During her time in playing with the Canadian women’s national ice hockey team, Gillian Apps acknowledged the competition on the international stage is rather limited to a long-standing Canada-United States rivalry.
But when the 29-year-old Unionville resident takes to the ice in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and dons a Brampton Hockey Club jersey, she’s quick to note the competition is far superior as a whole.
Especially since each of the teams field players who play for or were former national team members on Canada, the U.S. and other countries or competed at the collegiate level in Canada and the U.S.
When the puck is set to drop for the start of the Clarkson Cup at Markham Centennial Arena tomorrow, Apps said those who attend this year’s event will witness four highly competitive teams vieing for the women’s version of the Stanley Cup.
The competition will get under way at 10:30 a.m. with the first-place Boston Blades (19-4-1-39) facing the fourth-place Toronto Furies (10-13-1-21).
At 2 p.m., Apps and her Brampton Hockey Club, which finished third (10-12-2-22) will take on the two-time defending league champion and second place Montreal Stars (18-5-1-37).
“No question the competition in our league is greater than at the international level,” Apps, who was recently named to Canada’s national team that will compete in the upcoming 2013 International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championships in Ottawa, said. “You will find that in this tournament (Clarkson Cup) all of the games will be competitive.
“Boston has a great team, Montreal is good and we’ve had back and fourth battles with Toronto all season. All of the teams have great rosters. It’s great for our sport.”
Citing the Brampton team battled a variety of injuries this past season along with fielding a relatively small roster, Apps conceded they have a big challenge ahead if they hope to make their way to Saturday’s final for a second straight year.
If Brampton hopes to have any success in the round-robin segment with the top two teams vieing for the final, Apps pointed out they will have to take a one-game-at-a-time approach.
“We need good energy management,” she said. “If we can play the way like we can, hopefully for four games that’s what we need.”
With the Clarkson Cup being staged in Markham for the first time, that has also provided Apps along with teammates Cherie Piper, who also resides in Markham, and goalkeeper Liz Knox from neighbouring Stouffville, with some extra incentive to raise their game to a higher level.
Especially since it’s been a while when they last played in front of their hometown supporters.
At the same time, with the Clarkson Cup being played in Markham, Apps said it will enable hockey fans from the area to see some of the best women players in the world competing at a high level.
“It’s great to have the Clarkson Cup here (in Markham),” she said. “I haven’t had a chance to play in Markham for a long time and for people in the community to see some of the best players who might not get a chance to see them in an Olympics or world championships this is a great opportunity. It will be exciting,” the two-time Olympic gold medallist, said.
The grand daughter of Hockey Hall of Famer Syl Apps and daughter of former NHL player Syl Apps Jr., Apps also hopes the Clarkson Cup will serve as a source of inspiration for the younger players in attendance.
The four teams will continue round-robin play Thursday with Brampton playing Boston at 11 a.m. followed by Toronto and Montreal at 7 p.m.
Round-robin play will conclude Friday with Montreal playing Boston at 11 a.m. and Toronto and Brampton at 7 p.m.
The top two teams will meet for the coveted Clarkson Cup, the equivalent of the Stanley Cup in women’s hockey, Saturday at 2 p.m.
http://www.yorkregion.com/sports-story/2509463-clarkson-cup-puck-drops-in-markham-tomorrow/