The 2011 Clarkson Cup was contested at the Barrie Molson Centre in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. The four competing teams included three from the Canadian Women's Hockey League and one from the Western Women's Hockey League. All teams played each other in a round robin Thursday March 24 through Saturday March 26, with the top two teams meeting in the final Sunday March 27. In 2010 the tournament consisted of just two semi-finals and a final. A change to the format this year has made the tournament longer.
Qualification
The top four teams from the CWHL competed in a tournament based on seedings. Seeds were determined by standings at end of regular season play. On March 11 and 12, the number 1 seed played against the number 2 seed while the number 3 seed challenged the number 4 seed. The victors competed on March 13 to determine the CWHL champion. The WWHL champion was the lone WWHL team to compete in the Clarkson Cup.
Date Opponent Score AttendanceMarch 11, 2011 Toronto @ Boston Toronto wins 4-2 280March 11, 2011 Brampton @ Montreal Montreal wins 2-1 (shootout) 100March 12, 2011 Toronto @ Boston Toronto wins 3-1 184March 12, 2011 Brampton @ Montreal Montreal wins 4-3 200
Boston Blades is eliminated and cannot participate in the Clarkson Cup Championship. Montreal Stars, Brampton Thunder and Toronto HC participated in the final tournament. The Minnesota Whitecaps of the WWHL complete the four teams.
Rosters
Brampton Thunder GoaltendersNumberCountryPlayerHometown37Kira HurleyToronto, Ontario35Laura HosierSharon, Ontario
DefensemenNumberCountryPlayerHometown43Ashley Pendleton Orton, Ontario34Delaney Collins, Assistant CaptainPilot Mound, Manitoba27Kerri PalmerHolland Landing, Ontario24Amber BowmanOrton, Ontario20Allyson FoxToronto, Ontario17Melanie Rothon Newmarket, Ontario9Molly EngstromGrantsburg, Wisconsin
ForwardsNumberCountryPlayerHometown93Mandy ColePeterborough, Ontario77Brooke BeazerKingston, Ontario71Jennifer Kirk Brampton, Ontario67Lindsay BrownHamilton, Ontario66Andrea IronsideCollingwood, Ontario16Jayna Hefford, captain Kingston, Ontario12Lori DupuisCornwall, Ontario10Gillian Apps, Assistant Captain Unionville, Ontario7Cherie Piper, Assistant Captain Toronto, Ontario4Elysia DesmierOttawa, Ontario2Bree PolciLondon, Ontario
Coaching staff General Manager: Maria Quinto and Jody Katz Head Coach: Peter Crosby Assistant Coach: Phil Bateman Assistant Coach: Kristi Alcorn
Montreal Stars GoaltendersNumberCountryPlayerHometown35Jenny Lavigne Lac au Saumon, Quebec33Kim St-Pierre Châteauguay, Quebec27Valerie CharbonneauSudbury, Ontario
DefensemenNumberCountryPlayerHometown44Nathalie Dery, Assistant CaptainCap Santé, Quebec24Stephanie Denino Saint-Laurent, Quebec19Sharon KellyRiverview, New Brunswick 16Gillian MerrifieldLondon, Ontario8Tawnya DanisPointe-Claire, Quebec4Annie GuayRouyn-Noranda, Quebec
ForwardsNumberCountryPlayerHometown96Sabrina HarbecSaint-Hubert, Quebec86Dominique ThibaultL'Original, Ontario47Emmanuelle BlaisMontreal, Quebec40Sarah VaillancourtSherbrooke, Quebec26Lisa-Marie Breton, CaptainSaint-Zacharie, Quebec25Vanessa DavidsonKirkland, Quebec21Julie ChuFairfield, Connecticut18Donna RingroseCampbell's Bay, Quebec13Caroline Ouellette, Assistant captainMontreal, Quebec12 Emilie LuckPointe-Claire, Quebec11Kelly Sudia, Assistant CaptainPointe-Claire, Quebec10Noemie MarinActon Vale, Quebec
Coaching staff General Manager: Megh Hewings Head Coach:Patrick Rankine Assistant Coach: Philipe Trahan
Minnesota Whitecaps GoaltendersNumberCountryPlayerHometown39Megan Van BeusekomLoretto, Minnesota30Kim HanlonBlaine, Minnesota20Sanya SandahlDuluth, Minnesota
DefensemenNumberCountryPlayerHometown33Rachael DrazanOrono, Minnesota21Allie SanchezSt. Paul, Minnesota12Jenny SchnickelCoon Rapids, Minnesota 7Briana Jentner Akron, Ohio 5Winny Brodt, CaptainRoseville, Minnesota2Chelsey BrodtRoseville, Minnesota
ForwardsNumberCountryPlayerHometown77Amy StechDuluth, Minnesota29Christina LeeMaple Plain, Minnesota 27Maggie FisherSouth St. Paul, Minnesota25Iya Gavrilova Krasnoyarsk, Russia22Megan McCarthyEden Prairie, Minnesota 19Erin Keys St. Paul, Minnesota16Jenny PotterEdina, Minnesota15Allie ThunstromMaplewood, Minnesota 11Krissy Wendell-PohlBrooklyn Park, Minnesota10Brooke White-LancetteBerkeley, California9Gisele MarvinWarroad, Minnesota8Meaghan PezonEden Prairie, Minnesota 6Kelli BlankenshipMiami, Florida2Sammy NixonBlaine, Minnesota
Coaching staff Head Coach: Jack Brodt Assistant Coach: Dwayne Schmidgall Assistant Coach: Jim Minkoff
Toronto GoaltendersNumberCountryPlayerHometown31Allison CubberleyBracebridge, Ontario30Kendra FisherKincardine, Ontario1Sami Jo SmallWinnipeg, Manitoba
DefensemenNumberCountryPlayerHometown25Tessa BonhommeSudbury, Ontario19Britni SmithPort Perry, Ontario18Alexandra HoffmeyerDetroit, Michigan12Martine GarlandToronto, Ontario5Jessica ClermontPort Elgin, Ontario4Michelle BonelloMississauga, Ontario2Haleigh CallisonSmithers, British Columbia
