The Intrépide de l’Outaouais were an overtime goal away from going to the Esso Cup last year.

After finishing third in the regular season, Outaouais had the best record at the 2023 Coupe Chevrolet, going undefeated until the final, where they suffered a 4-3 overtime loss to the Étoiles de Laurentides-Lanaudière.

But this year, the Intrépide came back stronger and better than ever.

Since it joined the Ligue de hockey d'excellence du Québec (LHEQ) in 2018-19, the team has slowly been climbing up the standings. This season, the Intrépide finished atop the LHEQ for the first time in team history with a 25-2-1 record.

The team carried that success from the regular season into the Coupe Chevrolet provincial championship, allowing just three goals in four games on the road to a rematch against Laurentides-Lanaudière in the final. This time, the Intrépide shut out the Étoiles 2-0 to earn a spot at the 2024 Esso Cup in Vernon—the first for Outaouais.

Laurence Lafleur helped to lead the Intrépide to the national stage; the 16-year-old was the LHEQ scoring leader this season with 42 goals and 59 points before adding four goals and nine points in the playoffs.

HOW THEY GOT TO VERNON

Coupe Chevrolet
Preliminary round: defeated As de Québec 2-1, defeated Amazones de Laval-Montréal 10-0
Quarterfinal: defeated Harfangs de Sherbrooke 3-1
Semifinal: defeated As de Québec 3-1
Final: defeated Étoiles de Laurentides-Lanaudière 2-0

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL): 25-2-1 (1st in LHEQ)
Goals for: 130 (1st in LHEQ)
Goals against: 43 (2nd in LHEQ)
Longest winning streak: 11 (Jan. 21-March 31)

Top 3 scorers:
- Laurence Lafleur – 42G 17A 59P (1st in LHEQ)
- Kélia Gilbert – 15G 18A 33P (5th in LHEQ)
- Geneviève Godin – 16G 15A 31P (6th in LHEQ)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 5-0
Goals for: 20
Goals against: 3

Top 3 scorers:
- Laurence Lafleur – 4G 5A 9P
- Maya de Beaumont– 4G 2A 6P
- Kélia Gilbert – 2G 4A 6P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

First appearance

UNIVERSITY COMMITMENTS

Gabrielle Brochu – Cégep Heritage
Paige Dubeau – Dawson College
Kélia Gilbert – Cégep Limoilou
Geneviève Godin – Champlain College
Laurence Lafleur – Champlain College
Élyssa Lalonde – Champlain College
Anabelle Legault – Cégep Heritage
Anabelle Monfils – Dawson College
Jade Poulin – Cégep Heritage
Gabrielle Roy – John-Abbott College

With an impactful offence and an effective defence, the Northern Selects remain a force to be reckoned with.

The Selects are back at the Esso Cup for a third consecutive year, looking to improve on last year’s fourth-place finish. In Prince Albert, the Selects went 2-3 in the preliminary round before being blanked 3-0 by the eventual national champion Stoney Creek Sabres in the semifinals and falling 5-1 to the Regina Rebels in the bronze medal game.

Seven players return to Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship, including 15-year-old Kendall Doiron. The 2023 Esso Cup most sportsmanlike player led the Selects with 64 points (34-30—64) in 32 regular-season games, building on her strong 2022-23 (18-13—34 in 24 games).

Northern may have the most offensively talented roster of its three-year run. Doiron, Hali-Rose MacLean and Brooke Williams finished two-three-four in Maritime Major Female Hockey League (MMFHL), with Aylee Glenn coming eighth . In comparison, the Selects had two players in the top 10 last year and three during the 2021-22 season.

The Selects dropped only two games during the regular season, partially thanks to the fantastic goaltending duo of Jorja Burrows and Madeleine Kerr. This will be the third Esso Cup appearance for Burrows, who had a 17-2 record in the regular season along with a 1.15 goals-against average, .951 save percentage and five shutouts. The 17-year-old also represented Team Atlantic at the Women’s U18 National Championship last November alongside Team Canada netminder Rhyah Stewart. Kerr is a Selects rookie, but still made a large impact in the crease. She had a 12-0 record, 0.92 GAA, .947 save percentage and four shutouts during the regular season.

