CALGARY, Alta. – Three from women's hockey will be gearing up to compete for Canada at the 2018 Nations Cup in Füssen, Germany. Goaltender Marlene Boissonnault, defenseman
Jaime Bourbonnais and forward
Kristin O'Neill were all announced as members of Hockey Canada's Development Team this week who will represent their native country in the four-day competition scheduled from Jan. 3-6.
Boissonnault has started in between the pipes for Cornell in all 13 games this season, stopping 310 shots sent her way to earn a save percentage of .925 and a goals against average of 1.95. The junior has notched one shutout this year and recorded a career-high 34 saves in a 2-1 win over then-No. 3 Colgate. The Dundee, New Brunswick, native has also been tabbed as ECAC Hockey's Goaltender of the Week twice this season.
O'Neill currently leads the Big Red in points with 17 from six goals and 11 assists and touts an impressive +10 rating. The Oakville, Ontario, native is the current reigning ECAC Hockey Player of the Month and has been recognized as the conference's Player of the Week twice. This will be the sophomore's second appearance at the Nations Cup as O'Neill was a part of Canada's silver-medal squad from last year.
Bourbonnais, like O'Neill, will be taking her second trip to the tournament as she also competed for Team Canada at the 2017 Nations Cup. The sophomore has been a valuable part of Cornell's blue line while also playing an important role in the team's offensive scheme, netting two goals and logging seven assists. The Mississauga, Ontario, native recently came through with the game-winning goal to secure the upset victory over the third-ranked Raiders.
Canada will open up play against Finland on Jan. 3 before facing Russia the next day. The gold-medal game will take place on Jan. 6.
The trio aren't the only current team members making waves in Canada's national circuit. Last month, Willow Slobodzian earned a roster spot on Hockey Canada's U18 team that is slated to compete at the 2018 IIHF World Championships in January.
