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Women’s hockey is home sweet home in Ontario
The province was there in the sport’s international infancy, in 1987; nearly 30 years later, it welcomes a game that it helped grow around the world
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January 15, 2016
To paraphrase a well-loved movie line, if you welcome it, you will build it.
Over the past 30 years, Ontario has become a rink of dreams of sorts for women’s hockey. Since holding the first women’s world championship in 1987 (an unsanctioned event), the province has hosted four IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championships, three 4 Nations Cups, three National Women’s Under-18 Championships and one Esso Cup.
This week in St. Catharines it finally welcomes the IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship.
“The growth of women’s hockey has really been built around events,” says Fran Rider, president of the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA). “Back into even the 1960s and 70s, the game grew around tournaments because there were great distances and you really got a chance to get together.”
Nine years ago, at the first U18 women’s worlds, only eight countries could field teams. This week, as France debuts at the top level, 22 teams compete in three divisions around the world.
Developing and promoting the game, and providing a place for females to play it at the highest level, is what moves the OWHA to bid on any event it can, and motivates it to not only make it the best tournament for players but also leave a legacy behind in the community that welcomes it.
“We’ve been trying to grow the girls’ game in Huntsville and Muskoka for some time now,” says Kari Lambe, co-chair of the recently completed 2015 National Women’s Under-18 Championship. In years past recruitment meant Lambe visiting schools or talking to parents to drum up interest. Hosting the U18 nationals was a way to bring attention to girls’ hockey and drive more interest in girls themselves taking up the game.
“During the event we heard about a lot of families coming in, dads with their little girls [saying], ‘I just want her to see it,’ which is exactly what we wanted,” says Lambe. “We wanted to open the doors and have these young girls see what opportunities lie ahead for them, not just their brothers.”
Lambe points to a number of local players who have had to go to North Bay, Toronto, even St. Catharines, to play high-level girls’ hockey. “They’ve had to leave our community to get these opportunities. The legacy plan through the OWHA is to grow the sport through our area so they don’t have to leave.”
Huntsville and St. Catharines were natural bid partners, says Rider, both being communities where the OWHA wanted to increase participation in the game. The hope is they will join the list of success stories – the 1991 Ontario Winter Games in Barrie being the catalyst to establishing the Barrie Women’s Hockey Association, for one – that the province has seen when prospective players see a game in-person.
So why have events been so successful when they’ve been in Ontario?
Hospitality and nationalistic (and provincial) pride earn mentions, but it’s the quality of the players that easily earns the first star.
Cheryl Pounder played for Canada’s National Women’s Team at three Ontario-hosted events and cites the 2000 women’s worlds, played in her backyard of Mississauga, as her favourite. There was a time when she could look into the crowd and know exactly where the players’ families were sitting – basically, they were the fans. Now players like Natalie Spooner and Rebecca Johnston are household names, and spectators know they’ll see a show.
From her place behind the bench for her daughter’s Brampton Canadettes Novice B team to her position in the TSN broadcast booth, Pounder has a front-row seat to what the game has become.
“Once fans see it, we always say you drink the women’s hockey Kool-Aid and then you can’t put it down. And that’s happening.”
The province has also been the beneficiary of decisions, both when and ‘wear,’ if you will, outside its boundaries.
Before a single game was played at the 1990 world championship in Ottawa, the talk was all about the Canadian women sporting pink jerseys. By the time Canada claimed the first gold medal, talk had turned squarely to what the players were doing in those jerseys, with Geraldine Heaney soaring through the air being the lasting image of the skill and athleticism spectators could expect at a women’s hockey event. “Maybe the pink brought [fans] in, but the game kept them in,” says Rider.
The 1997 world championship in Kitchener was also a turning point, says Rider. That’s when the IIHF first sent its marketing team over. “It was also the qualifier for the first Olympic Winter Games [for women’s hockey], which brought it even greater exposure.”
What’s also helped these events thrive in the province is the homegrown talent that frequently fills the Canadian roster. At the U18 level alone, an average of nine players each year – more than one-third of the Canadian roster – is from Ontario. This year’s team has 11 players. Many of them list their provincial predecessors as their favourite female athlete – for Julia Edgar and Kristin O’Neill, it’s Brianne Jenner; Saroya Tinker and Victoria Howran say fellow blue-liner Tara Watchorn, to name a couple.
Maybe the girls sitting in the stands in St. Catharines will be the ones wearing red and white a decade from now, motivated by watching a local player like Beamsville’s Annie Berg represent her country.