The Selects are looking to become the first Atlantic representatives to win hardware at the Esso Cup.

HOW THEY GOT TO VERNON

Maritime Major Female Hockey League
Nova Scotia semifinal: defeated Cape Breton Lynx 3-0 (12-1, 7-0, 6-0)
Nova Scotia final: defeated Dartmouth Penguins 3-1 (2-3, 2-1, 5-0, 4-1)

Atlantic Regional
Preliminary round: 3-0-1 – 2nd place (defeated Tri-Pen Ice 6-0, defeated Western Warriors 10-2, lost to Eastern Stars 1-0, defeated Western Flames 4-0)
Championship: defeated Eastern Stars 5-2

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-T): 28-2-1 (1st in MMFHL)
Goals for: 173 (1st in MMFHL)
Goals against: 35 (1st in MMFHL)
Longest winning streak: 19 (Sept. 23-Dec. 16)

Top 3 scorers:
- Kendall Doiron – 34G 30A 64P (2nd in MMFHL)
- Hali-Rose MacLean – 33G 22A 55P (3rd in MMFHL)
- Brooke Williams – 21G 24A 45P (4th in MMFHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 10-2
Goals for: 64
Goals against: 10

Top 3 scorers:
- Kendall Doiron – 14G 7A 21P
- Hali-Rose MacLean – 11G 9A 20P
- Laci Boyd – 6G 14A 20P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

2023 – Northern Selects | 4th place | 2-3 | 13GF 19GA
2022 – Northern Selects | 4th place | 2-3 | 14GF 12GA
2018 – Northern Selects | 5th place | 1-4 | 12GF 19GA

UNIVERSITY COMMITMENTS

Jorja Burrows – St. Francis Xavier University

Bronze medallists a year ago in Prince Albert, the Regina Rebels are returning to the Esso Cup hungry to become champions.

After consistently finishing at or near the top of the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League (SFU18AAAHL) since 2018-19, this will be Regina’s fourth appearance at the Women’s U18 National Club Championship in tournament history. Only dropping three games during the regular season, the Rebels are undefeated since Nov. 24, riding a 26-game win streak into Vernon.

The Rebels are loaded with young talent for the second year in the row. There are eight first-year players on the roster: five forwards, one defender and one goaltender. The 2022-23 edition of the Rebels had nine first-years, and 12 are returning from last year’s Esso Cup.

Regina is an offensively strong team, led by National Women’s Under-18 Team forward Stryker Zablocki. After recording two goals and five assists in her U18 Women’s Worlds debut, the Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, native finished as the SFU18AAAHL scoring leader. Zablocki had 40 goals and 25 assists in the regular season, then added 11 goals and six helpers during the playoffs.

However, the offence is not limited to Zablocki. Berlin Lolacher (15-25—40) and Brooklyn Nimegeers (10-30—40) finished in the top five of league scoring, joined by Avery Gottselig, Addison Greve, Kadence Dansereau and Ashley Breitkreuz in the top 20.

Between the pipes, the Rebels have the best goaltending duo in Saskatchewan. Returning netminder Hannah Tresek topped the SFU18AAAHL with a 17-1 record, 1.43 goals-against average and .940 save percentage, while rookie Adriana Bashnick finished third with a 10-2 record, 1.84 GAA and .915 save percentage.

HOW THEY GOT TO VERNON

Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League
Semifinal: defeated Battlefords Sharks 2-0 (5-4, 5-4)
Final: defeated Notre Dame Hounds 2-0 (7-3, 4-1)

West Regional
Championship: defeated Winnipeg Ice 2-0 (4-3 OT, 3-1)

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-OTW-OTL-L): 26-1-0-3 (1st in SFU18AAAHL)
Goals for: 151 (1st in SFU18AAAHL)
Goals against: 50 (1st in SFU18AAAHL)
Longest winning streak: 20 (Nov. 24-March 4)

Top 3 scorers:
- Stryker Zablocki – 40G 25A 65P (1st in SFU18AAAHL)
- Berlin Lolacher – 15G 25A 40P (4th in SFU18AAAHL)
- Brooklyn Nimegeers – 10G 30A 40P (5th in SFU18AAAHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 6-0
Goals for: 28
Goals against: 16

