Stoney Creek Showcase Standouts
This past weekend the Stoney Creek Sabres held a University Showcase bringing in talent from all across North America and I had the pleasure of catching some of the action on day one, so here are some of my biggest standouts from the Showcase:
Starting things off is forward Taylor Morrison from the Little Caesars 19U Team, who was a strong playmaker with high IQ, setting up plays in front of the net and thinking on her feet. Morrison has committed to play for Union College in NCAA Division 1 Hockey, joining the ECAC.
Also from the Little Caesars 19U Team, was goaltender Lily MacLeish who remained strong under pressure as time counted down and the Dolphins made a major push on offense, to hold onto the shutout to get the team’s first win in the tournament, against the U22 Elite reigning champions, the Etobicoke Dolphins who have one of the strongest offences with more than 80% of their current roster committed to play in the NCAA.
That leads into the standouts from the Dolphins on Day 1, with forward Adison White showing up in the transition game, being a critical part of sparking an offensive push. White has already committed to the Princeton Tigers as part of the ‘32 class. And is in good company in that transition with Claire Thompson (one of the PWHL’s top defenders) playing with Etobicoke in her junior career before heading to Princeton where she played under Cara Garnder Morey who is now the Head Coach of the Vancouver Goldeneyes.
While in net Maija St-Pierre continued to hold it down and keep games close despite falling 2-0 on Day 1 the Dolphins were able to bounce back and punch their ticket to the bronze medal game, where they were able to continue their momentum and become the Stoney Creek Showcase Bronze Champions. St-Pierre has already committed to the St. Thomas Huskies in the WCHA, which is the top women’s division in the NCAA, the division had over 80 former players in the PWHL last season. Playing against top ranked teams like Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio State constantly are going to strengthen St-Pierre’s presence in net as she continues on her path to the pros.
From the Delta Hockey Academy it was forward Halle White who stood out as a feisty player on the ice. White joined the Academy from the Calgary Fire Red U18 AAA team where she had 3 goals and 8 assists. If you’re looking for a PWHL comparison think of hard-working and gritty players like Cayla Barnes.
From the Oakville Hornets it was defender Gulianna Kalpakis who had a strong physical presence on the ice, and was not afraid to get in there. Showcasing a gritty physical presence on the ice, making an impact on the boards and battles for possession, forcing turnovers.
Tournament Champions:
Gold - Stoney Creek Sabres
Silver - John Abbott Islanders
Bronze - Etobicoke Dolphins
Brass - Whitby Wolves
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