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The End of the Road: Stoney Creek Sabres Win Esso Cup
We've finally come to the end of the road.
The long and winding path to the Hockey Canada national club championships has concluded. Congratulations to the U18 Women's national champion Stoney Creek Sabres, winners of the Esso cup, and to the men's U18 National Champions, the Seminaire St. Francois Blizzard.
Teams of young men and women around the country competed starting in early March in league and provincial tournaments for the right to advance to the regional championships that feed the national tourneys. The U18 national championship for women is called the Esso Cup, while on the men’s side the tournament is now called the U18 Club National Championship.
The Esso Cup was hosted in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan by the Prince Albert Bears April 23-29 at the historic Art Hauser Centre. The host Bears were joined by five regional champions from all over Canada.
The U18 Men's Club National Championship, formerly known as the Telus Cup, was held in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, at Stade L.P. Gaucher April 24-30. The tournament returned to Quebec for the first time since 2015, with the host team Gaulois de Saint-Hyacinthe also being joined by five regional champions in competing for the national title.
Fittingly for the return to Quebec, the hosts faced off in an all-Quebec matchup with Seminaire St. Francois for the U18 gold medal and the national championship.
Esso Cup Women’s U18 National Club Championship Schedule & Results
U18 Men’s National Club Championship Schedule & Results
The schedules were set months in advance, and it seemed like the tournamets would never get here. Now, just like that, they are over and we have crowned the champs. Congratulations to all the participants on great seasons!
2023 Esso Cup National Championship Field (Canada Rankings as of April 26)
Host - #48 Prince Albert Bears
Atlantic Region - #11 Northern Selects (Nova Scotia)
Ontario - #1 Stoney Creek Sabres
Quebec - #25 Laurentides-Lanaudiere Stars
Pacific Region - #2 Fraser Valley Rush (British Colubmia)
West Region - #3 Regina Rebels (Saskatchewan)
2023 Esso Cup U18 National Championship Individual Awards
Most Valuable Player - Madison Burr, Stoney Creek Sabres
Top Forward - Greta Henderson, Regina Rebels
Top Defense - Aynsley D'Ottavio, Fraser Valley Rush
Top Goaltender - Beatrice Plouffe, Laurentides-Lanaudiere Stars
Most Sportsmanlike - Kendall Doiron, Northern Selects
This document was updated as Canadian U18 women’s progressed alon the road to the Esso Cup. Now, with its conclusion, reader can go back and follow the various pathways to the tournament and how it all played out.
The Durham West Lightning from Ontario won the 2022 ESSO Cup.
CLICK HERE to find out everything you'd ever want to know about the 2022 tournament.
Esso Cup 2023
Day 1 – April 23
#3 Regina (3), #25 Laurentides-Lanaudiere (1)
Stryker Zablocki’s power-play goal 9:04 into the third period broke the tie and Jada Johns put away the game with another power-play marker with 1:12 left as Regina opened play at the Esso Cup by grinding out a 3-1 victory. Brooklyn Nimegeers assisted on both third-period goals, and Hannah Tresek made 11 saves.
#1 Stoney Creek (5), #2 Fraser Valley (2)
It just so happened that this pre-determined matchup of Hockey Canada regions ended up being a No. 1 vs No. 2 showdown on the first day of Esso Cup play. And the Sabres were more than up for the challenge, exploding for three first-period goals – and the game’s first four tallies – and never looking back in the 5-2 win. Madison Burr, Peyton Anzivino and Caileigh Tiller scored in the opening frame, with Mikayla Barnes piling on 2:31 into the second period. Fraser Valley did rally with the next two goals from Aynsley D’Ottavio and Vienna Rubin, but Burr closed out the second period with Stoney Creek’s fifth marker to seal the deal. Mya Castrillo made 22 saves to earn the win in goal. This win leapfrogged Stoney Creek into the No. 1 spot in the Canadian Women's U18 rankings.
#11 Northern Selects (4), #47 Prince Albert (3)
After a 1-1 first period, the Selects netted a pair of goals in the opening 2:26 of the second period and closed the period with Lacy Boyd’s second tally of the game. Boyd’s goal stretched the margin back to two after Kassie Ferster had pulled the pesky hosts to within 3-2 with 3:59 left in the middle stanza. Things got interesting when Sasha Malenfant’s second goal of the game made the score 4-3 with less than a minute left, but the Selects hung on for the victory. Olivia Marks and Bree MacPherson also scored for Northern, with Kendall Doiron and Brooke Williams dishing out a pair of assists each. Brooke Archer made 20 saves to earn the win in goal.