Top 3 scorers:
- Stryker Zablocki – 11G 6A 17P
- Berlin Lolacher – 4G 5A 9P
- Brooklyn Nimegeers – 1G 4A 5P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

2023 – Regina Rebels | bronze medal | 3-2 | 21GF 16GA
2013 – Regina Rebels | 4th place | 3-2 | 17GF 11GA
2010 – Regina Rebels | 4th place | 3-2 | 12GF 10GA

UNIVERSITY COMMITMENTS

Ashley Breitkreuz – Trinity Western University
Avery Gottselig – University of Saskatchewan
Emily Karpan – Trinity Western University
Berlin Lolacher – Mercyhurst University
Brooklyn Nimegeers – Princeton University
Stryker Zablocki – Northeastern University

Once a fixture of the Esso Cup, the Edmonton Jr. Oilers are back at Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship after nearly a decade-long absence.

From the inception of the Esso Cup in 2009 until 2015, the Jr. Oilers, known then as the Thunder, made a record seven consecutive appearances. The run included trips to the gold medal game in 2011 and 2014, and bronze-medal finishes in 2010, 2012 and 2013.

Nine years later, they’re back. So, how did they do it? They had a fantastic regular season, finishing second in the Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) with a record of 21-7-2 and winning their last eight games. They were also second-best in goal scoring with 104 in 30 games and co-led the AFHL by allowing only 41.

Powering the Jr. Oilers were forward Daniella Martorana (15-18—33) and defender Ella Lloyd (17-14—31), who finished atop the AFHL in points among all blue-liners.

At the back end, Ella Dunham-Fox (7-3, 1.14 GAA, .944 SV%) and Mackenzie Gould-Sharpe (12-3, 1.15 GAA, .943 SV%) were sensational. The duo finished one-two in goals-against average and save percentage, and Gould-Sharpe’s five shutouts put her third among netminders.

The Jr. Oilers cruised through the preliminary round at the Alberta provincial championship with a perfect 3-0 record, and a nail-biting 2-1 win over the Red Deer Chiefs – the only team to finish above Edmonton in the regular season – secured an AFHL title. Edmonton allowed just four goals in four playoff games.

That championship came with a trip to the national tournament when the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers – the Esso Cup hosts – clinched the B.C. Elite Hockey League title, sending the Jr. Oilers to Vernon as Pacific representatives.

HOW THEY GOT TO VERNON

Alberta Female Hockey League 
Preliminary round: 1st place – defeated Calgary Fire 3-1, defeated St. Albert Slash 2-1, defeated Red Deer Chiefs 3-1)
Championship game: defeated Red Deer Chiefs 2-1

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL): 21-7-2 (2nd in AFHL)
Goals for: 104 (2nd in AFHL)
Goals against: 41 (tied for 1st in AFHL)
Longest winning streak: 8 (Feb. 2-25)
Top 3 scorers:
- Daniella Martorana – 15G 18A 33P (3rd in AFHL)
- Ella Lloyd – 17G 14A 31P (4th in AFHL)
- Tayla Lamabe – 15G 11A 26P (6th in AFHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 4-0
Goals for: 10
Goals against: 4
Top 3 scorers:
- Claire Carruthers – 2G 3A 5P
- Ciara Lang – 2G 1A 3P
- Tayla Lamabe – 2G 0A 2P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

2015 – Edmonton Thunder | 5th place | 2-3 | 9GF 10GA
2014 – Edmonton Thunder | silver medal | 3-4 | 16GF 18GA
2013 – Edmonton Thunder | bronze medal | 6-1 | 23GF 18GA
2012 – Edmonton Thunder | bronze medal | 3-4 | 15GF 12GA
2011 – Edmonton Thunder | silver medal | 6-1 | 26GF 12GA
2010 – Edmonton Thunder | bronze medal | 3-4 | 17GF 18GA
2009 – Edmonton Thunder | 4th place | 2-4 | 17GF 14GA

UNIVERSITY COMMITMENTS

Claire Carruthers – St. Francis Xavier University
Callie Dach – Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
Aeryn Flanagan – University of Saskatchewan
Mackenzie Gould-Sharpe – Lakeland College
Camryn Karaki – Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Ella Lloyd – Northeastern University
Layla Matthew – Clarkson University
Riley Scorgie – Cornell University
Maren Stachniak – SUNY Cortland

The Thompson-Okanagan Lakers didn’t just get to the Esso Cup because they’re the hosts. They earned their way to the big dance.

