By Reegan MacAulay

The Holland Hurricanes’ women’s hockey team accomplished something that had never been done before in the program’s history this past February; winning back-to-back Atlantic Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) championships.

The story goes back to a year earlier during the week leading up to the 2023 ACHA Championships in Montague, PEI. Holland had just finished the 2022-23 regular season with just over a .500 winning percentage. Entering the tournament, Holland hadn’t won a championship in six years. In that span, there were three runner-up finishes.

During that week, captain Maddy Clapham was interviewed. Words of confidence and wisdom were spoken.

“The big difference between this year’s team and last year’s (2021-22) team, we know that you don’t get dialed in when the puck drops. You get dialed in when you get to the rink. You’re dialed in, you get ready to play, you’re thinking hockey, you’re talking hockey. You close your eyes, all you see is hockey. This group of girls is exactly that way.

“I think, as long as we stay disciplined and cover our man, but still jump on those opportunities that we’re given, there’s no chance that we’re not going to win this. We have the most skill that Holland College has ever put together on a hockey team, at least in my three years. I’m just so confident that, in this group of girls, this is our championship,” Clapham said.

To her right was the ACHA championship trophy. She touched it – something that people believe leads to a curse. But Clapham wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen. 

Several days later, she scored the opening goal in the championship game and eventually hoisted the trophy alongside her teammates. Another women’s hockey title banner was finally added to the McMillan Centre walls.

Goaltender Emma Arsenault remembered it all fondly. It was an experience that shaped her and Clapham after a tough championship game loss in 2022.

“We used it as motivation the next year and fought hard to earn the championship title. The loss built us into the team we were. We took something negative and were able to turn it into a positive. I wouldn’t be the player I am today without that experience,” Arsenault said.

Jacy McMillan, an assistant captain at the time, had taken a year off from school the previous season and felt intimidated when she first returned. But she quickly earned her role on the team and was relieved to win the championship.

“Getting to hoist that cup for the first time with a group of girls that special was an indescribable feeling, and one that was so well deserved for everyone,” McMillan said.

As we all know now, one year later, a third banner was recently added, but this one may have come as a bigger surprise in some eyes.

Heading into the 2023-24 season, the program experienced significant changes. Head coach Meagan Ferguson was moving on. So were the other coaches. Half the roster was gone. It was a new era.

Brody Irving, a Physiotherapy Assistant at the Hurricanes Physiotherapy Clinic, moved from Calgary, A.B. to P.E.I. in 2017 and coached Hockey P.E.I. teams for several years. In 2023, he was ready to move on to a new challenge, and that began when he found out the Hurricanes were looking for someone. Irving had never coached women’s hockey before.

“I knew the team was in need of a new coaching staff, so I approached the college with the idea of helping out the program. The year proceeded smoothly thanks to the efforts of the athletic department, a committed and experienced coaching staff, and dedicated and hard-working players,” Irving said.

Halifax’s Jenna Pellerin and Cornwall’s Dylan Sanderson joined Irving as assistant coaches.

After being hired, Irving helped bring in a very talented rookie class, which was very eager to join the program. In the forward core were former UPEI Panther and Atlantic University Sport (AUS) top scorer, Taylor Gillis, local star, Kailey Lutley, local multi-sport talent, Kristyn Taylor, and speedy and aggressive mainlanders, Josie Lynch (Lunenberg, N.S.), Bri Hughes (former Acadia Axewomen player), and Josee Allain (Boutouche, N.B). In the defensive core were local talents, Kayla Batchilder and Hayley Leclair. Charlottetown’s, Bella Scott replaced the graduated Avery Bradley in the goaltender’s net.

Taylor added winning momentum to the roster as she had recently helped the Hurricanes’ women’s soccer team win an Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) championship and claim the program’s first-ever national medal (bronze) at the nationals in Summerside.

“Once I knew I was playing soccer for Holland, I also wanted to continue playing hockey as well. Playing hockey here was a great opportunity for me to be able to keep playing a sport I’ve played for the past 15 years and also involved some solid competition to compete with.

“Coming from the U18 MMFHL (Major Midget Female Hockey League) and transitioning to the ACHA was definitely an adjustment. Going from a 32-game season and a nine-team league to the ACHA was a slower intensity for sure, but still a very competitive league. It was a little bit of a bumpy start and there were a lot of new faces, but once everyone got to know each other, I feel we all immediately bonded together. The veterans were welcoming,” Taylor said.