Click on game results to access full game summaries.
Day 2 – April 24
#1 Stoney Creek (4), #3 Regina (1)
Madison Burr scored the first of her two goals to break a 1-1 tie in the second period and provided insurance with an empty-net goal in the final minute as Stoney Creek improved to 2-0. Burr also assisted on Caileigh Tiller's third-period power-play goal, while Peyton Anzivino added a short-handed maker in the final frame. Tara Bach stopped 25 of 26 Regina shots to earn the win in goal. Stryker Zablocki had the lone tally for the Rebels.
#11 Northern Selects (2), #25 Laurentides-Lanaudiere (1)
Kendall Doiron's goal 11:39 into the second period held up as the game-winner as the Selects improved to 2-0 with the one-goal victory. Maika Gauthier opened the scoring 3:14 into the game for the Stars, but Kenzie Greencorn responded 2:21 later to even things up until Doiron's deciding tally. Jorja Burrows made 19 saves for the Selects, while Lexia Gagnon stopped 24 pucks for Laurentides-Lanaudiere.
#2 Fraser Valley (10), #47 Prince Albert (1)
It was a tough evening for the hosts as the Rush sprinted out of the gates with five first-period goals and had potted nine through two periods. Kinley Brassard recorded the lone Prince Albert tally to cut the margin to 3-1 in the first period, but Daphne Meng responded with a shorty of her own and Vienna Rubin made it 5-1 by the end of the opening frame. Hannah Dods finished with two goals for Fraser Valley, with Meng and Anysley D'Ottavio each adding a goal and an assist and Clara Juca making 29 saves.
Day 3 - April 25
#1 Stoney Creek (4) vs. #11 Northern Selects (1)
Caileigh Tiller scored twice in the second period to break open a 1-0 game and lead the Sabres to their third-straight win vs. the Selects. Madison Burr opened the scoring in the first period, and Mikayla Barnes pushed the lead to 4-0 in the third before Erin MacNeil scored with 1:38 left in the game. Burr added an assist for Stoney Creek, and Mya Castrillo made 15 saves.
#2 Fraser Valley (6) vs. #3 Regina Rebels (5)
Fraser Valley took a 6-3 third into the final period and held off a furious Regina rally to win, 6-5, and improve to 2-1. The Rebels fell to 1-2. Stryker Zablocki and Greta Henderson scored almost four minutes apart in the third period to make the final 3:28 very interesting, but Rebecca Noble stood tall in net and finished with 35 saves to earn the win. Erica Barnard had two goals and an assist for the Rush, with Nahvan Bal adding a goal and two assists and Solana Cooper contributing 1-1-2. Henderson had 2-1-3 for Regina, with Ashley Grice adding 1-1-2 and Avery Gottselig posting 1-1-2.
#25 Laurentides-Lanaudiere (2) vs. #47 Prince Albert (1)
All of the scoring in this one took place in the first period as Stars' netminder Beatrice Plouffe held the hosts scoreless over the final two frames to finish with 38 saves and lead her team to victory. Brooke Archer was nearly as good in the opposing net, stopping 36 pucks for Prince Albert. Adrienne St-Pierre and Danika Giroux scored in the first 11 minutes, with Giroux's tally standing up as the game-winner. Kassie Fester scored for the Bears to close the margin to 1 with 7:20 left in the opening period.
Day 4 - April 26
#2 Fraser Valley (4), #11 Northern Selects (3)
The Selects led, 3-0, through 39 minutes, but Vienna Rubin scored her first of two goals late in the second period and opened the flood gates for a four-goal Fraser Valley explosion over the final 21 minutes as the Rush improved to 3-1 and locked up the second seed for the semifinals. The Rush have beaten the two teams immediately behind them in the standings, Regina and Northern, and would own the tiebreaker over either team if they end up tied after Day 5. Hayley Lee evened the score 1:36 into the final period, with Rubin and Anna McKee finishing off the four-goal spree over the next 14 minutes. Fraser Valley goalie Clara Juca made 19 saves to earn the win over Jorja Burrows (28 saves). Kendall Doiron, Brooke Williams and Brooke Thomson scored for the Seects.