“Girls want to support their heroes,” says Pounder, who recently took her girls’ team to a CHWL game that featured several U18 alumnae. “The next thing I know I’m getting pictures of posters they were putting on their bedroom walls of Jamie Lee Rattray and the girls in the league. And I thought, the girls are now their role models and this is amazing.”
“We want to produce [an event] locally and make sure we leave a local legacy,” says Bill Fenwick, event chair of the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship, “but [the OWHA is] looking at it from a provincial and national perspective and how they promote the game and leave a legacy for women’s hockey.”
That starts at home. Ontario events are all-inclusive, says Rider, bringing in players from places like Thunder Bay to participate in intermission demonstrations at events held in the southern part of the province. “There’s a real loyalty and a sense of belonging. We want everybody in the province and the country to share in these events.”
Naturally there’s a feeling of pride is seeing homegrown players succeed and Canada winning gold, but there are bigger goals in mind anytime an event comes to town.
“We really focus on building the Ontario game as strong as we can because that’s what our role is and that’s what we contribute to the national and international game,” says Rider, who in 2015 became the first person inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame for contributions specifically to women’s hockey. “But we also don’t see borders. To us it’s a universal women’s hockey team and we’re cooperating to build that team.”
National Women's Under-18 Team named for series vs. United States
Team Canada to face U.S. in three-game series, Aug. 14-17 in Thorold, ON
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August 11, 2024
THOROLD, Ontario – Hockey Canada has announced the roster for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team for a three-game series against the United States, Aug. 14-17 at Canada Games Park. Twenty-three players – three goaltenders, seven defence and 13 forwards – will wear the Maple Leaf. The roster includes five players (Cimeroni, Grenier, Manness, Primerano, Zablocki) who captured a bronze medal at the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Zug, Switzerland. The team was selected by Dylan Rockwell (Calgary, AB), senior manager of hockey operations, and Cherie Piper (Scarborough, ON), senior manager of scouting and player development. Head coach Vicky Sunohara (Scarborough, ON/University of Toronto, OUA), assistant coaches Marc-André Côté (Montreal, QC/University of Moncton, AUS) and Stefanie McKeough (Carlsbad Springs, ON/Boston, PWHL), and goaltending coach Sheldon Goertzen (Saskatoon, SK/University of Saskatchewan, CW) also provided input. “We have an incredibly promising group set to face off against the United States,” said Sunohara. “These players know our goal is to improve every day and we have been able to see the progress through selection camp. The series provides an excellent opportunity to develop our players and prepare them for more international competition later in the season.” Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team will face the United States on Aug. 14, Aug. 15 and Aug. 17. All U18 games will begin at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT, while the development games will start at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT. For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Program, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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Rosters set for National Women's Under-18 Team selection camp and National Women's Development Team series vs. U.S.
U18 selection camp, presented by BFL CANADA, set for Aug. 5-11 in Thorold, ON
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August 01, 2024
CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the rosters for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp, presented by BFL CANADA, and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team for its three-game series against the United States. Forty-six players – six goaltenders, 14 defence and 26 forwards – have been invited to U18 selection camp, scheduled for Aug. 5-11 at Canada Games Park in Thorold, Ontario. The roster includes five players (Cimeroni, Grenier, S. Manness, Primerano, Zablocki) who captured a bronze medal at the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Zug, Switzerland. The week-long camp will feature on- and off-ice training sessions and practices, as well as three Red-White games on Aug. 7-10. Once selected, Team Canada will play a three-game series against the United States, Aug. 14-17 at Canada Games Park. “The selection camp is a crucial step as it serves as the first step in our program for this group of talented athletes. Our coaches and support staff are eager to begin guiding and developing these players,” said Vicky Sunohara (Scarborough, ON/University of Toronto, OUA), head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team. “We anticipate a high-level of competition during the camp as the players compete to earn a spot to represent Canada on the international stage during the series and beyond.” Twenty-four players – three goaltenders, eight defence and 13 forwards – have been named to Canada’s National Women’s Development Team for its three-game series against the United States from Aug. 14-17 at Canada Games Park in Thorold. The roster includes 10 players (Adam, Amos, Baxter, Grober, Iginla, MacLeod, Murphy, Pais, Regalado, Swiderski) who won gold at the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Madison, Wisconsin, and nine players (Alexander, Amos, Baxter, Graham, Grober, Kraemer, Murphy, Pais, Venusio) who won gold at the 2023 U18 Women’s Worlds in Östersund, Sweden. “We are excited about the highly accomplished athletes that will join us with the development team this year as they return to the international stage against the United States,” said Alison Domenico (Ottawa, ON/University of Ottawa, OUA), head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Development Team. “Our coaching staff is very eager to work with this group, which includes a good mix of returning players as well as some new faces, as we continue their development as athletes in our program.” For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Program, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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Coaching staffs set for national women’s teams
Vicky Sunohara to lead National Women’s Under-18 Team as head coach, Alison Domenico to take charge of National Women’s Development Team
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July 30, 2024
CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has unveiled the coaching staffs for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team and Canada’s National Women’s Development Team for the 2024-25 season, including three-game series against the United States in August. Team Canada legend Vicky Sunohara (Scarborough, ON/University of Toronto, OUA) will take the reins as head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, while Alison Domenico (Ottawa, ON/University of Ottawa, OUA) will lead Canada’s National Women’s Development Team behind the bench. “We’re thrilled about the coaching staffs for the women’s development and under-18 programs that have joined us for the upcoming season,” said Dylan Rockwell (Calgary, AB), senior manager of hockey operations. “These steps in the program require a high-level of commitment from our coaches, who continue to return year after year to guide and develop our athletes. We look forward to the professionalism and skill the coaches will bring in leading our teams on the international stage this year.” Following her role as an assistant coach during the 2021-22 and 2023-24 seasons, Sunohara will make her international head coaching debut. She will be joined by assistant coaches Marc-André Côté (Montreal, QC/University of Moncton, AUS) and Stefanie McKeough (Carlsbad Springs, ON/Boston, PWHL), as well as goaltending consultant Sheldon Goertzen (Saskatoon, SK/University of Saskatchewan, CW) and video coach Andrew Boucher (Timmins, ON). Sunohara is entering her 14th season as head coach of the University of Toronto women’s hockey team, winning Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and U SPORTS Coach of the Year honours in three-consecutive seasons (2020-23) and leading the Blues to the U SPORTS national championship tournament in 2022 and 2023. Internationally, she won a gold medal as an assistant coach at the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship and bronze at the 2024 tournament. As a player, Sunohara won two Olympic gold medals and seven IIHF World Women’s Championship gold medals, and ranks 10th all-time in National Women’s Team scoring with 119 points (56-63—119) in 164 games. Côté is entering his 13th season with the University of Moncton women’s hockey team, serving the last six seasons as head coach and the previous six as an assistant. He has also served as an assistant coach for a pair of three-game series against the United States, once with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team (2022) and once with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team (2023). As a player, Côté won a gold medal at the 2004 Junior World Cup with Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team and bronze at the 2004 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge with Quebec. McKeough is entering her second season as an assistant coach with PWHL Boston, taking the role shortly after her appointment as head coach of the University of Ottawa women’s hockey team in 2023. She served as an assistant coach for the Gee-Gees for two seasons (2021-23), as well as head coach of Göteborg HC of the Svenka Damhockeyligen (SDHL) in Sweden during the 2020 season following two years as an assistant. Internationally, she captured a bronze medal at the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship as an assistant coach and a gold medal in 2023. As a player, McKeough won a silver medal with Canada at the 2009 IIHF World Women’s U18 Championship. Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team selection camp, presented by BFL CANADA, will take place Aug. 5-10 at Canada Games Park in Thorold, Ontario. Once selected, the team will play a three-game series against the United States, Aug. 14-17 at Canada Games Park. For a full list of staff for Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team and a list of camp support staff, please click here. With Canada’s National Women’s Development Team, Domenico will make her international head coaching debut alongside assistant coaches Rachel Flanagan (Pontypool, ON/University of Guelph, OUA) and Tara Watchorn (Newcastle, ON/Boston University, HE), as well as goaltending consultant Katie Greenway (Guelph, ON) and video coach Jessie Leung (Penticton, BC/Okanagan Hockey Academy, CSSHL). Domenico was recently named head coach of the University of Ottawa women’s hockey team after over a decade as an assistant coach in the NCAA with Ohio State University (2010-11), Syracuse University (2011-18) and Providence College (2018-21). Internationally, she has won gold medals as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and 2022 IIHF Women’s World Championship. As a player, she won gold with Ontario Red at the 2005 National Women’s Under-18 Championship and with Ontario at the 2003 Canada Winter Games. Flanagan is an assistant coach with PWHL Toronto after serving 16 seasons as head coach of the University of Guelph women’s hockey team. During her tenure at Guelph, Flanagan led the Gryphons to a U SPORTS national championship in 2019, in addition to three OUA titles, and has been named the OUA Coach of the Year on five occasions. She previously served as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Women’s Team during the Rivalry Series in 2022-23, has been as an assistant with Canada’s National Women’s Development Team three times (2011, 2012, 2022) and was recognized as a BFL Female Coach of the Year in 2020-21. Watchorn is entering her second season as head coach at Boston University after becoming the first head coach of Stonehill College’s women’s hockey team (2021-23), earning NEWHA Coach of the Year honours in the program’s inaugural season. Prior to joining Stonehill, Watchorn served as an assistant coach with Boston University for four seasons (2017-20). A 2014 Olympic gold medallist as a player, she was named head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team last year, earning a bronze medal at the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship after winning back-to-back gold medals as an assistant coach in 2022 and 2023. Canada’s National Women’s Development Team will gather in Thorold, Ontario, for a three-game series against the United States from Aug. 14-17. For a full list of staff for Canada’s National Women’s Development Team, please click here. For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Program, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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Canada wins gold medal at 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship
National Men's Under-18 Team scores three power-play goals in third period to win first world title since 2021
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May 05, 2024
ESPOO, Finland – Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team made it a comeback for the ages to win its fifth gold medal—and first since 2021—at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship, beating the United States 6-4 at Metro Areena on Sunday.
