Ohio State's Jennifer Gardiner, right, celebrates with teammates Teagan Grant (5) and Hadley Hartmetz (6) after scoring during the second period of an NCAA college women's Frozen Four semifinal hockey game against Yale Friday, March 18, 2022, in State College, Pa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP -Gary M. Baranec
CALGARY – Three players will make their debuts with the Canadian senior women’s hockey team when the fifth instalment of the Rivalry Series continues next month with two games in Ontario.
Hockey Canada has included forwards Jennifer Gardiner and Anne Cherkowski and defender Nicole Gosling on its roster for games against the United States on Dec. 14 in Kitchener and Dec. 16 in Sarnia.
Gardiner, from Surrey, B.C., has nine goals and 11 assists in 14 games this season as a graduate student with Ohio State. She was a top-10 finalist last season for the Patty Kazmaier award – given to the top NCAA women’s hockey player – after piling up 57 points (21 goals, 36 assists) in 41 games.
Cherkowski, from Coldstream, B.C., has nine goals and eight assists in 18 games so far in her senior year with the NCAA’s Clarkson Golden Knights. She had 52 points (23 goals, 29 assists) in 40 games with Clarkson as a junior.
Gosling, also a senior at Clarkson, has seven goals and 11 assists in 18 games this season. The native of London, Ont., is just one goal off her career high of eight, set in her sophomore season.
Seventeen of the 23 players named to Canada’s roster played in the first two games of this year’s Rivalry Series, including captain Marie-Philip Poulin.
Canada dropped the two opening games of this season’s Rivalry Series earlier this month in Tempe, Ariz., and Los Angeles, dropping its overall record to 11-12.
Canada:
Goal – Kristen Campbell, Brandon, Man., Toronto (PWHL); Ann-Renée Desbiens, Clermont, Que., Montréal (PWHL); Emerance Maschmeyer, Bruderheim, Alta., Ottawa.
Defence – Ashton Bell, Deloraine, Man., Ottawa (PWHL); Jaime Bourbonnais, Mississauga, Ont., New York (PWHL); Renata Fast, Burlington, Ont., Toronto (PWHL); Nicole Gosling, London, Ont., Clarkson University (ECAC); Sophie Jaques, Toronto, Boston (PWHL); Jocelyne Larocque, Ste. Anne, Man., Toronto (PWHL); Ella Shelton, Ingersoll, Ont., New York (PWHL).
Forward – Anne Cherkowski, Coldstream, B.C., Clarkson University (ECAC); Emily Clark, Saskatoon, Ottawa (PWHL); Loren Gabel, Kitchener, Ont., Boston (PWHL); Jennifer Gardiner, Surrey, B.C., Ohio State University (WCHA); Julia Gosling, London, Ont., St. Lawrence University (ECAC); Brianne Jenner, Oakville, Ont., Ottawa (PWHL); Emma Maltais, Burlington, Ont., Toronto (PWHL); Sarah Nurse, Hamilton, Toronto (PWHL); Kristin O’Neill, Oakville, Ont., Montréal (PWHL); Marie-Philip Poulin, Beauceville, Que., Montréal (PWHL); Danielle Serdachny, Edmonton, Colgate University (ECAC); Laura Stacey, Kleinburg, Ont., Montréal (PWHL); Blayre Turnbull, Stellarton, N.S., Toronto (PWHL).
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2023.