#1 Stoney Creek (2) vs. #25 Laurentides-Lanaudiere (1)
The Sabres improved to 4-0 and locked up the top seed for the semifinals since they own the head-to-head tiebreaker with 3-1 Fraser Valley. The Rush led, 1-0, on a goal by Mikayla Barnes 9:37 into the game, and that score would remain intact until Andreanne St-Pierre tied it just 18 seconds into the third period. Darrah Brown responded 1:31 later, and the Stoney Creek defense clamped down, forcing goaltender Tara Bach to make just 10 saves all game. Meanwhile, Beatrice Plouffe stopped 23 pucks for Laurentides-Lanaudiere, which fell to 1-3 and out of the hunt for a semifinal berth after having lost to the two teams directly in front of them in the standings.
#3 Regina Rebels (5), #47 Prince Albert (2)
Regina won its second game and held on to the third spot in the standings, setting up a big Day 5 matchup against the Northern Selects, thanks to a pair of goals each from Greta Henderson and Berlin Lolacher. Addison Grove dished out two assists, while Chloe Sorenson made 15 saves. On the other side, Annika Neufeldt kept the hosts close with a remarkable 48 saves. Henderson scored in the opening period to give the Rebels a lead they would never relinquish, and Amber Daley stretched the margin to 2-0 11:09 in the second frame. The lead would grow to 5-1 before Kinley Brassard closed the scoring at 10:05 of the third. Kassie Ferster also scored in the third period for Prince Albert.
Day 5 - April 27
#25 Laurentides-Lanaudiere (3), #2 Fraser Valley (1)
The Stars closed strong with an upset win, but lost out on the fourth-seed tiebreaker to the Northern Selects and did not advance to the semifinals. Laurentides-Lanaudiere broke open a 0-0 tie after one with three second-period goals from three different players. Ann-Launrence Dutil, Loelie Lachapelle and Anais Leprohon scored in a span of less than 10 minutes to give the Stars a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Beatrice Plouffe was the star of the game in goal, stopping 36 shots to earn the win. Hannah Dods got Fraser Valley on the board with 1:48 left in the game as the Rush still earned the second seed in the semifinals.
#3 Regina Rebels (7), #11 Northern Selects (3)
Greta Henderson netted a pair of goals to lead the Rebels, who also got two points each from Amber Daley and Berlin Lolacher as they secured the third seed in the semifinals. Regina outshot the Selects, 43-27, with Chloe Sorenson making 24 saves to earn the victory in net. Northern got on the board just 1:45 into the contest on Josie Dunn's goal, but it was all Rebels after that as Regina scored the game's next seven. The Selects dropped to the fourth seed for Friday's semis.
#1 Stoney Creek (6) vs. #47 Prince Albert (1)
Jaela Carter had a goal and three assists, with CaileighTiller adding a goal and two assists, as the Sabres completed an undefeated preliminary round and earned the top playoff seed at 5-0. Mya Castrillo made 19 saves to earn the win in goal. Stoney Creek broke open a 3-1 game with three third-period goals by Avia Bramer, Holly Vannetten and Peyton Anzivino.
Semifinals - April 28 (seedings listed)
#1 Stoney Creek Sabres (3), #4 Northern Selects (0)
Tara Bach made 21 saves to earn the shutout and help the Sabres win their sixth-straight tournament matchup and advance to the gold-medal game. The teams played a scoreless first period before Aubrey Morrison broke the tie 9:48 into the second frame, with Sadie Allen piciing up the assist. That's how things remained until Peyton Anzivino and Madison Burr scored 23 seconds apart in the final five minutes of the third period. Each one picked up an assist on the other's goal. Jorja Burrows had a strong game in goal for the Selects, stopping 32 shots.
#3 Fraser Valley Rush (1), #4 Regina Rebels (0)
Vienna Rubin scored the lone goal with less than 10 seconds left in the second period and goaltender Rebecca Noble made it stand up by recording 34 saves to earn a shutout and lift the Rush into the finals vs. Stoney Creek. She made 13 saves in the final period as the Rebels turned up the pressure. Hannah Tresek turned in a strong performance in losing a heartbreaker, stopping 30 of the 31 shots she faced for Regina. Solana Cooper and Gillian Lapierre assisted on Rubin's goal.