As for the returnees, an energetic group of proven leaders was ready to continue the program’s success and mentor the new kids on the block. One of them was McMillan, who was tasked to wear the prestigious “C” on her jersey. She was honoured to step up in her final season and take advantage of her past leadership experience.

“My main goal for leading this season was to be someone that my teammates knew would have their back in any situation,” McMillan said.

Adding important value to the rest of the lineup were local sophomores Abbey Gordon and Livi Lawlor, strong forwards Elizabeth Lirette and Gabby MacDonald, and versatile defensemen Emma MacKinnon, Madison Tingley, and Hillary Quilty.

In the goaltender’s net, Emma Arsenault was poised to keep the team alive in critical situations. She was entering her third season as a Hurricane. She committed to the program thanks to the help of former head coach Jess Cameron. With two seasons under her belt, she was ready to give the rookies a welcoming experience. She even helped welcome coach Irving to the program.

“Although we all play sports to win and compete, there’s so much more to it than that. I wanted everyone to leave the season with a positive experience to make them want more. I was talking to Brody a bit before the season to welcome him into the program, making sure our goals aligned and offering him that same positive experience that makes you want more,” Arsenault said.

Irving and the rest of the coaching staff were quick to implement and prioritize intense, skill-based training sessions on and off the ice, something that may have lacked in past years.

“We were committed to prioritizing fundamental skill development and fostering competitive intensity during practices. As the season progressed, we gradually shifted our focus towards system play, yet maintained a fast-paced approach in our training sessions. Effective communication regarding player roles and expectations was paramount to our coaching philosophy, ensuring prompt feedback during both games and practices to facilitate player growth,” Irving said.

The team’s first weekend against Acadia, who sought revenge after winning the 2023 regular season title but losing the championship game to Holland, was a little slow, as the squad tied 0-0 and lost 4-0. Irving said the team was a little overconfident to start the year.

“It served as a good early season wake-up call, helping us realize what we needed to work on and providing ample time to implement changes in our practices,” Irving said.

McMillan said the team didn’t have much time to practice and to get to know each other as they would have hoped.

“It showed us that we had a lot to work on together and it lit the fire we needed to get our season rolling,” McMillan said.

The rest of the season was indeed a lit fire, even when injuries left the team short-bodied sometimes. The Hurricanes proceeded to go on a six-game winning streak, which included three shutouts and a doubleheader sweep against Acadia. Taylor Gillis scored nine goals and Arsenault recorded five wins and three shutouts. The Hurricanes finished the regular season atop the standings, claiming their first regular season crown since 2018.

“The rest of the season proceeded as planned leading up to the championship weekend. Going on that streak, including sweeping Acadia in Wolfville, gave us a lot of confidence heading into the championships,” Irving said.

Going into the 2024 ACHA Championships in Wolfville, N.S., Holland was bound to earn back-to-back titles. The anticipation was like no other season. Arsenault said the week leading up to the tournament was filled with it.

“We were together every day that week which allowed us to stay focused and have fun at the same time whether we were at an exhibition game, practicing, or off ice training,” Arsenault said.

Taylor said the team had high expectations and participated in bonding activities so players could learn more about each other.

“Playing ‘clock’ with the soccer ball or the ‘name game’ in our warmups to start off the preparation for games. A lot of fun and laughs were had on and off the ice,” Taylor said.

Game one against the Axewomen was a back-and-forth melee, but a three-goal effort by Gillis helped the Hurricanes win 5-3. Heading into game two against the Capers, CBU was one loss away from a winless record. Hard work beat talent as the Capers won 5-4 in overtime. The Hurricanes attempted a big comeback while down 4-2, but a defensive mistake in the extra period denied their rally.

“Cape Breton came out flying against us. We ended up going into the game a little too relaxed. We went down early and managed to pull it together in the third period. It was good adversity to put us into Sunday,” Irving said.

Adversity? No problem, said the Hurricanes, as they dominated the Axewomen in a Sunday afternoon championship match in front of the Acadia University crowd. Gillis (2), Abbey Gordon, and Kailey Lutley stepped up on the scoresheet while Arsenault allowed just one goal.