After going 22-8-1-1 in the regular season – good enough for second place in the B.C. Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) – and sweeping the Greater Vancouver Comets in the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers joined an exclusive group of hosts who won their league titles by going on the road and vanquishing the two-time defending champion – and two-time Esso Cup silver medallist – Fraser Valley Rush in the BCEHL final.

That means they didn’t have to play the Pacific Regional series against the Edmonton Jr. Oilers, sending the Alberta champions straight through to the Esso Cup as Pacific representatives and giving the Lakers almost a full month off ahead of Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship.

Thompson-Okanagan was all about scoring by committee during the regular season, putting four players in the top 10 of BCEHL scoring – Alexandra Recsky (10-21—31), Emma Kohl (18-10—28), Lily Roberts (11-12—23) and Holly Magnus (8-13—21), while Denali Forsyth (1.70) Reese Sliskovic (1.87) both fashioned goals-against averages under 2.00 to backstop the Lakers.

Magnus stepped up in the playoffs with a goal and four assists (her only goal was the OT winner in Game 1 of the semifinal series against the Comets), and Roberts scored two of the biggest goals of the season, netting the lone marker in Game 2 of the final as the Lakers staved off elimination and opening the scoring in Game 3 to send Thompson-Okanagan on its way.

 The Lakers are staring at a couple of opportunities for history when the Esso Cup begins April 21 – they can become the first host team to claim the national title and the first team from British Columbia.

HOW THEY GOT TO VERNON 

British Columbia Elite Hockey League 
Semifinal: defeated Greater Vancouver Comets 2-0 (3-2 OT, 4-1)
Final: defeated Fraser Valley Rush 2-1 (2-3, 1-0, 2-1) 

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-T-OTL): 22-8-1-1 (2nd in BCEHL)
Goals for: 91 (2nd in BCEHL)
Goals against: 59 (2nd in BCEHL)
Longest winning streak: 7 (Nov. 18-Jan. 5)
Top 3 scorers:
- Alexandra Recsky – 10G 21A 31P (4th in BCEHL)
- Emma Kohl – 18G 10A 28P (5th in BCEHL)
- Lily Roberts – 11G 12A 23P (9th in BCEHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 4-1
Goals for: 12
Goals against: 7
Top 3 scorers:
- Holly Magnus – 1G 4A 5P
- Kilah Hodder – 0G 5A 5P
- Emma Kohl – 3G 1A 4P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

First appearance

UNIVERSITY COMMITMENTS

Holly Magnus – University of Alberta
Lily Roberts – Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Hannah Robertson – Dalhousie University
Reese Sliskovic – Trinity Western University

For more than two decades, Braden Robertson has been a stalwart figure in the Vernon, B.C., hockey community.

Whether it’s been coaching minor hockey, helping his daughter’s hockey team or in his current role as co-chair of the Esso Cup host committee, Robertson has dedicated countless hours giving back to the game he loves. 

“I started off playing minor hockey like every other Canadian kid and just evolved from there,” Robertson says about his passion for volunteering. 

After his playing days were over, Robertson got involved with coaching teams in the Vernon area in 2001. He took a few years off when his daughters Myah and Hannah were born but got back behind the bench when Hannah began playing hockey.

“Once my daughter started playing hockey, I got back into coaching. Head coach, assistant coach, I did all of that for quite a while,” Robertson says.

However, as Hannah, who will participate in the 2024 Esso Cup with the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers, grew older and began playing at a higher level, Robertson took a step back from coaching. He instead found other ways to stay involved, working to help secure sponsorships for the Lakers over the past couple of seasons. 

