Hockey Canada announced the final roster for the upcoming IIHF Women’s World Championships yesterday. The 23 woman roster includes 17 CWHL players. Three Toronto Furies have made the cut.
It would have been more of a surprise if Toronto captain Natalie Spooner had been left off the team. Part of the Hockey Canada program since 2007, the Furies’ leading scorer this season will compete in her sixth World Championship.
Erin Ambrose, who scored her first CWHL goal on Friday in the Furies’ lone playoff win against the Calgary Inferno, has been with Hockey Canada since 2009. She has captained teams at both the U-18 and Development/U-22 levels, including the gold medal winning team at the 2012 U-18 World Championships, where she was also named Best Defenceman. This year she has played with the senior team at both the 4 Nations Cup and the two game December series against Team USA. This will be her first World Championships at the senior level.
Canada ties it up quickly. Agosta and Ambrose combine for the goal. 1-1 #4NationsCup pic.twitter.com/S0wWhrg6DA
— Women's Hockey Gifs (@CWHLHighlights) November 4, 2016
Renata Fast, the Furies’ first-round pick in the 2016 CWHL draft, has competed with the National Women’s Team in both 2015 and 2016 at the 4 Nations Cup. Fast has competed with the National Women’s Development/U-22 team since 2014 but this will be her first World Championship.
Notable Furies absent from the roster are veterans Kelly Terry and Jenelle Kohanchuk. Terry won a silver medal at the 2015 Women’s World Championships. Out last season with an injury, Kohanchuk - who scored a hat trick in Friday’s win against the Inferno - nevertheless competed with the National Women’s Team at the 2016 4 Nations Cup this past November, her third appearance in the tournament.
The 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championships begin Friday, March 31. All Team Canada games and the full medal rounds will be broadcast on TSN.