“We played strong, fast defensively, and offensively, we were creating lots of good chances and great shots. We got the lead early and held it all the way. In general, a lot of the team stepped up and played their roles,” Irving said.

Gillis, McMillan, and Arsenault were named to the 2024 ACHA 1st All-Star Team while Kristyn Taylor and Kayla Batchilder were named to the 2024 ACHA 2nd All-Star Team.

Arsenault had no doubt in her mind that they would win, which is what she told Irving in the dressing room after the championship game.

“I knew my team and I knew myself. I had great confidence going into the game, even though we had a rough game the day before. It served as a wake-up call,” Arsenault said.

She commended several players for their contributions all season.

“My roomie Kailey Lutley was such a positive energy on the team. She always had something nice to say. Krissy (Kristyn Taylor) works hard every single shift and generated a lot for us offensively. Our leadership group was the heart of the team; Taylor (Gillis), Jacy (McMillan), Abbey (Gordon), and Emma (MacKinnon). They always got the team hyped up. The whole team worked well together all season,” Arsenault said.

McMillan, whose priorities used to be more on the offensive side, took a full leap into playing more defensively and was paired with Kayla Batchilder for most of the season. They instantly gelled.

“I had some previous (defensive) experience but it was usually just on special teams (power play/penalty kill) or on a needed basis. Kayla is one of the quietest, but funniest players I’ve ever met. She was someone who I actually had to turn to for advice sometimes. She always helped me play my best at a new position and I could trust that she would always have my back.

“I’m a lot older than some of the girls, so I knew that I would always be looked at as somewhat of a role model, so I tried to always be the best version of myself,” McMillan said.

Unfortunately, her time as a Hurricane has ended, but her legacy remains permanent. She thanked many people for wonderful memories.

“Billie MacKay made us all belly laugh for hours. Hoisting the cup with my best friends. Meagan Ferguson was my coach for three seasons, and she was someone who will always be your number one fan and supporter, not afraid to tell you straight up how it is, and a personal hype woman and a constant motivator on and off the ice. Ferg is the type of person that we all strive to be like someday,” McMillan said.

She’s excited about the future of women’s hockey on P.E.I.

“I think this program has a lot more to give for female hockey on P.E.I. and I think this is only the beginning. There are so many awesome hockey players coming out of midget (U18) hockey that could help grow this league and there is great potential out there to expand and grow the female game. I will continue to stay involved and show my support for this program and will advocate for women’s hockey to continue growing,” McMillan said.

Looking towards the 2024-25 season, Irving anticipates another roster overhaul but is excited about the next recruit class and the growth of female hockey on the island.

“The team will likely look quite different again next season. We have numerous graduating players moving on from one and two-year programs at Holland College. However, we have a dedicated group of returning players who will step into crucial leadership roles next year, guiding a team primarily comprised of first-year players. I’m excited about the caliber of recruits we’ve already secured, and I’m eager to continue strengthening our team in the months ahead.

“I am very happy with the growth and development of collegiate female hockey. Player interest for the hockey program is already over double what it was at the same time last year. I can’t reveal details at the moment, but there will be announcements on important changes over the coming months. It’s an exciting time for women’s hockey at Holland College,” Irving said.

Arsenault, who will return next season, shared the excitement, adding that she hopes to leave the program with three championships.

“That would be pretty incredible. I want to focus on team building right off the bat next year and seeing connections being made early on.

“Women’s hockey is a hot topic with the PWHL starting up, and respectively so. But it shouldn’t stop there. I hope all women’s hockey programs raise the bar for the future. I have high expectations for the future of this program, and I hope other girls look at this program to continue to play after minor hockey. There are many girls who have yet to experience this program and that itself is pretty exciting,” Arsenault said.

Stay tuned as the 2024-25 Atlantic women’s hockey schedule will be announced this spring, along with Hurricanes booster club memberships.

Connect with the women’s hockey Hurricanes at www.x.com/caneswhockey and www.instagram.com/caneswhockey.

For more information on the Holland Hurricanes, please visit www.hollandhurricanes.com, www.facebook.com/hollandhurricanes, www.x.com/hc_hurricanes and www.instagram.com/hollandhurricanes.

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