U18WWC Recap: Canada 3, Sweden 1
Howie Draper returns behind the bench, along with assistants Vicky Sunohara and Tara Watchorn
CALGARY, Alta. Calgary will host 40 of the country’s top women under 18 players when Canada’s women’s under 18 national team holds its qualifying camp, May 24-29.
The camp will be held at the WinSport Arena at the Markin McPhail Center and will feature a pair of intrasquad matches on May 27-28 before the final list is named for the 2022 IIHF U18 World Championship, June 6-13 in Madison and Middleton, Wisconsin.
The list – 24 strikers, 12 defense and four goalkeepers – will be divided into two teams for skill sessions on the ice, training and games within the team. With the last two editions of the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship canceled, this will be the first time Canada’s best ladies U18 players will be able to test their skills and compete in this short-term international competition since January 2020.
“This is an exciting time for this group of dedicated athletes, who have been waiting for over two years for a chance to compete on the international stage,” said Gina Kingsbury (Rouyn-Noranda, Que.), head of hockey operations with Hockey Canada. “Our athletes and all the staff involved in our program have been looking forward to this opportunity. We had a short window last summer where we could gather to train, compete and play a few matches in a competitive environment. With the World Cup around the corner we will maximize our time together on the ice and put our work off the ice into practice, with the goal of representing Canada and competing for a gold medal. ”
Canada is in Group A with Finland, Sweden and the USA. Group B consists of the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia and Switzerland. Canada opens the 2022 IIHF U18 World Cup against Finland on 6 June. Canada will also face Sweden on June 7 before its preliminary final against the United States on June 9.
Howie Draper (Edmonton, Alta./University of Alberta, CW), who led Canada to gold and silver at the 2019 and 2020 IIHF U18 World Championships for women, returns for its fourth year behind the bench. He will be accompanied by assistants Vicky Sunohara (Scarborough, Ont./University of Toronto, OUA) and Tara Watchorn (Newcastle, Ont./Stonehill College, NEWHA)and goalkeeping coach Gord Woodhall (Winnipeg, Man./Winnipeg, MFHL) who joined Draper in the medal-winning teams in 2019 and 2020.
Canada’s Under-18 Women’s National Team will try to earn its first gold medal at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship since 2019; it has won five gold medals (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019), seven silver (2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020) and one bronze (2018).
For more information about Hockey Canada and Canada’s national women’s team under 18, visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow via social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.