By Kristi Patton /
For the sixth time in a row, Team Ontario Red captured the gold medal at the National Under-18 Championship in Surrey, B.C.
Almost 1,000 fans at the South Surrey Arena were treated to the top Under-18 talent in the all-Ontario gold medal final. The 5-1 win for Ontario Red over Ontario Blue was also broadcast to a national television audience on TSN2.
“I’ve played in the U18s for the past three years and every single year it was an unreal time,” said Ontario Red forward Jenna McParland. “You meet so many people and you make little kids want to do what you are doing.”
McParland (Schreiber, ON) racked up two goals and one assist in the final for player of the game honours.
Playing on a line with Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, ON) came second nature for McParland even though their club teams compete against each other in the Provincial Women’s Hockey League. The pair were on Ontario Blue together the first time they played in the U18s and then teammates the past two years with Team Ontario Red.
“We have always been put together so we know how each other play and we talk a lot on the ice. Jamie works hard 24/7 and she is a great leader,” said McParland of her U-18 teammate.
McParland put in the game-winning goal in the first period after receiving the puck out-front of the net from Rattray to make it 2-0. Rattray led all players with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in the tournament.
For Ontario Blue, it was the first time in National Women’s Under-18 Championship history that they won the silver medal.
They squeaked by Quebec 1-0 in the semi-final in one of the most exciting games of the tournament. The semi-final ended in a sudden victory shootout with Kristen Richards (Toronto, Ont.) finding the back of the net. Ontario Blue goaltender Danielle Butters (London, Ont.) kept the puck out through regulation and overtime and Kristy Garrow (London, Ont.) stopped all four Quebec attempts in the shootout.
In the bronze medal final, Quebec defeated Manitoba 2-1, thanks to a pair of goals from Christine Lambert (Thetford Mines, Que.). It wasn’t until the second period that Manitoba evened things up with a goal from Natasha Kostenko (Fannystelle, MB). Lambert scored the game-winner halfway through the third for the win.
The host, Team B.C., finished the tournament empty-handed going 0-4, Alberta had a 3-1 record, Saskatchewan finished with a 1-3 record as did Team Atlantic.
Tournament award winners include Most Valuable Player Meghan Dufault (Manitoba), Top Forward Jamie Lee Rattray (Ontario Red), Top Defenceman Shannon Doyle (Ontario Red), Top Goaltender Cloé Desjardins (Quebec) and Most Sportsmanlike Player Amanda Lucky (Ontario Blue).
Hockey Canada announced the 2011 National Women’s Under-18 Championship will take place in Saguenay, Que. and Dawson Creek, B.C. will play host to the 2012 tournament. There will be no Under-18 championship in 2011 because the Canada Winter Games will take place that year in Halifax, NS.
“We’re very excited to award the National Women’s Under-18 Championship to Saguenay and Dawson Creek,” says Scott Smith, Hockey Canada’s chief operating officer. “Hockey fans in both cities will have the chance to see the future stars of the women’s game take to the ice in 2011 and 2012.” |