#9 – Meghan Agosta (Ontario Red, January 2005)

Her numbers: 5G 7A 12P

Her hardware: Top Forward; gold medal

Her story: By the time 17-year-old Agosta arrived in Salmon Arm, B.C., she had already played for Canada’s National Women’s Development Team and Canada’s National Women’s Team. The tournament’s Top Forward put up 13 points, third-most ever in one year. Showing an early glimpse of the big-game player she’d become on the Olympic stage, Agosta was in on six of the 10 goals her team scored in the medal round. With Ontario Red already up 2-0 in the gold medal game, her shorthanded marker early in the second period quelled any thoughts Quebec held of a comeback. Ontario Red eventually prevailed 5-0.

In her own words: “Just going to the tournament and having that excitement of playing against other provinces to see where other girls were at was awesome. It’s something that I’ll never forget because that was a stepping stone that led me to where I am today.”

“When I’m having fun is when I play my best. I don’t look at it as a gold medal game. I just go out and play. Every day is a new opportunity to do something special and just play. That’s my role – the girls know I bring that kind of calmness to the game. I don’t really think that much because when I think too much that’s when I don’t play as well. It’s just always been like that where I go and don’t let it being the championship game affect how I’m going to play. I’ve just been fortunate enough to be able to put up points on those given days.”

“I worked so hard and made many sacrifices growing up. My parents gave me all the opportunities in the world and for me to have a great tournament and win an individual award was humbling. Those individual awards are great, but the main goal for us is to win and to come out on top and be successful as a whole. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my teammates. It’s not just a one-man game; it’s a team game, and that’s part of the reason why I love hockey.”