The 2023 PWHPA OHL Showcase was a tremendous success, putting the top women’s hockey talent in the world on display in OHL venues. Nearly 14,000 fans took in the weekend’s action, with viewers also tuning in across the province on both YourTV and Rogers tv broadcasts carried on the Rogers Super Sports Pak.
Here’s a run-down of the weekend’s action, with an overview of each game:
Feb. 11 – Team Scotiabank 4, Team Sonnet 1 – Kitchener, ON
Despite being outshot by a considerable margin, Team Scotiabank prevailed thanks to the fine goaltending of Kristen Campbell (Brandon, Man.) who turned in 36 saves in a 4-1 victory.
Blayre Turnbull (Stellarton, NS) scored twice, netting one shorthanded to earn Player of the Game honours for Team Scotiabank while other markers came off the sticks Victoria Bach (Milton, Ont.) and Ella Shelton (Ingersoll, Ont.). Hannah Brandt (Vadnais Heights, Minn.) was the lone goal-scorer for Team Sonnet.
Team Scotiabank sees its record improve to 6-7-0 on the Secret Dream Gap Tour while Team Sonnet falls to 2-9-2.
A crowd of 3,409 was on hand at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on Saturday night, resulting in an overall attendance of 13,996 for the four-game PWHPA OHL Showcase weekend.
Game Summary at pwhpa.com
A win in the bank for @scotiabank to close out the @OHLHockey Showcase! #SDGT | 📸 Tiffany Luke pic.twitter.com/sTz54G6l6n
— PWHPA (@PWHPA) February 12, 2023
Four great games! Thanks to the 14,000 fans who came out to see @PWHPA #OHL Showcase matchups in Kitchener, Barrie, Peterborough and Niagara! #SDGT pic.twitter.com/byDZvnHvRG
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) February 12, 2023
Feb. 11 – Team adidas 2, Team Harvey’s 1 (OT) – Barrie, ON
Amanda Kessel (Madison, Wisc.) set up Meaghan Mikkelson (St. Albert, Alta.) in the slot with just over a minute left in overtime as Team adidas took a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Team Harvey’s at Sadlon Arena, the home of the Barrie Colts.
Kristin O’Neill (Oakville, Ont.) opened the scoring for Team adidas before Hayley Scamurra (Williamsville, NY) knotted the score at one on the power play late in the second period.
Hometown product Jessie Eldridge (Barrie, Ont.) had the game on her stick in overtime but was turned away on a breakaway chance by Team adidas netminder Aerin Frankel (Chappaqua, NY), setting the stage for Mikkelson’s game winner.
The game was played before a crowd of 2,806 on Saturday afternoon in Barrie.
Team adidas improves to an overall record of 7-5-0-1 in the Secret Dream Gap Tour while Team Harvey’s drops to 11-1-1.
Game Summary at pwhpa.com
What a game! @adidashockey takes it in OT#SDGT pic.twitter.com/j0SLPJZojO
— PWHPA (@PWHPA) February 11, 2023
WHAT A FINISH IN BARRIE! 🤯
Amanda Kessel sets up Meaghan Mikkelson in overtime to give Team Adidas the 2-1 victory against Team Harvey’s in the @PWHPA #OHL Showcase! #SDGT pic.twitter.com/PI99tacQv4
— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) February 11, 2023
Feb. 10 – Team adidas 4, Team Sonnet 0 – St. Catharines, ON
Maddie Rooney (Andover, Minn.) stopped all 25 shots sent her way as Team adidas threw a blanket over Team Sonnet in a 4-0 shutout victory. The winners stormed out to a 3-0 lead after one period, riding that momentum to victory.
First star of the game Kayla Vespa (Hamilton, Ont.) and Kristin O’Neill (Oakville, Ont.) each had a goal and an assist in the win while Laura Stacey (Kleinburg, Ont.) picked up a pair of helpers. Amanda Kessel (Madison, Wisc.) and Kaitlin Willoughby (Prince Albert, Sask.) also tacked on goals for Team adidas.
A PWHPA record crowd of 4,301 was on hand to take in the game at the Meridian Centre, home of the Niagara IceDogs.
Game Summary at pwhpa.com
Rooney and @adidashockey shut out @SonnetInsurance and get the W#SDGT | @OHLIceDogs pic.twitter.com/zJ3nnQy5Xy
— PWHPA (@PWHPA) February 11, 2023
4,301 fans, a #PWHPA record! Thank you, St. Catharines!#SDGT | @OHLIceDogs pic.twitter.com/7uV36Pww3r
— PWHPA (@PWHPA) February 11, 2023
Feb. 10 – Team Harvey’s 5, Team Scotiabank 2 – Peterborough, ON
Jessie Eldridge (Barrie, Ont.) scored twice and added an assist to lead Team Harvey’s to victory at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Friday morning. Hamilton Bulldogs assistant coach Laura Fortino (Hamilton, Ont.) also had a part in the win, scoring once and also adding an assist.
Team Harvey’s racked up 44 shots in the win as Team Scotiabank netminder Amanda Makela (Thunder Bay, Ont.) turned aside 39 shots. Ann-Renée Desbiens (La Malbaie, Que.) stopped 20 of 22 in the win for Team Harvey’s.
The game was played before a crowd of 3,480 at the PMC, with a large number of students in attendance.
Game Summary at pwhpa.com
That’s all she wrote for game 1 of the weekend!
Team @HarveysCanada takes a 5-2 win vs. Team @scotiabank! #SDGT pic.twitter.com/ypy95CMOTu
— PWHPA (@PWHPA) February 10, 2023
Great crowd for the @PWHPA in #peterborough as part of the @OHLHockey showcase weekend! Thanks to the @PetesOHLhockey for hosting the us today! #sdgt pic.twitter.com/ZHqHrEPVM7
— Jayna Hefford (@J16H) February 10, 2023
