Led by tournament leading scorers Berlin Lolacher and Stryker Zablocki, the Regina Rebels captured their first Canadian Women鈥檚 U18 Club Hockey championship in Vernon Saturday, April 27.
Lolacher equaled a tournament record with her 10th goal at 12:56 of the second period to snap a scoreless tie, and Stryker would strike with her 11th tournament point 2:07 later for the eventual game-winner, as the Rebels edged the North York Storm of Ontario 2-1 in the gold-medal match at Kal Tire Place.
Regina鈥檚 victory is the first by a Saskatchewan team since the Weyburn Red Wings won the title 10 years ago in 2014.
Congratulations to the 2024 champions, the ! 馃弳
鈥� Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada)
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The upstart Storm 鈥� who defeated the top-seeded Edmonton Junior Oilers 4-1 in a semifinal Friday 鈥� made things interesting when Lily Paisley scored a powerplay goal at 13:37 of the final frame, but North York could not get the equalizer past Rebels goalie Hannah Tresek.
Jamie Sanford gave North York a chance at gold with a 47-save performance in net while Tresek finished with 26 saves.
Regina, seeded second after the round-robin, advanced to the championship with a 4-1 victory over the third-seeded host Thompson Okanagan Lakers Friday.
Lolacher, with a goal 36 seconds after the national anthem, Ashley Breitkreutz, and Rayla Hennie, on a powerplay, staked the Rebels to a 3-0 lead after the first period.
Zablocki added the fourth goal midway through 40 minutes.
琉璃神社鈥檚 Emma Deleurme spoiled Hannah Tresek鈥檚 bid for a shutout with a powerplay marker for the Lakers at 3:48 of the third period. The goal was set up by Melani Brooks of Montrose (near Trail) and Felicia Girardo of Fruitvale.
Tresek made 24 saves while 琉璃神社鈥檚 Reese Sliskovic finished with 34 stops for Thompson Okanagan.
The Lakers fell 1-0 in overtime to Edmonton in the bronze-medal game Saturday.
Layla Matthew beat Sliskovic for an unassisted goal at 4:18 of overtime for the game鈥檚 lone goal.
鈥淭he girls fought hard and showcased their talent and class throughout the tournament,鈥� said provincial body BC Hockey of the Lakers鈥� efforts at the Esso Cup.
Vernon鈥檚 Lily Roberts of the Lakers was the recipient of an Esso Cup Scholarship.