“When your kids get older and they play at a higher level, they have higher coaching, more than my experience,” Robertson says. “You’ve always been a part of the game, and now you’re like ‘Where can I fit in, how can I help out?’ and that’s my part, helping out wherever is needed.” 

And that’s exactly what he’s done. This past summer, Roberston built a dressing room for the Lakers inside Kal Tire Place. A business owner and contractor by trade, Robertson covered the majority of the construction costs — close to $7,000 — and secured sponsorship funding to cover whatever was outstanding. 

“I wish we could have done this sooner,” he says. “It leaves a bit of a legacy on my behalf of the sport that I love playing and watching and it was nice to give back. It's nice that they have a home instead of having to use a broom closet or something. They now have something that they take pride in and that’s awesome. You’re always fighting for them.”

Robertson has also led numerous sponsorship initiatives over the years, raising thousands of dollars for the Lakers. Robertson says he’s proud of how the people of Vernon have come together over the years to ensure the girls have a chance. 

“It obviously pays some of the bills that it helps families out the parents out, lowers the cost, brings the community in with the team,” he says. “I can’t say enough about the community I live in. Their mindset with kids and sports here is huge. It’s a very giving community. We’ve surrounded ourselves with very good people. We love giving back and I do too.” 

Kevin Bathurst, who shares Esso Cup co-chair duties, says without Robertson, the Lakers dressing room never gets built. 

“This team finally has a home and it’s been a long time coming,” says Bathurst, who is also the executive director of hockey operations with the Greater Vernon Minor Hockey Association. “I think it is a legacy that Braden can hang his hat on. That dressing room is going to be a mainstay in the community for a very long time. The girls can walk down the hallway where the dressing rooms are at Kal Tire Place and see a Lakers logo, not just a Vernon Vipers logo. It’s through some of Braden’s hard work that they’ve got the recognition and the facilities that these girls deserve.” 

Today, Robertson serves alongside Bathurst as they work to ensure Vernon and Kal Tire Place are ready to host Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship. He’s excited for the girls who will be participating in the tournament and the impact the event will have on the broader community — profits will be going towards the creation of a post-secondary scholarship fund and a grassroots development fund that will support girls’ hockey in the region. 

“I'm looking forward to all the kids coming. Hopefully we put a good product out there and they enjoy it because this is one of the biggest tournaments these girls are ever going to play in,” Robertson says. “We are giving back to the community through scholarships, and we have a grassroots program that will help young girls get into hockey that maybe couldn’t afford it. It will help them out with the bills, whether it is hockey equipment or team fees, league fees or whatnot.” 

Bathurst says Robertson has been the “flagship volunteer” for girls’ hockey in the Vernon area and that his dedication and commitment to the game is unparalleled.

“You couldn't find a better volunteer and champion of female hockey than Braden,” says Bathurst.
“He really is an example for many of us to follow in terms of the growth of the female game.” 

At the end of the day, Robertson says giving back to the game he loves so much isn’t just about hockey, it’s about shaping the next generation of adults and having a positive impact early in life. 

“It’s about trying to create good human beings, members of society that can move on and work hard,” he says. “It’s about finding out what they are good at. It’s about being a good human being and I think hockey and all sports are that way. Sometimes people lean too much towards the sport itself, but we are raising these young adults that will have to contribute one day.”

It’s a rematch on the Prairies as familiar foes go toe-to-toe for the West Region berth at the 2024 Esso Cup in Vernon, B.C.

After a decade without an appearance at the Esso Cup, the Regina Rebels have a chance to make their second-straight trip to the Women’s U18 National Club Championship after capturing the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League (SFU18AAAHL) championship. The Rebels closed the regular season with 20 wins in a row and were perfect in the playoffs, sweeping the Battleford Sharks and Notre Dame Hounds.

The Winnipeg Ice are looking for their first-ever trip to the Esso Cup after winning the Manitoba Female Hockey League (MFHL) title for a second year in a row. Much like Regina, Winnipeg swept its way to the regional series, knocking off the Central Plains Capitals, Yellowhead Chiefs and Westman Wildcats in three games each.