Tij Iginla (Lake Country, BC/Kelowna, WHL) buried the game-winning goal at 14:19 of the third period, capping off a stretch of three power-play goals in 3:54 during a five-minute power play.
Canada was trailing 3-2 midway through the third period when Gavin McKenna (Whitehorse, YT/Medicine Hat, WHL) started the comeback with his second goal of the game, tying it at 3-3. Just over three minutes later, Cole Beaudoin (Kanata, ON/Barrie, OHL) found the back on the net for Canada’s first lead of the game.
McKenna sealed the win, scoring an empty-netter to complete the hat trick with his 10th goal, which set a new record for goals by a Canadian at the tournament. He also finished with 20 points, the most by a Canadian at a single U18 Men’s Worlds.
“Obviously you can’t do it by yourself. I had an unbelievable line and a great team,” McKenna said. “I couldn’t have done it without them, there were so many guys that stepped up when we needed it and it all paid off in the end. There was never a doubt in our room. We have built unbelievable friendships that we’ll have for a lifetime. The U.S. played really well, but with the penalty—the power play is something we practiced all tournament, it came up big today and that was the key to our win.”
The U.S. took the lead with a goal in the final minute of the first period before Ryder Ritchie (Kelowna, BC/Prince Albert, WHL) tied the game with his fourth of the tournament in the middle frame. Canada would trail by two before McKenna found the top corner with a backhand that beat American goaltender Nick Kempf for a power-play goal, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Carter George (Thunder Bay, ON/Owen Sound, OHL) was a difference-maker again, making one outstanding save after another, including a goal-line save on James Hagens just seconds after McKenna made it a one-goal game. George was named the Best Goaltender by the IIHF directorate following his 31 saves in the gold medal game.
“I have no words for him, Georgie is unbelievable,” McKenna said. “He kept us in it this whole game, honestly. There were times in this tournament where we might not have won, he’s an unbelievable person and player, and the sky is the limit for him.”
“We talk about grit and it being the guts of a team. We had needed a lot of guts just to hang in during the second period,” said head coach Gardiner MacDougall (Bedeque, PE/University of New Brunswick, AUS). “There’s grit, but also resilience and this team showed unbelievable resilience. We also showed initiative (with the score and the power play in the third) and tenacity is just about staying with it. All that shows the grit this group had. If you watched the game, there were times you probably thought there was no hope with this team, but George kept us in it. We pride ourselves that the longer we play, the better we should get, and it all proved true today. That speaks to the character of our group.”
Following the game, George, McKenna and Porter Martone (Peterborough, ON/Mississauga, OHL) were named to the media all-star team.
A full game summary can be found at HockeyCanada.ca.
Canada was undefeated in the tournament, beating Sweden, Czechia, Switzerland and Kazakhstan while outscoring its opponents 31-7 in the preliminary round. It booked its spot in the gold medal game with a 4-0 shutout of Latvia in the quarterfinals and a 5-4 win in the semifinal over Sweden.
Since 2002, Canada has won five gold medals at the IIHF U18 World Championship (2003, 2008, 2013, 2021, 2024), in addition to one silver (2005) and four bronze (2012, 2014, 2015, 2023).
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Canada wins bronze medal at 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship
Stonehouse, Primerano, Kraemer score two goals each to lead Canada past Finland
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January 14, 2024
ZUG, Switzerland– Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team has won the bronze medal at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, defeating Finland 8-1 on Sunday at Bossard Arena. Caitlin Kraemer (Waterloo, ON/Waterloo, OWHA U22 Elite), Chloe Primerano (North Vancouver, BC/RHA Kelowna, CSSHL) andAbby Stonehouse (Blenheim, ON/Waterloo, OWHA U22 Elite)scored two goals each to lead the offence.
