Maddi Wheeler scored in overtime as Canada defeated the United States 3-2 to win its fifth Under-18 women’s world hockey championship.
Wheeler, from Erinsville, Ontario, drove hard to the net and jammed home her own rebound just 94 seconds into overtime, giving Canada its first world title since 2014. Saskatoon product Grace Shirley is a member of the Canadian team…an alternate captain and forward. The leading scorer in the Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League with the Saskatoon Stars will arrive home Tuesday morning at 10:50 a.m. on an Air Canada flight. Following is the news release from Hockey Canada…
January 13, 2019
NR.004.19
CANADA WINS GOLD AT 2019 IIHF U18 WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Maddi Wheeler scores overtime winner to give Canada a fifth world title
OBIHIRO, Japan – For the first time in five years, Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team has won gold at the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship, defeating the United States 3-2 in overtime on Sunday in Obihiro.
Maddi Wheeler (Erinsville, Ont./Nepean, PWHL) drove hard to the net and jammed home her own rebound just 1:34 into overtime, giving Canada its fifth world title and first since 2014.
“I picked the puck up in the neutral zone, Coopsy [Kendall Cooper] passed it off to me. We were on a 4-on-3 power play so I had some space,” said Wheeler. “I drove wide and picked up my own rebound. We had a good net drive, so it was wide open.”
Canada jumped out to an early lead just under eight minutes in when Danielle Serdachny (Edmonton/Pursuit of Excellence, CSSHL) picked up the rebound of an Alexie Guay (Magog, Que./North American Hockey Academy, JWHL) shot from the point. Julia Gosling (London, Ont./London, PWHL) also recorded an assist on the goal.
The United States tied the game late in the second period before taking a 2-1 lead just over six minutes into the third. Anne Cherkowski (Vernon, B.C./Pursuit of Excellence, CSSHL) evened the score at 2-2 with less than nine minutes remaining after being set up by Gosling and Serdachny.
“We are incredibly proud of our team’s effort and our athletes’ ability to overcome adversity when we found ourselves trailing in the game,” said head coach Howie Draper (Edmonton/University of Alberta, CW). “It’s a great feeling to win a world championship and bring a gold medal back to Canada, and I couldn’t be more proud of our athletes and staff for this amazing accomplishment.”
Goaltender Raygan Kirk (Ste. Anne, Man./Eastman, MFMHL) finished with 25 saves in the win and earned tournament Most Valuable Player honours.
Following the gold medal game, the IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship awards recipients were announced. Guay was named Top Defenceman and earned a spot on the all-star team, while Gosling, Serdachny and Kendall Cooper (Burlington, Ont./Stoney Creek, PWHL) were named the top three players for Canada.
Player flight arrival information for Monday, Jan. 14 – all times local:
Saskatoon
AC 8580 – 10:50 a.m. (Jan. 15) – Grace Shirley