RECENT CHAMPIONS (ESSO CUP FINISH)

2023 – Regina Rebels (bronze medal)
2022 – Notre Dame Hounds (3rd place)
2019 – Saskatoon Stars (4th place)
2018 – Saskatoon Stars (silver medal)
2017 – Prince Albert Bears (5th place)

REGINA REBELS
SFU18AAAHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 27-3-0 (1st in SFU18AAAHL)
Goals for: 151
Goals against: 50
Leading scorer: Stryker Zablocki (40G 25A 65P)

Playoff record: 4-0
Goals for: 21
Goals against: 12
Leading scorer: Stryker Zablocki (7G 6A 13P)

ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
Semifinal: defeated Battlefords Sharks 2-0 (5-4, 5-4)
Final: defeated Notre Dame Hounds 2-0 (7-3, 4-1)

Last national championship appearance: 2023 (bronze medal)
Total national championship appearances: 3 (2010, 2013, 2023)

WINNIPEG ICE
MFHL CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 20-4-4 (1st in MFHL)
Goals for: 91
Goals against: 48
Leading scorer: Stephanie Jacob (31G 14A 45P)

Playoff record: 9-0
Goals for: 32
Goals against: 12
Leading scorer: Stephanie Jacob (9G 5A 14P)

ROAD TO THE WEST REGIONAL
Quarterfinal: defeated Central Plains Capitals 3-0 (6-0, 1-0, 3-0)
Semifinal: defeated Yellowhead Chiefs 3-0 (4-3 OT, 4-3, 4-0)
Final: defeated Westman Wildcats 3-0 (3-2 2OT, 5-3, 2-1)

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

The time has come to crown an Atlantic Region champion on the Road to the 2024 Esso Cup in Vernon, B.C. The Northern Selects are back again, looking to represent the East Coast for the third year in a row.

As was the case in 2023, the Selects are the only team in the field who has previously competed at the Women’s U18 National Club Championship, making semifinal appearances in each of the last two years.

There are plenty of familiar faces in Corner Brook; four of the five teams (Eastern, Northern, Tri-Pen and Western Flames) were on the ice at the 2023 Atlantic tournament in Membertou, Nova Scotia.

RECENT CHAMPIONS (ESSO CUP FINISH)

2023 – Northern Selects (fourth place)
2022 – Northern Selects (fourth place)
2019 – Halifax Fire (fifth place)
2018 – Northern Selects (fifth place)
2017 – Mid-Isle Wildcats (sixth place)

EASTERN STARS

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND CHAMPIONS
Regular season record: 25-6-1 (2nd in MMFHL)
Goals for: 114
Goals against: 58
Leading scorer: Renee Chapman (21G 20A 41P)

Playoff record: 4-0
Goals for: 18
Goals against: 5
Leading scorer: Emily Gardiner (5G 1A 6P)

ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
P.E.I. final: defeated Western Wind 4-0 (3-1, 4-1, 8-1, 3-2 OT)

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

NORTHERN SELECTS
NOVA SCOTIA CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 29-2-1 (1st in MMFHL)
Goals for: 173
Goals against: 35
Leading scorer: Kendall Doiron (34G 30A 64P)

Playoff record: 6-1
Goals for: 38
Goals against: 5
Leading scorer: Kendall Doiron (10G 4A 14P)

ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
N.S. semifinal: defeated Cape Breton Lynx 3-0 (12-1, 7-0, 6-0)
N.S. final: defeated Dartmouth Penguins 3-1 (2-3 OT, 2-1, 5-0, 4-1)

Last national championship appearance: 2023 (4th place)
Total national championship appearances: 3 (2018, 2022, 2023)

TRI-PEN ICE
NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 10-5-3 (2nd in HNL)
Goals for: 76
Goals against: 48
Leading scorer: Chloe Pitts (17G 15A 32P)

Playoff record: unavailable
Goals for: unavailable
Goals against: unavailable
Leading scorer: unavailable

ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
Preliminary round: defeated Northern Huskies 6-1; defeated Central IcePak 5-0; defeated Western Warriors 12-4; defeated Eastern Ice Breakers 3-2
Final: defeated Eastern Ice Breakers 5-0