Kraemer became the all-time leading scorer with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team with 35 points (26-9—35), surpassing Marie-Philip Poulin and Jessica Campbell, while Primerano, who also added an assist, finished with 16 points (8-8—16), setting the single-tournament Canadian scoring record and single-tournament record for points by a defender.
Campbell (15 points in 2010) and Brigette Lacquette (13 points in 2010) previously held the two records broken by Primerano. “This group is amazing, and I’m so proud of how we were able to rebound,” said Kraemer. “Obviously this isn’t the colour we wanted to win, but we won’t take for granted the fact that we medaled in the world championship. A lot of teams would love to be in our shoes today and that isn’t lost on us as a group. I’m proud of us.”
Mackenzie Alexander (Toronto, ON/Etobicoke, OWHA U22 Elite) andMaxine Cimoroni (Toronto, ON/Mississauga, OWHA U22 Elite)rounded out the scoring, while Makayla Watson (Brooks, AB/RHA Kelowna, CSSHL) added a pair of assists.
“The unique opportunity we had after losing in the semifinal was that we had a chance to finish on a high note,” said head coach Tara Watchorn (Newcastle, ON/Boston University, HE) . “We were given another day and another chance to go out and represent our country with pride. We did an amazing job of that today.”
Rosalie Breton (Saint-Bernard, QC/Limoilou, CEGEP), Sienna D’Alessandro (Pointe-Claire, QC/John Abbott College, CEGEP) , Gracie Graham (Kelowna, BC/RHA Kelowna, CSSHL), Morgan Jackson (Courtenay, BC/Shawnigan Lake School, CSSHL), Jessica MacKinnon (Clark’s Harbour, NS/Ridley College, OWHA U22 Elite) , Emma Venusio (Toronto, ON/Etobicoke, OWHA U22 Elite) and Stryker Zablocki (Prince Albert, SK/Regina, SFU18AAAHL)all chipped in with assists.
Rhyah Stewart (Antigonish, NS/Cape Breton West, NSU18MHL)made 11 saves for her third victory of the tournament. “This win says so much about how much character we have in our locker room,” added Stonehouse. “We handled the adversity the best way we could and showed the world what we are capable of today and I’m proud of the girls on this team.”
Following the game, D’Alessandro, Kraemer and Primerano were announced as Canada’s top three players, as selected by the coaching staff. The 2025 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship will be held in Vantaa, Finland, Jan. 5-12, 2025.
For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow along through social media on Facebook , X and Instagram , and by using #U18WomensWorlds.
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U18 Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Finland
Sunday, January 14 | 9 a.m. ET | Zug, Switzerland | Bronze Medal Game
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January 14, 2024
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (JAN. 14)
Medals are on the line Sunday as Canada’s National Women's Under-18 Team battles Finland for bronze to close out the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.
Last Game
Canada fell 4-2 to Czechia in a tight Saturday semifinal. Chloe Primerano got Canada within a goal in the second period, Stryker Zablocki tied it early in the third and Canada outshot the Czechs 47-12, but the Canadians missed out on the gold medal game for just the second time in tournament history.
The Finns were downed by the United States by the same 4-2 score in their semifinal. Tinja Tapani and Nelly Andersson scored second-period goals to keep it close and Kerttu Kuja-Halkola made 40 saves for the Finns, who are in search of their second bronze medal in the last three years, and fourth overall.
Last Meeting
Canada finished the preliminary round by shutting out Finland 10-0 on Tuesday to earn top spot in Group A. Primerano and Caitlin Kraemer scored seven seconds apart in the first period—tying the tournament record for fastest two goals—to give the Canadians a 2-0 lead. Sienna D’Alessandro, Reese Logan and Primerano added goals in the middle frame before Canada exploded for a five-goal third period. Primerano became the first defender to record a hat trick at U18 Women’s Worlds and Kraemer completed one of her own. Hannah Clark made seven saves for the shutout.
What to Watch
Primerano continues to impress her first world championship. With her power-play goal in the semifinals, the North Vancouver, B.C., product is now tied for the most points by a defender at one U18 Women’s Worlds (a record set by Canadian blue-liner Brigette Lacquette in 2010). The 17-year-old is the tournament’s leading scorer with six goals and seven assists in five games.
Third in tournament scoring, Emma Ekoluoma has been terrific for the Finns. She scored back-to-back hat tricks to start the tournament and has 10 points (7-3—10) in five games. The 17-year-old has been terrific with Kärpät in the Naisten Liiga, the top women’s league in Finland, recording 12 goals and 22 points in 23 games.
A Look Back
This will be the 15th meeting between the Canadians and Finns at U18 Women’s Worlds, and as the Finnish program continues to improve, the games have become much closer in recent years.