ForwardsNumberCountryPlayerHometown96Kelly ZamoraOshawa, Ontario67Rebecca DaviesToronto, Ontario44Kori CheverieTruro, Nova Scotia27Kristy ZamoraOshawa, Ontario17Jennifer BotterillWinnipeg, Manitoba16Frances McPhailVancouver, British Columbia15Angela Di StasiToronto, Ontario14LaToya Clarke Pickering, Ontario11Melanie MillsPusclinsh, Ontario9Jennifer BrineTruro, Nova Scotia6Meagan AartsWattford, OntarioCarly HaggardPort Alberni, British Columbia
Coaching staff General Manager: Barb Fisher Head coach: Dan Lichterman Assistant coach: Joanne Eustace Assistant coach: Bartley Blair
Tournament In the first games, TorontoStephen Swett, Locals chase Cup dream, http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3043351 , March 24, 2011. and MontrealCBCsports.ca, Montreal opens Clarkson Cup with win, https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/montreal-opens-clarkson-cup-with-win-1.1067000, Match 24,2011. earned victories over Brampton and Minnesota . In the second day, Sarah Vaillancourt scored 3 goals during the game to lead Montreal to a 7-4 victory over Brampton.CBCsports.ca, Montreal beats Brampton at Clarkson Cup, https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/montreal-beats-brampton-at-clarkson-cup-1.1004718 In another match, Sami Jo Small celebrated her 35th birthday by stopping 40 shots to lead Toronto to a 6-0 win over Minnesota.Globe and Mail, Small comes up big at Clarkson Cup, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/small-comes-up-big-at-clarkson-cup/article1957695/ The Championships tournament ran over the weekend. Saturday, Montreal scored a crucial victory 2-1 against Toronto.TSN, Kirk's powers Brampton past Minnesota at Clarkson Cup, https://www.tsn.ca/canadian_hockey/story/?id=359637 This win guaranteed Montreal a place in the Clarkson Cup final on Sunday against Toronto, who also recorded two victories in the tournament.
Date Time Teams Final score Attendance March 24 12:00 noon Toronto vs Brampton Toronto 3-2 100 March 24 6:00 pm Minnesota vs Montreal Montreal 5-1 240 March 25 12:00 noon Minnesota vs Toronto Toronto 6-0 300 March 25 7:00 pm Brampton vs Montreal Montreal 7-4 1,000 March 26 11:00 am Minnesota vs Brampton Brampton 7-2 500 March 26 3:00 pm Toronto vs Montreal Montreal 2-1 1,000 March 27 1:00 pm Championship Final game Montreal 5-0 2,300
Championship game The final game on March 27 concluded with Montreal defeating Toronto 5–0. Montreal had a 2–0 lead in the first period, The first goal was scored by Noémie Marin on a backhand from her off wing at 14:47 as she converted a pass from Caroline Ouellette. The second goal was scored at 7:29 minute from a face off in the Toronto end as Dominique Thibault took the draw and Vanessa Davidson skated off the boards, picked up the puck and put a quick shot behind goaltender Sami Jo Small. The lone goal of the second period was scored at 10:36 by Sabrina Harbec on a nice outside drive cutting by Annie Guay. Sabrina Harbec pulled 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 Stars.
Montreal added two more goals in the third period to win 5–0.Stephen Sweet, Montreal takes Clarkson Cup in style: 5-0 win over Toronto paves way to title, http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3046897 At the 5:33 minute, Julie Chu feathered a pass to Caroline Ouellette, who made a perfect low shot to score. The final goal of the game was scored with 2:42 left as Sarah Vaillancourt picked up a pass from Caroline Ouellette and she hit the mark on a quick shot from about five feet out. Toronto goalie Sami Jo Small played well in defeatGlobe and Mail, Montreal beats Toronto to win Clarkson Cup, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/montreal-beats-toronto-to-win-clarkson-cup/article1958614/ 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 savesCBCsport.ca, St-Pierre backstops Montreal to Clarkson Cup title, https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/st-pierre-backstops-montreal-to-clarkson-cup-title-1.1003318 to earn the shutout and ultimately crown Montreal Stars the Clarkson Cup Champions 2011.Globe and Mail, Montreal hopes Clarkson Cup win promotes women's hockey league, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/montreal-hopes-clarkson-cup-win-promotes-womens-hockey-league/article574190/
The Three Stars of the Game: First Star - Dominique Thibault, Montreal. Second Star - Vanessa Davidson, Montreal. Third Start - Jennifer Botterill, Toronto.
Playoff records Games won Games lost Montreal 4 0 Toronto 2 2 Brampton 1 2 Minnesota 0 3
Awards and honours Award WinnerTop goaltender in the tournament Player of the Game, Winning team, Clarkson Cup Final Dominique Thibault Player of the Game, Losing team, Clarkson Cup Final Jennifer Botterill Tournament Most Valuable Player Sarah Vaillancourt Top forward in the tournament Top defender in the tournament
See also Clarkson Cup 2010 Clarkson Cup
References