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

WESTERN FLAMES
NEW BRUNSWICK CHAMPIONS

Regular season record: 23-9-0 (3rd in MMFHL)
Goals for: 115
Goals against: 67
Leading scorer: Isabelle Michaud (41G 23A 64P)

Playoff record: 3-2
Goals for: 9
Goals against: 7
Leading scorer: Maddy Budrow (4G 2A 6P)

ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
N.B. final: defeated EDZA East Rockets 3-2 (3-0, 1-2, 3-1, 0-4, 2-0)

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

WESTERN WARRIORS
HOST

Regular season record: 4-13-1 (3rd in HNL)
Goals for: 45
Goals against: 77
Leading scorer: Sophie Urquhart (9G 10A 19P)

Playoff record: unavailable
Goals for: unavailable
Goals against: unavailable
Leading scorer: unavailable

ROAD TO THE ATLANTIC REGIONAL
N/A

Last national championship appearance: none
Total national championship appearances: none

The Esso Cup is just around the corner.

This year, the host Thompson-Okanagan Lakers will welcome representatives from five regions (Atlantic, Pacific, Ontario, Quebec, West) to compete for Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship, April 21-27 at Kal Tire Place in Vernon, B.C.

The event serves as a platform for showcasing some of the top U18 talent and provides them with an opportunity to compete on the national stage.

Here are six things you need to know about the Esso Cup.

The Esso Cup has been around for 15 years

The tournament is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, but there hasn’t been a champion every year; the 2020 and 2021 tournaments were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The inaugural Esso Cup took place in Calgary in April 2009, with the Westman Wildcats from Manitoba claiming the first national title. Prior to the establishment of the Esso Cup, there was the Esso Women’s Nationals, which served as the Canadian senior women's championship from 1982 until 2008.

British Columbia will play host for the second time

You have to go all the way back to 2013 to find the last time the Esso Cup was held on the West Coast. That year, the tournament took place in Burnaby with the Fraser Valley Phantom serving as host team and LHFDQ Nord winning the national championship. Alberta has hosted the Esso Cup four times, the most of any province in Canada. It has been held in Saskatchewan three times and Ontario twice, while Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island have each hosted once.

Only one team has won multiple Esso Cups

The St. Albert Slash of the Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) have won the Esso Cup a record three times (2017, 2018, 2019). In fact, it is the only team to win multiple and consecutive Esso Cups. The Slash also became the first team from Alberta to capture the Esso Cup in 2017 when Tyra Meropoulis scored 14:41 into overtime to defeat the Harfangs de Triolet. The Stoney Creek Sabres are trying to join the Slash as back-to-back champions; national champs in Prince Albert last spring, they went 14-3-5 in the OWHA U18 AA league this year.56 Esso Cup alumnae have gone on to wear the Maple Leaf

The Esso Cup has produced 56 players who have gone on to be part of Canada’s National Women’s Program, including two who have played for the National Women’s Team (Brigette Lacquette and Sophie Shirley). Most recently, two Esso Cup alumna (Jessie Pellerin and Stryker Zablocki) helped Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team win bronze at the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

The Esso Cup benefits girls’ hockey and the host communities

The 2024 Esso Cup host committee has prioritized the net profits from the event to be used to enhance the local women’s hockey community. As a result, 50 per cent of the proceeds will help create a Thompson-Okanagan Lakers post-secondary scholarship fund. The remaining 50 per cent will be used to create a grassroots development fund to support girls’ hockey in the Okanagan, which will help remove barriers to entry for aspiring young athletes such as equipment costs and registration fees.

Ticket packages are already on sale

Full-event packages are on sale for the 2024 Esso Cup! Watch all 19 games for $60, plus fees. With a full-event package, you save more on the price per game and guarantee your tickets to the gold medal game. And, you can share games with family and friends! To purchase tickets, click here.

Two years ago, the Greater Vernon Minor Hockey Association (GVMHA) decided to make growing women’s hockey a priority. Thanks to initiatives like Esso Fun Days and coaching programs, the growth has been significant.