In their first-ever meeting at the inaugural world championship in Calgary in 2008, Canada got five points each from Laura Fortino (1-4—5) and Natalie Spooner (0-5—5) and a hat trick from Marie-Philip Poulin in a 17-0 win, still the most goals scored in one game by a Canadian team at the tournament.
But Finland handed Canada a 2-0 loss in the opening game of the 2022 tournament, before Jade Iginla and Madison Chantler helped Canada secure a 2-1 win in the semifinals, and it took an overtime winner from Alex Law to give Canada a 3-2 semifinal win last year.
All-time record: Canada leads 13-1 (1-0 in OT) Canada goals: 84 Finland goals: 8
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U18 Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Czechia
Saturday, January 13 | 9 a.m. ET | Zug, Switzerland | Semifinal
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January 13, 2024
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. CZECHIA (JAN. 13)
It’s semifinal Saturday at the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, and Canada’s National Women's Under-18 Team will face off against Czechia at Bossard Arena for a spot in the gold medal game.
Last Game
Canada met the home team in the quarterfinals, shutting out Switzerland 6-0 to advance to the semis. Sienna D’Alessandro scored twice to give her seven goals in the tournament. Gracie Graham had a goal and two assists, with Maxine Cimoroni, Morgan Jackson and Caitlin Kraemer rounding out the scoring. Chloe Primerano recorded three helpers and Rhyah Stewart made three saves to record her first international shutout.
Czechia battled Sweden in the first quarterfinals, winning 4-2 to earn a spot in the semifinals. Isabelle Leijonhielm gave Sweden an early lead, but Adela Sapovaliova and Tereza Plosova responded for Czechia for a 2-1 advantage after the first period. Sweden’s Ella Hellman tied the game in the third period before Sapovaliova and Linda Vocetkova sealed the win for the Czechs.
Last Meeting
Looking back less than a week, Canada downed Czechia 8-1 on Sunday for its second win in as many days. The Canadians scored a record three shorthanded goals—two from Abby Stonehouse, who also added three helpers for a five-point performance. Kraemer scored twice to set another goal-scoring record, passing Marie-Philip Poulin for the most by a Canadian at U18 Women’s Worlds. Jackson, Emma Venusio and Mackenzie Alexander rounded out the scoring. Stewart made 23 saves in her tournament debut.
What to Watch
With high-scoring games and only one goal against so far, several Canadians are close to breaking tournament scoring records. Primerano (5-7—12) needs two points to record the most by a defender at a single U18 Women’s Worlds. Caitlin Kraemer (8-0—8) is three goals away from breaking her own single-tournament Canadian mark set last year. And between the pipes, Hannah Clark is tied for the most career shutouts at the tournament (5), with U.S. netminders Sidney Peters and Alex Cavallini.
Adela Sapovalivova and Tereza Plosova continue to be a dynamic duo for Czechia. Sapovaliova has seven goals and one helper, while Plosova has recorded one goal and six assists through four games each. Both players were a part of Czechia’s bronze medal team at the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Brampton, Ontario, and Sapovalivova has another bronze from the 2022 Women’s Worlds in Calgary, Alberta.
A Look Back
This semifinal will be the eighth meeting between the Canadians and Czechs at U18 Women’s Worlds. Canada has had the edge in all seven all-time matchups, only allowing five goals.
It’s the second time the teams have met in the playoff round; at the 2018 tournament in Dmitrov, Russia, Courtney Correia, Willow Slobodzian and Courtney Kollman scored second-period goals as Canada earned a 3-1 win to advance to the semifinals.
All-time record: Canada leads 7-0 Canada goals: 58 Czechia goals: 5
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U18 Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Switzerland
Thursday, January 11 | 11 a.m. ET | Zug, Switzerland | Quarterfinal
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January 11, 2024
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. SWITZERLAND (JAN. 11)
It’s win or go home at the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship as Canada’s National Women's Under-18 Team faces the home team Switzerland in the quarterfinals at Bossard Arena.
Last Game
Canada finished the preliminary round with a perfect record, shutting out Finland 10-0 on Tuesday to earn top spot in Group A. Chloe Primerano and Caitlin Kraemer scored seven seconds apart in the first period—tying the tournament record for fastest two goals—to give the Canadians a 2-0 lead. Sienna D’Alessandro, Reese Logan and Primerano added goals in the middle frame before Canada exploded for a five-goal third period. Primerano became the first defender to record a hat trick at U18 Women’s Worlds and Kraemer completed one of her own. Hannah Clark made seven saves for the shutout.
