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Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports 31 | Friday, December 27, 2013 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com "Connected to your Community" Sochi-bound Brianne Jenner named to women's hockey team by Herb Garbutt Oakville Beaver Staff Brianne Jenner will play for the Canadian women's hockey team at the upcoming Olympics. | photo courtesy of HockeyCanada.ca Bennett carries hot stick as Blades split weekend pair Kris Bennett scored a pair of goals in consecutive games as the Oakville Blades split two Ontario Junior Hockey League contests last weekend. Bennett had two goals -- including the winner with 4:54 remaining in regulation -- and added an assist Friday to give the Blades a 3-2 win over the Georgetown Raiders at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex. Dalton Bew had Oakville's other goal, Greg Campbell contributed two assists and Evan Buitenhuis made 39 saves to earn the victory in net. The next night in Mississauga, another two markers from Bennett helped the Blades carry a 5-4 lead late into the third periOakville Blades' Mark Bennett fires a shot on goal Saturday in Mississauga. | photo by Steven od before the Chargers rallied to Der-Garabedian -- Special to the Beaver beat Oakville 6-5. Mark Bzowey, David Dischiavi and Sean PerThe Blades (17-15-1) visited the Hamilton Red ichak also scored for the Blades, with Joe Seney and Wings Monday, a game that began after the BeaBew chipping in two helpers apiece. Buitenhuis made ver's holiday press deadlines. Oakville will host the 43 saves in a losing cause for Oakville, which allowed Stouffville Spirit tonight (Friday, 7:30 p.m.) at Sixteen the equalizer with six minutes remaining in the third Mile Sports Complex, then play its final game of 2013 period, then the winner with 2:51 to go. Sunday in Trenton. Monday afternoon, Brianne Jenner was headed to the airport set to battle holiday traffic, to stand in long lines that moved at a snail's pace while someone at the counter argued that they should be allowed six carry-on items because they were Christmas presents. Then, if her flight wasn't delayed, she was in for four hours in an enclosed space with a crying baby -- there's seemingly one on every flight, probably several in the days leading up to Christmas. And when she reached home, there was a good possibility that her family's home would still be without power, as it was when she left for the airport. Yet, Jenner couldn't have been happier. That tends to happen if, 24 hours earlier, you were called into your coach's office to be told you will be on the Canadian women's hockey team that is headed to Sochi in February. So if the perils of holiday travel started to get to Jenner, she could look at the Canadian Olympic team jacket she was presented with Monday morning as the team was unveiled in Calgary. Jenner found out she had earned a spot on the team Sunday in a meeting with head coach Kevin Dineen, who replaced Dan Church two weeks ago, and assistant coaches Danielle Goyette and Lisa Haley. "My heart was beating pretty fast," Jenner said. "It's a process that started back in May -- or really, four years ago -- and it culminates in you hearing you've made the team. It feels like a dream come true. Knowing the feeling four years ago and going through the other side of missing your dream by a little bit makes it even more special." Four years ago, Jenner was one of the final two players cut from the team that went on to win gold in Vancouver. So, as excited as she was, she certainly felt for those who did not make the team. "It's a tough day, because some of your best friends are being sent home," she said. "You're very excited but you're also disappointed because six or seven girls who deserve it just as much as I do aren't going with us." Jenner solidified her spot on the team with her play for Cornell University -- where she earned the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference's most-valuable-player award last season -- as well as with the national squad. She has played in virtually every international event for Canada in the past four years, including Canada's gold-medal win at the 2012 world championships. She led the team in scoring with two goals and two assists in four games as Canada took gold at the 4 Nations Cup in November. And even though she's been held pointless in the first four games of Canada's six-game exhibition series with the U.S., Jenner showed she's more than willing to be a thorn in the side of Canada's biggest rival. Jenner was in the midst of a game-ending line brawl Thursday in Grand Forks, N.D. when the Americans' Jocelyne Lamoureux ran her into the end boards, retaliation for an earlier hit for which Jenner was penalized. "Games against the U.S., we're going to play them as intense as the last one," Jenner said. With the series square at two games apiece, the Canadians will have two more chances to play the U.S., including a Dec. 30 game at the Air Canada Centre. Then it will be back to Calgary for final preparations for their Feb. 8 Olympic opener against Switzerland. And while Jenner certainly wants to help Canada defend Olympic gold, she is also looking forward to the experience of being an Olympian. "It's exciting to be part of Team Canada, not just the national women's hockey team, but the bigger picture of the Olympic team," Jenner said. "The girls who have been (to the Olympics) have been telling us to get ready for the opening ceremonies and I'm looking forward to meeting some of the other athletes and cheering them on."