Bronze Medal Game - April 29 (seedings listed)
#3 Regina Rebels (5), #4 Northern Selects (1)
Rayna Hennie's goal at 5:04 of the second period broke a 1-all tie and propelled Regina on a four-goal run that led to a bronze medal. Greta Henderson scored twice during the spree, with Berlin Lolacher closing out the scoring with 18:36 left in the game. All four of those goals were scored in a span of 17:28. Chloe Sorenson made 24 saves to earn the win in goal, while Jorja Burrows made 41 saves in a remarkable effort for the Selects. Carys Cross opened the scoring 14:17 into the game for the Rebels, and Julia MacDonald had the lone tally for Northern.
RR Tournament Final Leaders
Greta Henderson 10 points, Berlin Lolacher 7 points, Stryker Zablocki 6 points, Ashley Grice 6 points, Amber Daley 4 points, Brooklyn Nimegeers 4 points
Chloe Sorenson 2.45 GAA, .903 SV%; Hannah Tresek 2.42 GAA; .896 SV%
NS Tourmament Final Leaders
Brooke Williams 4 points, Laci Boyd 3 points, Olivia Marks 3 points, Lily LeBlanc 3 points
Jorja Burrows 3.22 GAA, .906 SV%; Gabby Aresnault 5.50 GAA, .861 SV%
Gold Medal Game - April 29 (seedings listed)
#1 Stoney Creek Sabres (5), #2 Fraser Valley Rush (4)
Not only were these two teams playing for gold, but is seems likely that the winner will finish on top of the MHR Canada Women's U18 national rankings. Stoney Creek rallied from a 3-1 deficit after 40 minutes, scoring four times in a deciding third period, to skate away with the national championship. Madison Burr scored twice during the deciding outburst, but the issue wasn' decided until her goal with 1:20 left after Hannah Dods had tied the game for the Rush with 7:27 left in regulation. Sabres netminder Mya Castrillo entered the game for the final 22 minutes and made seven saves to give her team a chance to pull off the comeback. Ashlyn Carter, Maren Capannelli and Peyton Anzivino had the other Stoney Creek goals, while Jade Lore, Leah Barnard and Aynsley D'Ottavio also scored for Fraser Valley.
SC Tournament Final Leaders
Madison Burr 15 points, Caleigh Tiller 10 points, Holly Vannetten 7 points, Jaela Carter 7 points, Peyton Anzivino 7 points
Tara Bach 1.38 GAA, .936 SV%; Mya Castrillo 1.49 GAA, .926 SV%
FV Tournament Final Leaders
Vienna Rubin 9 points; Aynsley D'Ottavio 8 points; Hannah Dods 6 points, Solana Cooper 6 points, Nahvin Bal 5 points
Clara Juca 2.25 GAA, .918 SV%; Rebecca Noble 3.72 GAA; .880 SV%
CLICK HERE to watch any of the Esso Cup games
TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on April 28 at 4 p.m. MT/6 p.m. ET. To download game highlights from the 2023 Esso Cup, please CLICK HERE.
The Road to the Esso Cup 2023
League and provincial playoffs started in March across Canada, and the Esso Cup begins April 23. The road to a national championship is long and demanding, full of twists, turns, upsets and fantastic finishes.
Five regional champions join the host Prince Albert Bears for the late-April tournament in Saskatchewan. Those champs epresent Quebec, Ontario, the Atlantic Region, the Pacific Region and the West Region.
The Pacific Region consists of six teams from the Alberta Female Hockey League and the five teams that compete in the British Columbia Elite Hockey League. Those two league champions competed for the Pacific championship.
West Region champions come from either the Manitoba Female Hockey League or the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League. The champions of the eight-team MFHL and seven-team SFU18AAAHL battled it out for the right to represent their region in Prince Albert.
The eight Hockey Quebec U18 teams competed for the right to represent their province at Nationals as the champions of the Ligue de Hockey D’Excellence du Quebec (LHEQ), while the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association, an organization with more than 50 members, sends its overall U18 champion to the Esso Cup as the Ontario representative.
Over in the Atlantic District, the U18 champions of four-team Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador faced off against the Maritime Major Female Hockey League champs.
