Women's Hockey | 2/21/2018 12:01:00 AM

 
MONTREAL -- The Canadian women's hockey team will be shooting for their fifth straight Olympic gold medal in South Korea on Wednesday night (11 p.m. Eastern) and so will the storied McGill University Martlets program.
 
One of the youngest members of Team Canada four years ago in Sochi, Russia, forward Mélodie Daoust (B.Ed '17) is back in a leadership role in PyeonChang. Daoust, who wrapped up her stellar university career with the Martlets last winter, is centering the red and white's explosive top line along with fellow Olympic veterans Marie-Philip Poulin and Meghan Agosta. Now 26, the Valleyfield, Que., native is the team's leading scorer with six points (3-3-6) in four games heading into the much-anticipated gold-medal showdown versus the archrival United States.
 
"We're all very proud of Mélodie," says long-time McGill head coach Peter Smith, who himself was part of two Olympic gold medal teams as an assistant coach in Turin, Italy, in 2006 and in Vancouver in 2010. "The beauty of it, in Mélodie's case, is it was a journey. She came to McGill six years ago as a unilingual francophone and was highly-motivated to learn English and get a university degree. Her first year with us wasn't easy but she worked extremely hard on and off the ice, and she's now one of the leaders on Team Canada."
 
The Martlets tradition of excellence on sport's biggest stage dates back to 2002 when, four years after a loss to the USA in the final of the inaugural women's hockey Olympic tournament, Team Canada turned to then 23-year-old Kim St-Pierre (B.Ed '05) as its No. 1 goaltender for the 2002 competition in Salt Lake City.
 
"When Kim was selected to the 2002 Olympic team, I remember thinking 'Boy! We're going to miss her!'," jokes Smith. "To be honest, back in those days, we weren't very good. We built our program around Kim. She was a great leader for us and you could just tell she was going to be a big part of Team Canada."
 
St-Pierre, who starred for the Martlets from 1998 to 2004, had already helped Canada capture three world championships when she made her Olympic debut, claiming top goalie honours at the 2001 Worlds along the way.
 
"I was so excited and proud to make the team in 2002," recalls the native of Châteauguay, Que., who was once again voted best netminder following the Salt Lake City Games and went on to win two more Olympic gold medals, in 2006 and 2010. "Ever since I was a little girl I had dreamed about going to the Olympics. So much work, perseverance and discipline went into our first Olympic triumph. That season, we had lost our eight matches against the United States leading up to the Games, so there was a lot of pressure on us. But thanks in large part to our team spirit, we managed to beat them 3-2 in the gold-medal game on their home turf!"
 
Among her many Olympic memories, St-Pierre fondly remembers sharing the experience with fellow McGill standouts Charline Labonté (B.Ed '12; M.SportsPsych '15) and Catherine Ward (B.Com '09). Labonté was also in Salt Lake City as Team Canada's third goaltender and contributed to the country's next three triumphs, while Ward, was a key part of the Canadian defensive unit in 2010 and 2014.
 
"It was very special to share those moments with Charline and Catherine," said St-Pierre. "As fellow goaltenders, Charline and I had to compete for the starting job, but always did so while maintaining a strong friendship. We pushed each other day after day to become the best goalie possible. As for Catherine, she was simply one of the best defencemen in the world."
 
"Under Peter's mentorship at McGill and on the national team, we developed our skills in a competitive, positive and motivating environment. We had the opportunity to study at one of the world's most prestigious universities while pursuing our athletic dreams."
 
In an interesting twist, Labonté succeeded St-Pierre as the starting goaltender both on the Canadian Olympic team and at McGill, leading the Martlets to three national titles in four years from 2008 to 2011.
 
"I was the youngest player on Team Canada in 2002 and I couldn't believe I was going to the Olympics," says Labonté, who hails from Greenfield Park, Que. "Even though I didn't see any game action in Salt Lake City, it gave me my first taste of the Games and I promised myself I'd be back and that it would be my turn to shine. While every gold medal is special, the 2006 tournament remains a personal highlight because I was the No. 1 goalie, including starting the semifinal and final. My parents and my brother were in Turin to live those amazing moments with me."
 
"It's always nice to be able to share our dreams with close friends, and I got to share my Olympic dreams with Kim, Catherine, and also Mélodie in 2014. Kim and I were competing for playing time but we were very close friends. All of us were always proud to represent Canada and McGill at the same time. For me, McGill was the ultimate package deal to get a world-class education and be part of one of the best hockey programs in the country. I'll always be proud and grateful to be a McGill girl."
 
Labonté is currently giving back to her alma mater as the Martlets goaltender coach and has nothing but praise for her current boss and former head coach.
 
"Peter helped me tremendously and provided me with innumerable opportunities during my five seasons with the Martlets," said Labonté. "The values Peter instilled in us made us better athletes but also better people."
 
Ward played a big role in McGill's first two national championships in 2008 and 2009 and, after graduating, she transferred to Boston University where she obtained a master's degree in business administration. She was a key member of Canada's Olympic triumphs in both 2010 and 2014, where she was arguably the country's top blueliner.
 
"I will never forget the moment Hockey Canada confirmed my selection on the 2010 Olympic team," recalls Ward.  "As I was one of the newest players on the team we were called last. It seemed like we were waiting in the dressing room forever.  It was finally my turn and all I remember them saying is 'congratulations'. I'm not sure it really sunk in at first, but as soon as I got out, I called my family and that's when I realized it was really happening... I was going to the Olympics."
 
"My two Olympic tournaments were both very different and special in their own way. Playing your first Olympics at home, in front of family and friends, is pretty surreal. Sochi was special as the year leading up to the Olympics had not been easy. To see the group rally together and come back the way we did is a huge testimony to the belief everyone had in one another."
 
Like her former McGill and Team Canada teammates, the Town of Mount Royal, Que., product credits her alma mater for her development on and off the ice.
 
"What I will always cherish about my time at McGill are my teammates," said Ward. "They were always so supportive, but also kept me grounded. They always pushed me to not only to become a better hockey player, but also a better person. Keeping such a balance is what I believe helped me be successful.
 
"Also, being able to represent McGill on the world stage – especially with some of my Martlets teammates - was a privilege. So much has been said about CIS (now U SPORTS) versus NCAA that we definitely felt very proud in proving that you can reach the next level by playing at a Canadian university." 
 
Reflecting on his program's overall contribution to Team Canada's success over the years, one word comes to Peter Smith's mind: pride.
 
"We take tremendous pride in our student-athletes moving on, not only as Olympians, but in life," said Smith.  "All of them have been, and continue to be, amazing ambassadors for McGill."