Winning gold at the Canada Winter Games was too good to be true for St. Albert Slash forwards Melissa Kueber and Jessica Kampjes.
"Coming home with the gold, you can't ask for anything better than that," said Kueber, the Slash captain and second-leading scorer on U18 Alberta at the games in Halifax, N.S.
It was an emotional triumph, when Alberta edged Ontario 3-2 in the final last Saturday.
"Some were crying. Some were yelling. It was crazy. The atmosphere was unbelievable," Kampjes said. "Even when we came back to Alberta the reception we received was amazing. It was a great accomplishment for everybody."
Alberta also beat Ontario 4-1 in pool A round robin action.
"When we beat Ontario the first time it was huge for the whole team, coaches and for everybody in Alberta because this hasn't been done in 20 years," Kampjes said. "The final was just another hill we had to go over to win gold and it was an amazing feeling for everybody that we achieved it."
It was 3-0 Alberta on two goals by Bryanne Panchuk and a single by Brittany Fouracres of Airdrie, when Ontario got on the scoreboard early in the third and late in that period.
"It really helped our team to have confidence going into the final game that we can beat them," said Kueber, who assisted on both Panchuk goals. "We all believed in the coaches' philosophy. We all gave it our all. That was our last game and we all put it on the line and played every shift like it was our last."
It was the first gold medal by the female provincial team at the games since 1991.
"If you watched the game on TSN, all they talked about was Ontario and how they are all all-stars and how we're really a bunch of nobodies and just a bunch of Albertans," said Kueber, one of three assistant captains in the provincial line-up.
Alberta finished the round robin at 4-0, then shut out Prince Edward Island 12-0 in the placement round and downed Saskatchewan 6-2 in the semifinals.
"Ontario was the big team to beat, since they won four gold medals in all of the Canada Winter Games," Kampjes said. "It really demonstrates the hockey we have here is just as good as their hockey is."
In tournament scoring, Kueber finished seventh overall with 12 points on six goals and six assists in seven games.
"It was good but I couldn't have done it without linemates," said the Grade 12 Paul Kane High School student.
Kampjes, 16, added two goals and five assists.
The Slash duo played occasionally on the same line patrolling the wings.
They were among seven skaters from the Alberta Major Midget Female Hockey League on the 20-player roster.
"We knew the girls but we didn't know them that well before we went there. That's where we bonded like sisters," said Kampjes, the 2010 tournament MVP and first-team all-star forward at the Mac's tournament for the Slash championship winners.
Kueber, 17, was honoured to play in such select company.
"It was a great experience representing Alberta and meeting all those different athletes from all over Canada," said one of several third-year Slash players in team history and the overall top career scorer. "Not everyone gets the opportunity to go represent Alberta and go into these games. Only 20 people do and to be part of that is an amazing feeling. Words can't even describe how amazing the experience was and how much fun it was. I made 20 new best friends."
League playoffs
Meanwhile, the league playoffs resumed Thursday as the puck dropped between the Slash and Edmonton Thunder at Bill Hunter Arena in the best-of-five north division final.
Special teams were the difference in the 4-1 Thunder win. The 2010 league champions and Esso Cup national bronze medallists as the Pacific reps struck twice on the power play and added a short-handed marker. It was 3-1 Thunder after the first period and there was no scoring in the second. Karly Heffernan scored for the Slash on the power play. Kueber and Krystal Reithmeyer drew assists. Shots were 27-19 for the Thunder. In the Slash net was Emily Mitchell.
Game two goes Sunday at 2 p.m. at Performance Arena. Game three is Wednesday at 8:45 p.m. at Castledowns Arena.
If needed, game four is March 12 at 4:45 p.m. at Performance and game five is March 13 at 2 p.m. at Castledowns.
In the north standings, the Thunder (27-0-5) finished first and the Slash (23-6-3) placed second.
"They're large and very big, and we just need to be strong," Kampjes said on the eve of the series. "We have to believe that we can do it."
After the teams tied 2-2 in October, the Thunder won the next three games 5-2, 3-1 and 6-4.
"Every time we play them we've had a great start. We just have to keep our momentum throughout the whole game," said Kampjes, a Grade 11 Sturgeon Composite High School student.
Mentally the Slash have found it a challenge to beat the Thunder.
"We have to go into those games just being confident in ourselves and the person sitting next to us in the dressing room," said Kueber, who will play for the Colgate Raiders next season in the Eastern College Athletic Conference. "During our practices this week we've focused on the little things that will help us be successful in these games."
The Slash are the host team for the April 17 to 23 Esso Cup at Servus Credit Union Place.
"We're excited that we get to play against the best teams in Canada," said Kueber, a two-time Mac's tournament all-star team selection. "There is always going to be some pressure as the host team, but we won't focus on that. We'll focus on the game at hand and go from there."
ICE CHIPS: In league scoring, Kueber, Kampjes and Heffernan finished in a three-way tie for top spot with 47 points apiece. Kueber led all scorers with 31 goals, including seven on the power play, in 24 games. Kampjes ranked second in goals with 26 in 30 games. Heffernan also posted the most assists with 31 in 32 games.
In conjunction with the Esso Cup, a weeklong Girls' Game Hockey Festival will be staged in the Capital region.
Events include an atom/peewee female skills camp run by Olympic gold medallist Carla MacLeod, Team Alberta Challenge zone camps, bantam and midget 3-on-3 challenge, referee development session, specialty skills coaching clinic, goalie experience day, specialty skills goalie camp, novice and atom 3-on-3 challenge, peewee 3-on-3 challenge and a hot stove discussion on female hockey.
In November, Hockey Alberta received a $25,000 grant from RBC's Play Hockey initiative to facilitate the girls' hockey festival. This is the first time Hockey Alberta has offered a female specific festival of events focusing on the Long Term Athlete Development Model.
For more information, visit www.hockeyalberta.ca.
