Atlantic and Quebec squared off in a hotly contested matchup between two teams with identical (1-1-1) records. As the stats indicated, it was a tight-checking affair, with Quebec holding a 1-0 lead until the third period when the Atlantic offense found an extra gear to take control. Goals from Sierra Lee and Heather Newman put Atlantic up 2-1, before Lindsey Donovan put the icing on the cake with an empty-netter in the final minute as Atlantic finished the tournament in 5th place with a 3-1 victory.
In the day’s first semifinal, Ontario Blue and Manitoba battled through two scoreless periods before things started getting crazy at the Canada Summit Centre. Ontario’s Emily Reid opened the scoring with less than seven minutes to play by firing an unassisted, shorthanded goal past Kerigan Dowhy to give Blue what seemed like a commanding 1-0 lead. Fifteen seconds later, Savannah Rennie replied for Manitoba tying the game 1-1, followed by Sheridan Oswald scoring her tournament-leading third goal (and sixth point) to give her team their first lead of the game. Rennie insured the win with an empty-netter in the final minute to complete the upset and send Manitoba to their second championship final in the last three years.
Claire Thompson celebrates with Stephanie Neatby after Ontario Red’s triumph over British Columbia on Saturday
The second semifinal saw North Bay’s Maria Dominico put Ontario Red on the board in the dying moments of the first period, before Kristin O’Neill and Anonda Hoppner added third frame markers to power their team past British Columbia for a chance to play Manitoba in the gold medal matchup. Despite the 3-0 score, the game was evenly matched, as BC fell victim to several unlucky bounces with goaltenders Alex Gulstene (BC) and Stephanie Neatby (Ontario Red) making 21 saves each. British Columbia found themselves continually shorthanded in key situations as the game progressed, picking up five minor penalties compared to just one by Ontario Red.
Ontario Blue and BC will play for the bronze medal today at 12:30 pm, while Ontario Red and Manitoba will fight for gold at 4:30 pm. The gold medal match will be televised live on TSN 3 for anyone unable to attend the game.
Goalies Marie-Pier Coulombe (left) and Ava Boutilier show class and sportsmanship while shaking hands after a hard fought game between Quebec and Atlantic
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