Thunder Bay Queens Midget AA Hockey Team (2010)

Thunder Bay Queens Midget AA Hockey Team (2010) was a midget AA girls hockey team that became the first female squad from northwestern Ontario to secure a national championship. The team was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.

Overview

• Sport: Hockey
• League or level: Ontario Women's Hockey Association
• Season: 2010
• Achievement: Canadian Champions - Esso Cup
• Inducted: 30 September 2023

Season

The 2010 Thunder Bay Queens Midget AA hockey team began their championship run at the Ontario Women's Hockey Association provincial playdowns in Mississauga, Ontario. Competing in a field of 24 teams, the Thunder Bay squad entered the tournament following several regular-season tournament wins. During the opening pool stage, the team did not allow a single goal, recording three consecutive shutouts against their opponents. They progressed to the semi-finals, where they earned a 3–0 victory over Willowdale. In the provincial final, the team faced Stoney Creek, securing a 1–0 win in overtime to claim the first Midget AA provincial title in the history of the Queens program.

Following their provincial success, the team traveled to Regina, Saskatchewan, to compete in the Esso Cup, the national female midget championship. The tournament featured the top five regional teams from across the country. The Queens finished the round-robin portion of the event in first place with a record of four wins and one loss. In the semi-final round, they defeated the Edmonton Thunder by a score of 2–1. This victory advanced them to the gold medal game against the Notre Dame Hounds, representing the host province.

In the national final, the Queens overcame a 3–1 deficit to defeat the Notre Dame Hounds with a final score of 4–3. This victory made them the first women's hockey team from Northwestern Ontario to win a national title. Following their historic season, many members of the roster continued their involvement in the sport as players, coaches, and volunteers within the Thunder Bay community.

Roster

The names below come from the Hall of Fame profile and its team photograph caption.

Name	Role	Notes
Amber Butler	player
Michela Cava	player
Kylie Cornell	player
Michaela Coulter	player
Riley Cronk	player
Haleigh Croves	player
Savanna Gamache	player
Jana Henry	player
E. Heroux	player
Brianna Iazzolino	player
Megan Leikkari	player
Amanda Makela	player
Kaitlyn Quarrell	player
Taylor Savard	player
Courtney Tougas	player
Kaitlyn Tougas	player
Brittany Zuback	player
Denis Lavoie	coach
Daniel Lavoie	assistant coach
Randy LaPointe	assistant coach
Crystal Tustian	manager

Honours and achievements

• First women's hockey team from northwestern Ontario to win a national title
• 2010 Esso Cup National Female Midget Champions
• 2010 Ontario Women's Hockey Association Provincial Midget AA Champions
• Finished first in the Esso Cup round-robin with a 4-1 record
• Recorded three shutouts during the provincial pool play stage