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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, January 11, 2013 · 32 Sports Oakville Beaver By Herb Garbutt OAKVILLEBEAVERSTAFF SPORTS EDITOR:JONKUIPERIJ Phone 905-632-0588 (ext. 294) email sports@oakvillebeaver.com Dramatic win for U18 girls Oakville players help Canada win world hockey championship celebration. "The whole bench just erupted," said McKibbon. "I still have to pinch myself that it really happened. It's awesome to There's something about being a Canadian hockey player. see that gold medal and know I helped contribute to it. It's Something ingrained in the DNA of those who lace up skates pretty cool." while wearing the maple leaf on their chest. McKibbon may have more opportunities to celebrate in You never suspend belief and you never give up. the future. She'll attend the University of Wisconsin next year, From Paul Henderson to Mario Lemieux to Sidney Crosby, joining a Badgers team that has played in the NCAA final six Canadians have found a way to deliver in the clutch. And times in the last seven years, winning three national titles. Saturday, the ladies showed they can deliver a dramatic finish Canada, which also included the Oakville Hornets' Kristin with the best of them. Canada scored with 12 seconds to play Gilmour and Appleby College student Sarah Steele, went 5-0 to tie the game and then scored again in the opening minute at the tournament, defeating Hungary, Finland and Germany of overtime to stun the United States 2-1 and win the World in pool play. Women's Under-18 Hockey Championship in With five players returning from last Finland. "I was thinking to year's gold-medal winning team, Capizzano "We believed in each other to get to that myself, `If there's one said it was a privilege to be named captain. point where we were one shot away from She drew on last year's experience at worlds draw you're ever going tying the game," said Oakville's Kristyn to help guide the team, saying the biggest Capizzano, the team's captain. "We were all to win, this is the one.'" lesson she learned was how to take things in focused on that one goal." stride. It was the second straight world title for Abbey Park student Sydney That lesson would pay off in the goldCapizzano, who scored in Canada's 7-2 semi- McKibbon, whose faceoff win medal game. With Canada in penalty trouble final win over Sweden, a day after her 18th led to the tying goal late in for much of the opening period, the U.S. the World Women's Under-18 birthday. outshot the Canadians 20-1, yet Canada Sydney McKibbon may have finished the Hockey Championship final trailed by just one goal. Canada regrouped tournament without a point, but she delivand held the advantage in shots in each of the ered what may have been the biggest assist, even if it didn't final two periods before finally being rewarded in the final show up on the scoresheet. With 24 seconds to play in the minute. gold-medal game, McKibbon was sent out to take the faceoff. And when Canada scored in overtime, there was one last "I was thinking to myself, `If there's one draw you're ever job for the captain. Capizzano accepted the championship going to win, this is the one,'" the Grade 12 Abbey Park stu- trophy, hoisted it above her head and carried it back to share dent said. with her team. She did, and though the shot from the point was stopped, "To have that chance to celebrate with the team, and see it created a scramble in front of the American net. The puck them all smiling," Capizzano said, "then standing on the eventually slid free to Catherine Dubois at the side of the net blueline singing the anthem, knowing you are there repreand she fired it home to tie the game. senting your country, it's a special moment." Then, just a minute into overtime, Karly Heffernan con-- Herb Garbutt can be followed on Twitter @Herbgarbutt verted a pass from Hannah Bunton, touching off a Canadian Hornets blueliner's comeback rewarded By Herb Garbutt and Kathy Yanchus METROLAND MEDIA GROUP STAFF Kristin Gilmour As the Canadian players gathered in the dressing room Sunday after their dramatic victory over the United States, the coaches had a simple message -- you just made history. Canada's hopes of returning from the World Women's Under-18 Championship in Finland with a gold medal had looked grim until it tied the game with just 12 seconds to play and then capped the comeback with a goal in the first minute of overtime, stealing a 2-1 victory from their rivals. It was the kind of game players dream of being a part of, and perhaps nobody in that room appreciated it more than Oakville Hornets defenceman Kristin Gilmour. The 17-year-old Waterdown high school student was a rookie for the Burlington Barracudas in the Provincial Women's Hockey League last year. Little did she know that Hockey Canada scouts were watching her play. Last spring, an e-mail with the invitation to a strength and conditioning camp in Toronto came out of the blue. Kristin's mom presented it to her daughter as a gift, framed and See Strict, page 33 PHILLIP MACCALLUM / HHOF - IIHF IMAGES SWEET EMOTION: Canadian captain Kristyn Capizzano triumphantly raises the World Women's Under-18 Hockey Championship trophy above her head Sunday in Finland.