The Thompson-Okanagan Lakers didn’t just get to the Esso Cup because they’re the hosts. They earned their way to the big dance.

After going 22-8-1-1 in the regular season – good enough for second place in the B.C. Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) – and sweeping the Greater Vancouver Comets in the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers joined an exclusive group of hosts who won their league titles by going on the road and vanquishing the two-time defending champion – and two-time Esso Cup silver medallist – Fraser Valley Rush in the BCEHL final.

That means they didn’t have to play the Pacific Regional series against the Edmonton Jr. Oilers, sending the Alberta champions straight through to the Esso Cup as Pacific representatives and giving the Lakers almost a full month off ahead of Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship.

Thompson-Okanagan was all about scoring by committee during the regular season, putting four players in the top 10 of BCEHL scoring – Alexandra Recsky (10-21—31), Emma Kohl (18-10—28), Lily Roberts (11-12—23) and Holly Magnus (8-13—21), while Denali Forsyth (1.70) Reese Sliskovic (1.87) both fashioned goals-against averages under 2.00 to backstop the Lakers.

Magnus stepped up in the playoffs with a goal and four assists (her only goal was the OT winner in Game 1 of the semifinal series against the Comets), and Roberts scored two of the biggest goals of the season, netting the lone marker in Game 2 of the final as the Lakers staved off elimination and opening the scoring in Game 3 to send Thompson-Okanagan on its way.

 The Lakers are staring at a couple of opportunities for history when the Esso Cup begins April 21 – they can become the first host team to claim the national title and the first team from British Columbia.

HOW THEY GOT TO VERNON 

British Columbia Elite Hockey League 
Semifinal: defeated Greater Vancouver Comets 2-0 (3-2 OT, 4-1)
Final: defeated Fraser Valley Rush 2-1 (2-3, 1-0, 2-1) 

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-T-OTL): 22-8-1-1 (2nd in BCEHL)
Goals for: 91 (2nd in BCEHL)
Goals against: 59 (2nd in BCEHL)
Longest winning streak: 7 (Nov. 18-Jan. 5)
Top 3 scorers:
- Alexandra Recsky – 10G 21A 31P (4th in BCEHL)
- Emma Kohl – 18G 10A 28P (5th in BCEHL)
- Lily Roberts – 11G 12A 23P (9th in BCEHL)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 4-1
Goals for: 12
Goals against: 7
Top 3 scorers:
- Holly Magnus – 1G 4A 5P
- Kilah Hodder – 0G 5A 5P
- Emma Kohl – 3G 1A 4P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

First appearance

UNIVERSITY COMMITMENTS

Holly Magnus – University of Alberta
Lily Roberts – Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Hannah Robertson – Dalhousie University
Reese Sliskovic – Trinity Western University