Let’s put that growth into perspective: Last year, Vernon had U9, U11 and U15 girls’ teams. This year, the association has girls’ teams in every division except U18, which will be operating next year once the U15 players graduate—an estimated growth of 100 more girls lacing up their skates in the region.

“It’s getting to a point now that the volume of girls really supports an elite stream of hockey development, which for us is really the first time we’ve had it,” says Kevin Bathurst, director of hockey operations for the GVMHA and co-chair of the 2024 Esso Cup.

Thanks to a grant last year, the GVMHA was able to run a women’s coach development program in the summer, specifically targeting the U15 age group.

“[The U15 group is] a pretty passionate group of pretty good players, and [we’re trying] to create a pathway for them to stay in the game as long as possible,” Bathurst says. “We’ve got more women coaching in our community now than we’ve ever had.”

Several members of the Thompson-Okanagan Lakers, host team of this year’s Esso Cup, are actively coaching younger teams in their region. Lily Roberts, a four-year veteran of the Lakers, has been coaching for three years and currently works with a U13 team in Vernon.

“I really wanted to get into coaching just to change perspectives,” Roberts says. “[Growing up,] if I had that woman to look up to, I would feel much more comfortable learning and asking questions, and I’d feel more inclined to do what the coach is saying.”

Roberts decided to pursue coaching for a full season after being invited to help at a hockey camp over the summer. The 17-year-old reached out to see if she could coach the upcoming season and it worked out that her younger sister wanted to start playing.

“At the beginning, she was kind of hesitant listening to her sister as her coach, but after time, I think she thinks it’s really cool to have me out there,” Roberts says.

Hailey Sitter has always loved working with kids and got into coaching by assisting with summer camps. A sophomore member of the Lakers, the 16-year-old is an assistant coach with a U7 team in Lumby.

“I heard that there was a couple of girls struggling with having fun out on the ice out in Lumby, so I figured that I would go and spend a couple of ice times with them to see if I could hopefully change that and help them have some fun,” Sitter says. “That turned into me every Wednesday going out and coaching them.”

Sitter has been coaching for almost a year, and it’s the joy on her players’ faces when they are having fun and improving their skills that keeps her passionate to be a coach.

“To me, if the kids are having fun, they’re going to look forward to showing up to the rink,” she says.

When Sitter first started playing hockey, her team was coached by three women, including her mom. She didn’t realize the impact of that experience at the time, but reflecting back, Sitter says she viewed them as role models.

“As I got older and I started to see women coaches, I really looked up to them and I really wanted to work as hard as I could to get to where they were and to be as good as they were,” Sitter says. “I think that’s really cool that I can do that for some of these younger girls.”

It’s a busy schedule to balance school work, Lakers practices and coaching, but Roberts and Sitter credit time management and not procrastinating to stay organized. Having the opportunity to see the game from a coaching perspective has also opened up a new way to view the game as a player.

“I’ve noticed when I’m explaining something to one of my younger kids, it doesn’t always click the first time,” Sitter explains. “When I’m explaining it, I’m also breaking it down more. I’m explaining it simpler, which I’ve noticed that helps me when I go to do this skill in my practice.”

Lily Roberts holding the Outstanding Female Leadership Award. Photo credit: GVMHA

Through her dedication to game, Roberts became the first recipient of the Outstanding Female Leadership Award from the GVMHA, an award recently created to continue to encourage the growth of the women’s game in the region.

“I am super grateful to be the very first recipient of it,” Roberts says. “It’s a great feeling to know that I’m helping create the next generation of women’s hockey players, especially in Vernon.”

With the 2024 Esso Cup being hosted in Vernon from April 21-27, Roberts is ecstatic that she will finish her time as a Laker competing for Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship on home ice before she begins at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in the fall.

“I’ve always dreamed of being in the Esso Cup when I was little,” Roberts says. “It’s so crazy that it’s happening here in my hometown.”

The tournament is also another opportunity to continue to grow the women’s game in the Okanagan.

“To have those young players have the opportunity to see the highest level of hockey on an amateur hockey in terms of minor hockey in our country, I think it’s only going to increase the number of registrations across the board,” Bathurst says. “It’s an exciting time for the next generation of women’s players in the Okanagan and we’re really excited about it.”