Switzerland was last on the ice yesterday, losing to Slovakia 2-1 in overtime to close the prelims. Nela Lopusanova gave Slovakia an early lead, but Sonja Inkamp scored on the power play in the second period to tie the game. Switzerland outshot Slovakia 31-27, but Hana Krakorova found the back of the net 61 seconds into overtime to leave the Swiss winless in the preliminary round.
Last Meeting
It’s been 12 years since Canada last met Switzerland at U18 Women’s Worlds, with the Canadians downing the Swiss 13-1 to open the 2012 tournament in Zlin, Czechia. It was a slower start, with Canada leading 2-1 after 20 minutes, but the offence exploded from there. Ten different players scored, including Catherine Dubois, who finished a hat trick, and Taylor Woods, who scored twice. Emerance Maschmeyer made 25 saves.
What to Watch
The Canadians have had their foot on the gas in the offensive end, and plenty of the contributions have come from the blue line. Primerano became the first defender to record a U18 Women’s Worlds hat trick on Tuesday and led the prelims in scoring with nine points (5-4—9). Emma Venusio is not far behind Primerano, with the captain now sixth in tournament scoring with a goal and six helpers.
Despite the loss to Slovakia, Talina Benderer was fantastic in the Swiss goal. The 17-year-old made 25 saves in the extra-time defeat, joining the 32 saves she made against Sweden. The HC Davos Ladies netminder is back for her second world championship—last year, she had a 3-2 record, a 1.25 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage.
A Look Back
This will be the fourth meeting between the Canadians and the Swiss at U18 Women’s Worlds, and historically Canada has had a wide edge in this matchup.
In their first-ever meeting at the 2009 world championship in Füssen, Germany, Casandra Langan scored four times and Jamie Lee Rattray had a hat trick as Canada opened the tournament with a 16-1 win. Sixteen of Canada’s 18 skaters recorded at least a point, and the Canadians outshot Switzerland 80-7.
All-time record: Canada leads 3-0 Canada goals: 38 Switzerland goals: 3
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Breaking barriers in the women’s game
As players like Chloe Primerano and Rhyah Stewart continue to make history early in their careers, it opens the doors for the next generation to set goals to do the same
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January 10, 2024
Sometimes history can happen in the most unlikely of places—like in the car on the way home from school.
That’s where Chloe Primerano was when she found out that she was selected by the Vancouver Giants in the 13th round of the 2022 Western Hockey League Prospects Draft, becoming the first woman skater to be drafted into the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).
“I heard some rumours, some talking that it might happen, but I didn’t know for sure if I was going to be drafted, so I didn’t want to get my hopes up or anything,” Primerano explains. “I saw on my phone that it happened and got a call from the GM. It was a pretty unreal experience to be the first to get drafted.”
Trailblazers like Hayley Wickenheiser, Manon Rhéaume and Cammi Granato opened the doors by recording historic “firsts” in the men’s game. As the women’s game continues to advance, more and more players are writing their names in the history books.
One year after making history at the draft, Primerano had another “first” when she participated in the annual Creative Artists Agency (CAA) summer prospects camp in Los Angeles, becoming the first woman skater to attend. At the camp, she was on the ice with top prospects like Hlinka Gretzky Cup gold medallists Berkly Catton and Ryder Ritchie.
“I think being on the ice with everyone, it was really good,” she says. “All
of the players were super high-level, so it was good to be able to be pushed
every day. It wasn’t easy, but it definitely helped me out.”
Chloe Primerano plays the puck against Germany.
Primerano is not the only member of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team to have made history. Goaltender Rhyah Stewart made history when she appeared in a pre-season game for the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s Cape Breton Eagles, becoming the first woman to play for the Eagles and the fifth woman to play in the CHL.
After finding out she would get a chance to play from Eagles head coach Louis Robitaille and goalie coach Blade Mann-Dixon, Stewart says she was really excited.
“I knew it was an opportunity not many women get to have, so just to be one of the few, it was definitely an honour,” she says. “I was definitely really excited to get that opportunity to see what I can do in one of those big moments in my career.”
Stewart saw 30 minutes of action against the Moncton Wildcats on Aug. 25 and stopped all 24 shots she faced. The 16-year-old from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, received a standing ovation when she was removed from the game and was named first star.
Reflecting back on the game, Stewart says the fan support she received sticks out.
“The building was fairly packed for a pre-season exhibition game,” she says.
“Just to see the reaction when I was done and all the younger fans there in
attendance to watch me was pretty cool.”
Rhyah Stewart makes a save against Czechia.
Both Primerano and Stewart were a part of history at the Canada Winter Games last year, too. With British Columbia and Nova Scotia reaching the gold medal game, Primerano helped lead B.C. to its first gold medal and Stewart made history as Nova Scotia earned its first-ever medal in women’s hockey.
