2011 Canada Winter Games
Alberta Beats Ontario 3-2 To Win Gold
Team Alberta U18 Female defeated Team Ontario 3-2 Saturday night to capture the Gold Medal in female hockey at the 2011 Canada Winter Games in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
After a scoreless first period, Alberta came out of the gates flying in the second. Bryanne Panchuk (Calgary, Alta) opened the scoring at the 6:08 mark. Less than a minute later Brittney Fouracres (Airdrie, Alta) found the back of the net giving Alberta a 2-0 go-ahead. Panchuk would add another marker late in the frame putting Alberta up 3-0 heading into the third. Ontario would not roll over. Cayley Mercer (Exeter, Ont) put Ontario on the board early in the third and Emily Fulton (Stratford, Ont) tallied late in the period pulling Ontario within one, but it was too little too late. Alberta would hang on for the final three minutes battling off Ontario’s last minute strike to hold on to the victory.
This is Team Alberta Female’s first Gold Medal at the Canada Winter Games since 1991 when they won with a team led by Hayley Wickenheiser.
Team Alberta’s Bryanne Panchuk (Calgary) led the tournament in scoring with 18 points (9 Goals, 9 assists) while Team Alberta goaltenders Emerence Maschmeyer (Bruderheim) and Courtney Vinet (Camrose) only allowed a total of five goals against in seven games played throughout the tournament.
Team Alberta finished the round robin 4-0. They defeated P.E.I. 12-0 in the placement round and Saskatchewan 6-2 in the semi finals.
The Canada Winter Games is the final stage of the Team Alberta Female Program and leads into Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence.
Former Team Alberta players that have competed at the Canada Winter Games include Hayley Wickenheiser (1991), Meaghan Mikkelson (2003) and Carla MacLeod (1999).
Below is Team Alberta U18 Female’s round robin schedule for the Canada Winter Games:
GAME SUMMARIES:
- Team Alberta 6 - Saskatchewan 2
- Team Alberta 12 – Team PEI 0
- Team Alberta 4 – Team Ontario 1
- Team Alberta 3 – Team Saskatchewan 0
- Team Alberta 10 – Team Newfoundland 0
- Team Alberta 4 – Team BC 0
- Team Alberta Female won Gold in 1991 and Bronze in 1999 while finishing in 9th place in 2007.
- Former Team Alberta players that have competed at the Canada Winter Games include Hayley Wickenheiser (1991), Meaghan Mikkelson (2003) and Carla MacLeod (1999).