The opening game of the ESSO Cup is set for Sunday, April 23, with the West-champion and third-ranked Reginal Rebels taking on the No. 5 Laurentides-Lanaudiere Stars in a 2 p.m. Eastern start at the Art Hauser Centre.
ESSO Cup National Championship Bracket and Info
Pacific Region
The No. 10 Red Deer Chiefs hosted the No. 1 Fraser Valley Rush for the Pacific Region Championship April 7-8.
The Fraser Valley Rush returned to the regional series for the second year in a row hoping for a gold-medal run at the Esso Cup in Prince Albert after coming up one win short a year ago. Following a strong regular season, the Rush swept its way to the BCHEL title and allowed only one goal in four games in the process.
Coming from the AFHL, the Red Deer Chiefs booked their ticket to the regionals with an excellent performance in the provincial tournament. Although they dropped their preliminary-round game against the Calgary Fire 5-1, the Chiefs bounced back in the final, erasing a 2-0 Calgary lead before Rylee McLeod scored the game-winner in the shootout for a thrilling 4-3 victory.
Pacific Region Championship
Game 1 – April 7
Rush 3, Chiefs 0
Game 2 – April 8
Rush 5, Chiefs 2
The Fraser Valley Rush advance to Esso Cup National Championship tournament
Here is a breakdown of the teams that were in contention to be Pacific Region representatives at the Esso Cup:
AFHL Competing Teams (Canada Rankings as of April 5)
#4 Calgary Fire
#7 St. Albert Slash
#10 Red Deer Chiefs
#41 Edmonton Pandas
#48 Lloydminster Steelers
#52 Rocky Mountain Raiders
Championship Game
#10 Red Deer Chiefs 4, #4 Calgary Fire 3 (SO)
The Chiefs pulled off the minor upset in a thriller that featured 86 total shots on goal, a third-period comeback and a scoreless overtime. Rylee Mcleod’s shootout goal turned out to be the one that sent Red Deer on to the Pacific Region Championship and made a winner out of goaltender Taya Christie, who finished with 44 saves. McLeod and Nadia Lavoie each finished with a goal and two assists for Red Deer, with Alyssa Shaw adding a goal and an assist.
The Red Deer Chiefs advance to the Pacific Region Championship
BCEHL Competing Teams (Canada Rankings as of April 5)
#1 Fraser Valley Rush
#31 Thompson-Okanagan Lakers
#40 Vancouver Island Seals
#55 Greater Vancouver Comets
#69 Northern Capitals
Championship Series (best of three)
#1 Fraser Valley Rush def. #31 Thompson-Okanagan Lakers, 2-0 (best of three)
Fraser Valley swept the Lakers by scores of 5-1 and 5-0 to earn the right to take on the No. 7 Red Deer Chiefs for the Pacific Region title and a trip to the Esso Cup National Championship. Vienna Rubin scored three times in the two contests, with Aynsley D’Ottavio adding a pair of goals in the opener and Leah Barnard, Nahvin Bal and Cassandra Kehler each potting single goals in both games. Rebecca Noble made 18 saves to win the opener, while Clara Juca stopped all 21 shots she faced to record the Game 2 shutout.
The Fraser Valley rush advance to the Pacific Region Championship.
West Region
It’s been a decade since the Regina Rebels were last at the Esso Cup. This year the team advanced to the West Region Championship with a chance to make its third appearance at the Women’s U18 National Club Championship after winning the SFU18AAAHL title. Both Rebels’ playoff series came down to deciding games, with Hannah Tresek leading the way in goal by posting shutouts in both contests to help Regina advance to the West Regional.
The Winnipeg Ice hoped to make their first appearance at the Esso Cup after cruising to the MFHL title. The Ice swept the Interlake Lightning and Winnipeg Avros to meet rival Westman Wildcats in the final. Although the Wildcats won three of four meetings between the two teams during the regular season, the Ice swept the series to clinch the provincial crown. Netminder Jordyn Nepinak-Sargent was named playoff MVP with an 8-0 record, 0.74 GAA and two shutouts against the Wildcats.
