Maggie Connors (St. John’s, N.L./Shattuck-St. Mary’s, USHS) tangles with a Canada Red team player during an intrasquad game at the U18 showcase. She made the cut for the team that will compete in a three-game series against the U.S. (Photo courtesy of Hockey Canada)

It may be the off-season, but old rivalries never sit idle as the Canadian women’s under-18 team prepare for a three-game series against the U.S. 

The 24-member Canadian squad was chosen after an eight-day selection camp that saw 43 players skate in Calgary in intrasquad games (Red and Black) and against the Russian national team.

“We want to congratulate all 42 players who took part in the selection camp, and thank our staff for a phenomenal week. As we expected, these young women showed up ready to work hard both on and off the ice, and they made our decision very difficult,” said Delaney Collins, head coach of Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team. “Congratulations to the 24 players who were selected to play in Lake Placid; you’ve earned this opportunity, and we’re excited to work with you and continue to see you develop over this upcoming series.”

Team Black won all three of their games (two against Red and one against Russia) with Sarah Fillier (Georgetown, Ont./Oakville, PWHL) leading the team in scoring two goals and two assists. 

Five of the players took part in the 2016 three-game summer series against the U.S. (Fillier, Mackenna Parker/Saskatchewan, Willow Slobodzian/Saskatchewan, Audrey-Anne Veillette/Quebec and Courtney Vorster/British Columbia). Four players (Fillier, Brooke McQuigge/Ontario, Veillette and Vorster) earned silver, after losing 3-1 to the U.S. at the 2017 IIHF U28 Women’s World Championship last January in the Czech Republic. 

Fillier also helped Team Ontario Red win gold after defeating Quebec 4-1 at the 2016 National Women’s Under-18 Championship. Veillette and Alexis Guay were on the other side of that win earning a silver medal. Guay, who was also selected for the three-game series against the U.S., was the only goal scorer for Quebec. Vorster also played in the national championships last year lifting Team B.C. to a bronze medal, only the second time the province has won a medal in tournament history.

The team competing in the three-game series has representation from Ontario (12), Saskatchewan (four), Quebec (three), British Columbia (two), Manitoba (one), Newfoundland and Labrador (one) and Alberta (one). 

The U.S. also selected its team this week and their roster consists of seven players who won gold at the world championship. 
Canada will face off against the U.S. at Olympic Centre in Lake Placid, New York on Aug. 17, Aug. 18 and Aug. 20. 

Following the series, Hockey Canada scouts, along with the team’s coaching staff and general manager will continue to evaluate players with their provincial and club teams during the 2017-18 season — including at the 2017 National Women’s Under-18 Championship in Quebec City, Nov. 1-5. They will be looking to select a squad to compete at the 2018 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship in Dmitrov, Russia.