The 2010–11 CWHL season is the fourth in the history of the Canadian Women's Hockey League. For the season, the league will run on a budget of $500,000 and players will pay for their own equipment.[1]
August 12: The CWHL announced that the city of Boston would receive an expansion team. The unnamed team will practice at Ristuccia Arena in Wilmington.[3]
September 11: The Etienne-Desmarteau Arena in Rosemont, Québec, named one of the rinks in the arena in Caroline Ouellette's honour.[4]
September 17: Former New Hampshire goaltender Erin Whitten was named head coach of the Boston expansion franchise.[5]
News and notes[]
Montreal CWHL autograph session
Nov. 20-21: Montreal swept Brampton in a 2-game series. The battle between the top two teams in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League resulted in Montreal remaining undefeated. The November 20th game involved a pre-game salute. Montreal recognized Angela James, the Head Coach of Brampton for her historic induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and held a minute of silence for the passing of Pat Burns at the Étienne Desmarteau Arena.[6]
December 19: The Blades came from behind to defeat Montreal. In doing so, they broke up Montreal’s bid for an undefeated season. Boston goalie Mandy Cronin stopped 74 shots to lead Boston to victory. Montreal had an early 2-0 lead. In the 2nd period, Blades player Sam Faber scored on an assist by Jess Koizumi. In the third period, Koizumi would tie the game. With 3:24 to play in the game, Angela Ruggiero scored the game winning goal. She was assisted by Sam Faber and Haley Moore.[7]
January 16: Gillian Apps scored her seventh goal of the season 2:42 into overtime as Brampton defeated the Boston Blades by a 4-3 tally. The win was the fifth in a row for Brampton who are now 11-6 on the season. The five game win streak is currently the best in the league. Brampton has yet to lose a game in 2011. In addition, they have outscored their opponents 23-9 during the streak.[8]
January 18, 2011: The Brampton Thunder competed against the Montreal Stars at the Invista Centre in Kingston, Ontario. This is team captain Jayna Hefford’s hometown and she scored a goal in front of her closest friends, family and fans. In addition, her number 15 was raised to the rafters of the Invista Centre on behalf of the Kingston Area Minor Hockey Association. As of 2012, no sweaters bearing Hefford’s number will be used in Kingston Minor Hockey.[9]
January 29: Montreal raised awareness and funds for the Fondation du cancer du sein du Québec (FCSQ). The game featured the Montreal club in pink at Centre Etienne Desmarteau versus the Boston Blades. Montreal prevailed by a 3-0 score (goals scored by: Stephanie Denino, Sarah Vaillancourt and Tawnya Davis[10]). 800 persons came to support the cause.
February 12: Brampton topped Boston for tenth straight victory,[11] Montreal and Toronto win one game each.[12]
February 19: at the Mastercard Centre, Toronto faced off against Montreal for a special event for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. There were over 500 people in attendance and many fun events for all those involved.[13]
February 27: For their last match of the regular season, Montreal ended up on the winning side, defeating Boston 4–1 solidifying their hold on first place in the league.[14]
Board of Directors[]
January 25: The CWHL announced its Board of Directors for the upcoming season.[15]
February 19, 2011: The Toronto Furies wore special blue and green jerseys in a match with the Montreal Stars. The game was held as a fundraising event put on for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
Brampton travelled to Montreal[20] and Toronto went to Boston for the first round of the playoffs. Montreal and Toronto won each of their matches against their opponents to participate in the Clarkson Cup Championship.
March 27: The final game concluded with the Montreal team defeating Toronto 5–0.[22] Montreal got off to a 2–0 lead in the first period with the first goal scored by Noemie Marin on a backhand shot as she converted a pass from Caroline Ouellette and the second goal scored off a face off in the Toronto end when Dominique Thibault took the draw and Vanessa Davidson put a shot behind goaltender Sami Jo Small. The lone goal of the second period was scored by Sabrina Harbec on an outside drive cutting by Annie Guay. Harbec drew the goalie across the crease and put the puck in the top corner. The shots at the end of the second period were 34 to 17 in favour of the Montreal.
Montreal added two more goals in the third period to win 5–0. At 5:33, Julie Chu passed to Caroline Ouellette and made a low shot for a goal. The final goal of the game was scored with 2:42 left as Sarah Vaillancourt picked up a pass from Ouellette and scored from about five feet out. Toronto goalie Sami Jo Small played well in defeat[23] as Montreal controlled the game outshooting Toronto 51 to 26. Toronto did threaten offensively early in the game and could have turned the contest around but Montreal goalie, Kim St-Pierre, came up with exceptional saves[24] to earn the shutout and ultimately crown Montreal Stars as the 2011 Clarkson Cup Champions.
↑Angela James Bowl Scoring Champions, p. 24, hockeyMedia Richard Scott, Up North Productions, 2013, Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.ISBN978-0-9918671-0-3