West Region Championship and Team Info
West Region Championship
#3 Regina Rebels def #12 Winnipeg Ice, 2-0 (best of three)
Game 1 – April 7
Rebels 4, Ice 3 (OT)
Game 2 – April 8
Rebels 5, Ice 4 (OT)
Game 3 – April 9
Rush 5, Chiefs 2
The Winnipeg Ice advance to the Esso Cup National Championship tournament
Here is a breakdown of West Region teams that competed to advance to the Esso Cup:
MFHL Competing Teams (Canada Rankings as of April 5)
#12 Winnipeg Ice
#27 Westman Wildcats
#30 Winnipeg Avros
#60 Yellowhead Chiefs
#72 Pembina Valley Hawks
#76 Eastman Selects
#89 Interlake Lightning
#96 Central Plains Capitals
Championship Series
#12 Winnipeg Ice def. #27 Westman Wildcats 3-0 (best of five)
Winnipeg took the opener, 4-1, March 22 and needed only a second-period goal in a 1-0 Game 2 Victory March 26. Game 3 was played March 29 at 9:15 p.m. ET on Westman home ice. Haley Braun scored the deciding goal in Game 2, with Jordan Nepinak-Sargent recording the 19-save shutout. The Wildcats jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the opener before Winnipeg rallied for four straight goals from four different players. Izabella Mann led the way with a goal and an assist. Deciding Game 3 also was a 1-0 white-knuckler as the Ice completed the series sweep. Haley Braun was the hero once again in Game 3, scoring the championship-winner in overtime, with Nepinak-Sargent again coming up huge in goal by making 33 saves to earn the shutout.
The Winnipeg Ice advance to the West Region Championship.
SFU18AAAHL Competing Teams (Canada Rankings as of April 5)
#3 Regina Rebels
#6 Saskatoon Stars
#8 Swift Current Wildcats
#19 Notre Dame Hounds
#47 Prince Albert Bears *
#54 Battleford Sharks
#70 Weyburn Gold Wings
* Esso Cup Host Team
Fedoruk Cup Championship Series
#3 Regina Rebels def. #6 Saksatoon Stars, 2-1 (best of three)
Game 2 was played March 28 at 9 p.m. ET in Saskatoon at Merlis Belsher Place after the Stars skated to a 5-3 victory in Game 1. Five different players scored in Saskatoon’s Game 1 victory March 26, and Ava Drabyk made 29 saves to earn the win. Regina led, 2-1, early in the second period before Saskatoon netted four straight goals to break the game open. Peyton Gabruck, Megan Hirschfield, Keyra Buziak, Avery Bairos and Sage Babey scored for the Stars. Regina rebounded to win Game 2, 3-1, and then Game 3, 6-0, to advance to the West Region Championship. Saskatoon opened the scoring on Ireland Stein’s goal five minutes into Game 2, but Regina got goals from Kadence Dansereau, Brooklyn Nimegeers and Ashley Grice to rally for the 3-1 win as Hannah Tresek made 25 saves. Game 3 featured an even first period, with the Rebels getting a goal from Berlin Lolacher, and a five-goal second-period Regina explosion. Greta Henderson, Jada Johns, Avery Gottselig, Nimegeers and Stryker Zablocki tallied in that run as six-different Rebels scored to secure the championship. Tresek made 18 saves to record the shutout.
The Regina Rebels advance to the West Region Championship
Quebec Region
The Laurentides-Lanaudiere Stars won the Quebec championship to advance to the Esso Cup National Championship tournament by capturing the Chevrolet Cup championship April 7-9.
Championship Game – April 9
#25 Laurentides-Lanaudiere Stars 4, #23 Gatineau Intrepid 3 (OT)
Stars goalie Beatrice Plouffe was named star of the game in leading her team to the Quebec championship and a berth in the ESSO Cup National Championship. Elyssa Lalonde got Gatineau on the board first in the opening period before Maude Rochon evened the score in the second. Genevieve Godin put the Intrepid back on top, but Rochon answered once again early in the third. The Stars finally surged ahead on Loelie Lachapelle’s goal 8:54 into the final period only to see Laurence Lafleur send the game to overtime with a tally of her own at the 14:10 mark. Odelie Beaufort proved to be the hero in extra time, however, as she sent the Stars to the Esso Cup 3:25 into OT.
