McGill quartet to represent Canada at World Championships
By Earl Zukerman
MONTREAL – McGill defenceman Catherine Ward from Town of Mt. Royal,
Que., and goaltender Charline Labonté of Boisbriand, Que., are
among 21 players announced by Hockey Canada, Tuesday, to play for
the national women's team at the 2009 IIHF world championship in
Hameenlinna, Finland, April 4-12.
They are among five members of the squad who have played CIS
hockey, including McGill graduate Kim St-Pierre, the goaltender
from Chateauguay, Que., plus former University of Calgary star
Colleen Sostorics and U of T’s Jayna Hefford.
Martlets head coach Peter Smith, also a McGill grad, is part of the
Team Canada coaching staff.
Ward, a 22-year-old management junior, is one of four new faces on
a veteran team that features 16 returnees from last year’s squad
that won silver at the world championships in Harbin, China. The
5-foot-6 blueliner has been an All-Canadian since joining the
Martlets, who are in Antigonish, N.S., this week in an attempt to
repeat as CIS national champions.
Ward, who has also toiled with the Canadian under-22 team for the
last three years, captured CIS rookie-of-the-year honours in
2006-07 and has earned All-Canadian honours in each of her seasons
at McGill. She already holds the McGill records for most career
goals, assists and points by a defenceman, with a 33-102-135
dossier in 106 career contests.
Labonté, who has been with the national team since 2000-01, has
merited CIS All-Canadian status since her debut with the Martlets
three years ago. This season, she posted a 15-0 record with nine
shutouts and led all CIS netminders, for the third straight year,
in goals-against average (0.60) and save percentage (.965). In 114
career starts with the Martlets, she has a 102-9-3 record with 53
shutouts, a 1.00 GAA and a .947 save percentage. She now owns
practically every McGill goaltending record.
St-Pierre, a member of the national women’s team since 1998, was a
four-time All-Canadian with the Martlets from 1998 to 2003,
including a stint with the Redmen.
“Obviously we wanted the most talented players we can get for our
program,” Canadian head coach Melody Davidson said on a conference
call Tuesday.
“We feel on the back end, we have a nice mix of defensive
defencemen and offensive defencemen. Shannon (Szabados) brings a
realm of experience and a solid former under-22 player that can
definitely challenge Charline and Kim (in goal). Up front, we've
had a lot of the younger players as a part of Torino (2006
Olympics), and through our under-18 and under-22 programs, some
others have blossomed and we are excited to see how they'll come
about.”
The team will leave for a pre-tournament camp on March 24 in
Helsinki, Finland. In addition to practices, Canada will play
exhibition games against Finnish midget teams and the Finnish
national women's team. Canada opens the tournament on April 4
against China before facing Sweden on April 6.
The top team in each of the three pools earns a berth to the medal
round, which begins on April 8.
Hockey Canada also named four additional players to the Canadian
team's centralized camp in Calgary, which begins in August. The
centralized camp will help determine the Canadian roster for the
2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver next February.
CANADA’S ROSTER FOR 2009 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Goaltenders:
Shannon Szabados (Edmonton), Charline Labonté (Boisbriand, Que.),
Kim St-Pierre (Chateauguay, Que.).
Defence:
Carla MacLeod (Calgary), Becky Kellar (Hagersville, Ont.), Colleen
Sostorics (Kennedy, Sask.), Gillian Ferrari (Thornhill, Ont.),
Catherine Ward (Mt. Royal, Que.), Tessa Bonhomme (Sudbury,
Ont.).
Forwards:
Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, Ont.); Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, Ont.);
Gillian Apps (Unionville, Ont.); Meaghan Mikkelson (St. Albert,
Alta.); Caroline Ouellette (Montreal); Jayna Hefford (Kingston,
Ont.); Jennifer Botterill (Winnipeg); Haley Irwin (Thunder Bay,
Ont.); Hayley Wickenheiser (Shaunavon, Sask.); Sarah Vaillancourt
(Sherbrooke, Que.); Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.);
Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.).
Alternate: Jennifer Wakefield (Pickering, Ont.).
Centralized camp invitees for 2009-10 season:
Forwards: Cherie Piper (Scarborough, Ont.); Brianne Jenner (St.
Catharines, Ont.).
Defence: Delaney Collins (Pilot Mound, Man.); Jocelyne Larocque
(Ste. Anne, Man.).