Gold medal shine hasn’t worn off for Saskatchewan Women’s World U18 Hockey champs

Going into a golden medal tilt with their archrivals successful the United States connected Sunday, Team Canada sniper Stryker Zablocki knew a full-out effort was the lone mode to onshore connected apical of the podium.

At the extremity of 60 minutes, she and the remainder of her teammates mobbed goaltender Marilou Grenier celebrating a IIHF Women’s World U18 Hockey Championship victory.

“It was surreal,” said Zablocki. “It was everything that we dreamed of since we were small girls. Knowing that we were satellite champions conscionable felt truthful amazing.”

It was fitting that Prince Albert’s Zablocki would beryllium the 1 to seal a golden medal for Team Canada arsenic portion of the 3-0 shutout victory, punctuating the team’s champion crippled of the tourney with a empty-net extremity with 1:37 near successful the 3rd period.

“I conscionable benignant of blocked a shot,” said Zablocki. “I got a breakaway and skated each the mode down to the net. It was conscionable a suspiration of alleviation knowing that the crippled was beauteous overmuch successful our hands now.”

Sunday’s triumph implicit the United States gave Canada saccharine redemption successful Vantaa, Finland, aft finishing with a bronze medal the twelvemonth prior.

University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey goaltending manager Sheldon Goertzen watched connected arsenic Zablocki buried the dagger and said it was that infinitesimal the golden medal became existent for him.

“When that 3rd extremity went successful you could consciousness the emotions commencement to truly stir,” said Goertzen, who served arsenic Canada’s goaltending manager for the tournament. “Once you heard that buzzer, it was unbelievable. It was conscionable a flush of emotion, excitement and cheering.”

For Zablocki, who led the Regina AAA Rebels to the program’s archetypal Esso Cup rubric past April arsenic tourney MVP, it was a breakout World Championships for the Northeastern University commit.

Through six games she led each skaters with 8 goals and 12 points, being named a tourney all-star successful the process.

“I deliberation past twelvemonth I was beauteous tense going into it,” said Zablocki. “This year, knowing that I’ve played connected the planetary signifier already, I had a small much confidence. I was acceptable up with immoderate beauteous bully linemates who helped maine retired and it conscionable came on the way.”

Team Canada earned golden with a ample Saskatchewan contingent, arsenic Zablocki and Goertzen were joined by a brace of Saskatoon products successful guardant Alida Korte and goaltender Ava Drabyk.

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Korte, who is U18 teammates with Drabyk astatine RINK Hockey Academy successful Kelowna, got into a brace of games for Team Canada successful Finland registering 1 assist.

“I’ve played with Ava and Stryker for truthful long,” said Korte. “So to beryllium capable to bash it with them and bring it backmost present is truly cool.”

As for Drabyk, the erstwhile Saskatoon AAA Stars netminder didn’t spot immoderate crippled enactment arsenic she was the designated 3rd goaltender for the tournament.

Despite not hitting the ice, she said it was the astir peculiar clip of her hockey vocation and celebrated the way with her Saskatchewan teammates which has led to gold.

“Just knowing that we’ve each been unneurotic for this agelong and knowing each other’s journeys and however hard we’ve each worked to get to wherever we are now,” said Drabyk. “It’s conscionable adjacent much special.”

“I anticipation different girls and players from Saskatchewan look up to that and deliberation that they tin bash it too.”

All 3 are committed to NCAA Division I programs adjacent year, with Korte slated to be Ohio State University and Drabyk heading disconnected to Syracuse University.

For Zablocki, who is backmost successful North America successful New York State with the Bishop Kearney Selects program, it was a week successful Finland which she’ll instrumentality pridefulness successful for the remainder of her career.

“Being capable to correspond not lone my state but besides my state is specified an astonishing feeling,” said Zablocki. “Having each my friends and Sheldon determination arsenic good with me, it conscionable felt truthful large knowing that we’re representing Saskatchewan and doing the champion we tin for the province.”