“It was awesome that we got the chance to win. I don’t know if we all expected it, but we came out on top,” Primerano says. “You get to see so many different people and meet a lot of new people from different provinces. We got to go watch a couple different sports. It’s pretty special.”
“It was an incredible experience,” Stewart adds. “One thing that stands out to me was our semifinal [against Ontario] when we went in as heavy underdogs. For us to be able to go off that victory was pretty incredible.”
As historic firsts continue to happen in women’s hockey, it helps to inspire the “see it, be it” mentality within the next generation.
“I think it’s impacted the growth [of the women’s game] immensely,” Stewart says. “For someone to go in and be able to break down the barrier showcases that another woman is also capable to do that. I think when younger generations get to see that, they get to strive for higher goals.”
With continued advancements in the women’s game, like the inaugural Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) season, it opens the door for more young hockey players to dream of playing the game professionally, including players like Primerano and Stewart who have already made history in their careers.
“I’d love to play in that league,” Primerano says of the PWHL. “It’s great to have something where you can play all year round and play against high-level competition.”
“I’ve always wanted to play professionally, but there was uncertainty that came with that. You didn’t know what kind of league you’d be getting into,” Stewart explains. “Now with the new PWHL, it’s opened the doors and made me really want to strive for that goal.”
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U18 Women’s Worlds Preview: Canada vs. Finland
Tuesday, January 9 | 2 p.m. ET | Zug, Switzerland | Preliminary Round
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January 09, 2024
GAME NOTES: CANADA VS. FINLAND (JAN. 9)
The preliminary round at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship comes to a close Tuesday as Canada’s National Women's Under-18 Team battles Finland for top spot in Group A at Bossard Arena.
Last Game
Canada downed Czechia 8-1 on Sunday for its second win in as many days. The Canadians scored three shorthanded goals—two from Abby Stonehouse, who also added three helpers for a five-point performance. Caitlin Kraemer scored twice to set another goal-scoring record, passing Marie-Philip Poulin for the most by a Canadian at U18 Women’s Worlds. Emma Venusio, Morgan Jackson and Mackenzie Alexander rounded out the scoring. Rhyah Stewart made 23 saves in her tournament debut.
Finland is also undefeated in Group A after shutting out Germany 6-0 on Sunday. Emma Ekolumoa scored her second hat trick in as many games and added an assist, Abigail Byskata had two goals and a helper, and captain Tuuli Talinen recorded three assists. Kerttu Kuja-Halkola made six saves for Finland.
Last Meeting
Canada last met Finland in the semifinals last year, with the Canadians edging the Finns 3-2 in overtime. Abby Stonehouse opened the scoring midway through the first period, but Sanni Vanhanen responded to help Finland tie it after 40 minutes. Paulina Salonen gave the Finns an early lead in the third period with a power-play goal eight seconds into the frame before Alex Law tied it with 7:22 left to push the game to extra time. Ava Murphy scored the game-winner and Hannah Clark made 24 saves to send Canada to the gold medal game.
What to Watch
There are nine returning players for Canada and their experience is showing. After her five-point performance on Sunday, Abby Stonehouse is tied for the tournament scoring lead with seven points (2-5—7). Captain Emma Venusio is also steadily contributing to the Canadian offence, with five points (1-4—5) through two games. And let’s not forget Kraemer, who has four goals in two games, is up to 14 in her U18 Women’s Worlds career and seems to set a new record every time she touches the puck.
Ekoluoma has been terrific for the Finns, scoring back-to-back hat tricks to start the tournament and sitting alongside Stonehouse with a tournament-leading seven points in two games. The 17-year-old has been terrific with Kärpät in the Naisten Liiga, the top women’s league in Finland, recording 12 goals and 22 points in 23 games.
A Look Back
This will be the 14th meeting between the Canadians and Finns at U18 Women’s Worlds, and as the Finnish program continues to improve, the games have become much closer in recent years.
In their first-ever meeting at the inaugural world championship in Calgary in 2008, Canada got five points each from Laura Fortino (1-4—5) and Natalie Spooner (0-5—5) and a hat trick from Marie-Philip Poulin in a 17-0 win, still the most goals scored in one game by a Canadian team at the tournament.
But Finland handed Canada a 2-0 loss in the opening game of the 2022 tournament, before Jade Iginla and Madison Chantler helped Canada secure a 2-1 win in the semifinals, and it took an overtime winner from Alex Law to give Canada a 3-2 semifinal win last year.
All-time record: Canada leads 12-1 (1-0 in OT) Canada goals: 74 Finland goals: 8
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