The Brampton Canadette-Thunder and the Mississauga Chiefs have booked their spots in the 2008 Esso Women’s Nationals, completing the four-team field that will compete for the first national women’s club team championship from March 11th to 15th. The Canadette-Thunder and Chiefs, the two representatives from the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL), will join the Calgary Oval X-Treme and Minnesota Whitecaps from the Western Women’s Hockey League (WWHL) to battle for the national crown.

This year’s Esso Women’s Nationals will have no shortage of National Women’s Team star power, as no less than 12 players who will don the maple leaf at the 2008 IIHF World Women’s Championship, April 4th to 12th in Harbin, China, will be on the ice in Charlottetown.

NATIONAL WOMEN’S TEAM MEMBERS AT THE 2008 ESSO WOMEN’S NATIONALS

Brampton Canadette-Thunder (2)
Gillian Apps
Jayna Hefford

Calgary Oval X-Treme (7)
Kelly Bechard
Delaney Collins
Gillian Ferrari
Gina Kingsbury
Carla MacLeod
Colleen Sostorics
Hayley Wickenheiser

Minnesota Whitecaps (1)
Caroline Ouellette

Mississauga Chiefs (2)
Jennifer Botterill
Cherie Piper

“To have so many current national team players coming to Prince Edward Island is really the icing on the cake for this event,” said tournament chair Gemma Koughan. “The public will be treated to some great hockey, from some of the best players in the world today. It is going to be a memorable few days.”

In addition to the national club team championship, four provincial teams – Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island – will compete for the national senior women’s championship, a pool that promises to be very competitive.

A full-event package, which includes 12 preliminary games and bronze and gold medal games, is available for $59, a savings of $45 over individual game tickets. Individual game tickets will go on sale Monday, March 10th. To purchase packages, fans can call Sport PEI at (902) 368-4110 or toll free at 1-800-247-6712 or visit the CARI administration desk.