The Laurentides-Lanaudiere Stars advance to the Esso Cup National Championship tournament
Provincial Championship Information
Provincial Championship Results
Here is a breakdown of teams that were in the running to be Quebec provincial representatives at the Esso Cup:
Hockey Quebec LHEQ Competing Teams (Canada Rankings as of April 5)
#9 Quebec A’s
#23 Gatineau Intrepid
#25 Laurentides-Lanaudiere Stars
#73 Richelieu Remparts
#79 Maurice 55 Stars
#83 Laval Amazons
#81 Triolet Harfangs
#97 Lac St-Lous Warriors
Ontario Region (Canada Rankings as of April 5)
The second-ranked Stoney Creek Sabres boast an offensively strong team that finished second in the OWHA regular-season standings after outscoring its opponents by more than 90 goals. That success carried over into the OWHA provincials, with Stoney Creek going unbeaten in Pool A against the Nepean Wildcats, Rideau St. Lawrence Thunder and Waterloo Ravens. The Sabres shut out the Ottawa Senators and Peterborough Ice Kats 4-0 in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, before defeating the North York Storm to represent Ontario at the Esso Cup.
Stoney Creek last competed for a national title in 2019, coming away with bronze after a 3-2 shootout win over the Saskatoon Stars. The Sabres also hosted the Esso Cup in 2014, finishing in fourth place after a 3-2 loss to the Sudbury Lady Wolves in the bronze-medal game.
There are too many teams inn the OWHA to list them all here, but here are the top-ranked clubs that werer in contention for an Esso Cup berth:
OWHA Top Competing Teams (Canada Rankings as of April 5)
#2 Stoney Creek Sabres
#5 Durham West Lightning
#12 Sudbury Lady Wolves
#14 Ottawa Lady Senators
#15 Oakville Hornets
#16 Toronto Aeros
#18 Caledon Coyotes
#17 North Halton Twisters
#20 Central York Panthers
#21 North York Storm
Provincial Championship Schedule
Championship Game - April 16
#2 Stoney Creek Sabres 3, #21 North York Storm 0
The Stoney Creedk Sabres Advance to the ESSO Cup National Championhip tournament
Atlantic Region
The Atlantic Region Championship was held March 30 to April 2 at Membertou S&W Centre (Emers Arena) in Nova Scotia.
The Northern Selects looked to represent the East Coast for the second year in a row, and were the only team out of five regional qualifiers who had previously competed in the Women’s U18 National Club Championship.
The Western Flames joined the Selects as returnees from the 2022 Atlantic Championship. Forward Isabelle Michaud led the Flames in scoring in both the regular season and playoffs, scoring about one-third of her team’s goals during the regular season (24 out of 75).
All five teams had strong postseason performances, boasting a combined 18-5 playoff record and outscoring opponents 93-51.
Atlantic Region Championship and Team Information
Atlantic Region Championship Scores
Championship Game
April 4 - #11 Northern Selects 5, #66 Western Flames 0
After a scoreless first period, the Selects exploded for four second-period goals from four different players. Olivia Marks, Kendall Doiron, Bree MacPherson and Mackenzie Greencorn all recorded second-period markers, with Brooke Thomson adding the fifth goal in the final frame. Jorja Burrows made 20 saves to earn the shutout in goal.
The Northern Selects advance to Esso Cup National Championship tournament
Here is a breakdown of the teams that competed for spots in the Atlantic Region Championship:
Hockey New Brunswick & Labrador Competing Teams (Canada Rankings as of April 5)
#57 Tri-Pen Ice
#59 Eastern Icebreakers
#98 Central IcePak
#100 Western Warriors
Tri-Pen Ice defeat Eastern Icebreakers, 3-2 and 5-0, to advance to the Atlantic Region Championship
MMFHL Competing Teams
#11 Northern Selects
#35 Cape Breton Lynx
#34 Dartmouth Penguins
#37 Halifax Western Capitals
#66 Western Flames
#67 Eastern Stars
#78 Western Wind
#92 Moncton Rockets
#101 Fundy Kraken
Nova Scotia Provincial Playoff Information
Northern Selects win Nova Scotia championship and advance to the Atlantic Regional Championship
New Brunswick Provincial Playoff Information
Western Flames win New Brunswick championship, defeating the Moncton Rockets, two games to one, to advance to the Atlantic Regional Championship
PEI Provincial Playoff Information
Eastern Stars win the PEI championship and advance to the Atlantic Regional
