STRATFORD, P.E.I. – Ashley Hollis is a national champion.
“It still hasn't sunk in,” the Atlantic Attack defenceman said Sunday night from Winnipeg. “It’s still an unbelievable feeling. It’s hard to even grasp onto it for sure.”
The Attack won the National Ringette League championship with a 5-3 win Saturday over the Edmonton WAM! at the Save-On-Foods Canadian Ringette Championships.
The game was played at the Bell MTS Place, the home of the Winnipeg Jets. Hollis, a 21-year-old Stratford native, said they arrived about 30 minutes early in order to soak up the atmosphere and be ready for game time.
The Attack built period leads of 2-1, 3-2 and 4-2 heading to the final 13-minute period. Jenny Snowdon scored her third of the game with five minutes remaining in the game to give the Attack a 5-2 lead. Martine Caissie and Britney Snowdown also scored in the win.
Hollis recalled realizing the victory was imminent while sitting on the bench with fellow blue-liner Kristi Mason of Cole Harbour, N.S., late in the game.
“There was a minute and 30 (seconds) left and I looked at my defensive partner and I said, ‘We’re national champions’,” she explained.
After competing for Prince Edward Island at the 2015 Canada Games in Prince George, B.C., Hollis decided to see if she could continue playing the sport at a high level. She emailed the Attack’s manager and tried out for the team in September 2015. She’s been with the squad ever since.
The Attack won one game at the nationals in 2016 and didn’t qualify for the crossover game. Last year, it lost in the final.
This year’s win was the culmination of a lot of hard work and continued growth by the team, Hollis said.
“Our coaching staff and our team, we’ve just kept working harder and harder,” she said. “We’ve put more hours in the gym, more hours on the ice, more hours learning of what we can do that can help improve our game.”
Hollis said it’s fun playing for the region after playing for club and provincial teams.
“Now my fans are over three provinces,” she said. “We’re very grateful to have all those supporters.”
The Attack beat the Manitoba Intact 10-7 Friday to finish round-robin play in first place, which earned the Attack a bye to the gold-medal final. There were eight teams competing in the event.
Jenny Snowdon and Cassie were named to the tournament’s first all-star team on offence while Karine Doiron was the goalie. All are from New Brunswick.
The league, which has 15 teams participating in two conferences, also handed out its year-end awards. Cassie won the scoring championship with 46 goals and was named top forward while Britney Snowdon took home the rookie of the year honours.
The under-16 and -19 championships were also played in Winnipeg.
Team P.E.I. finished 11th in the 21-team under-16 division.
Team P.E.I.’s Georgia Fraser from Souris was named to the first all-star team in the under-16 division.
Team P.E.I. (Wave) finished last in the 18-team under-19 division.
