MARKHAM, Ont -- Catherine Ward, a McGill University graduate now patrolling the blueline for the Montreal Stars was named tournament MVP but it was a bittersweet day as the Stars fell 5-2 to the Boston Blades in the Canadian Women's Hockey League's Clarkson Cup final, Saturday.

Kelley Steadman tallied a hat-trick and and Jen Schoullis added two power-play goals for the winning side. The Blades scored all five goals with the man-advantage and successfully killed off seven power plays, including a late 5-on-3 when Boston was clinging to a one-goal lead.

Meghan Agosta-Marciano and Dominique Thibault replied for Montreal, which outshot the Blades 42-33.

Stars goaltender Charline Labonté, who played the previous five seasons for the McGill Martlets, took the loss. It was the first time that Labonté allowed a goal in the four-day tournament.

Joining Ward on the tournament all-star team was Boston netminder Genevieve Lacasse and teammate Gigi Marvin on defence, plus Sarah Vaillancourt and Irwin of Montreal and Kate Buesser of Boston as the forwards.

Ward, a 26-year-old native of Town of Mt. Royal, Que., was named earlier in the week as the CWHL's most outstanding rearguard. The Canadian Olympic gold medallist graduated from McGill in 2009 as the all-time top-scoring defenceman in school history with a 35-103-138 record in 108 games over three seasons but each of those milestones were surpassed last year by Cathy Chartrand, who posted a 80-178-258 record in 180 games overall.

Ward was a three time CIS All-Canadian with the Martlets and in 2009 was named Tournament MVP at the CIS championships, leading McGill to CIS gold.


SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman
McGill Sports Info Office
514-398-7012