Off to nationals

Megan Leikkari always wants to win, but this spring the Thunder Bay Queens goalie has extra incentive to bring home a national championship.

An Esso Cup champion in her first year of midget, Leikkari is focused on winning a second title in memory of her friend Matthew Gibbons, who died tragically in Kakabeka Falls earlier this year.

“I’m doing this for my best friend who was killed in a car accident in January. I’ve been working hard for him all season and winning that gold medal to go to the nationals is the best feeling in the world,” Leikkari said on Thursday, a day before the Queens left for Charlottetown, P.E.I., where the Esso Cup is slated to begin on Sunday.

“To bring home another gold from nationals, I can’t even explain what it will mean to me.”

Gibbons was a fixture at the rink whenever the Queens were playing, and not having him around has been tough, she added.

“He was there when we won nationals the first time. He met me at the airport with flowers and everything. It means a lot to me to do it for him.”

Leikkari had three shutouts at last weekend’s Ontario Women’s Hockey Association provincial championship, and said she hopes to continue the same level of play when she hits the Maritimes.

The confidence is starting to build, but gave the credit to her teammates.

“I’ve got a great group of girls in front of me as well and I feel like when they’re playing strong it just gives me the extra boost that I need to play my best game as well,” she said.

The experience – seven players went to nationals in 2010 – should pay off in Charlottetown.

“We know what it’s about and we know what it takes to win. I know the younger girls are also eager to see what it’s all about,” Leikarri said.

“It’s the exact same situation as provincials. The first-year girls going into the Midget AA provincials were very nervous. We told them it’s just another game, calm down and take it one step at a time and hopefully we’ll get the outcome that we worked for all year.”

Forward Michela Cava, who netted the semifinal winner in overtime and scored twice in Sunday’s 5-0 championship win over Waterloo, said she wasn’t ready to give up her Queens uniform just yet, though the trip to nationals was a bit unexpected.

“I’m really surprised and really excited that we got to go back again,” she said. “I can’t even explain how excited I am, and hopefully we can bring back a gold medal.

“Well, I’m not really surprised, it’s just hard to even imagine that we’re going back because two years ago I thought this was such a great experience and I never thought I’d ever get to have that experience again … Hopefully we can get that win again so those girls can experience that too.”

She intends to lead by example in Charlottetown, along with her six veteran teammates who were there with her in 2010.

“We’ve done such a good job as leaders to keep the girls calm and ready for the big weekends, to make sure we’re ready to perform at our best.”

They say defence wins championships, and Cava said in that department, the Queens are set.

“Our goaltenders have been playing really well and it’s really easy to feel confident when they’re in net. Our team has been playing super well and we played really good last weekend and were able to bury the puck really well,” Cava said. “Everyone’s playing super good, so as long as we can keep it going, I think we’ve got it.”

Coach Denis Lavoie said he’s expecting a competitive tournament, and a second win won’t come easy.

“It’s going to take everything we’ve got to be competitive. But I think we’ll be fine,” said Lavoie, who has crafted a fast team with plenty of offensive talent and a young, but talented defence and solid netminding tandem.

“The biggest thing is to bury the puck, and we do have that. We have girls who can finish and if we keep going the way we’ve been playing at provincials, I think we’ll be fine.”

The Queens open nationals against the host Capital District Cyclones on Sunday, followed by an afternoon match on Monday against Edmonton.