While they can remember, Gabrielle Santerre and Emilie Lussier’s hockey lives have been intertwined as rivals.
However, at the beginning of January, the Quebec natives finally found not only in the same team, but also in the same line.
After playing one against the other in different parts of the Quebec Junior Hockey System, and then again at the University with Santerre representing Bishop and Lussier in Concordia, they finally matched as part of the Canada team in the World Games in the World Games in University in Torino, Italy.
It was, in some way, an experience of Canadian hockey tournament par excellence.
Canada entered as mass favorites, won a couple of bursts and reached the game of the gold medal. Despite overcoming their opposition 52-15, they lost the last 2-1 in extra time against the Czech Republic.
And so, Santerre and Lussier will reappear on their separate roads, taking different lessons from Italy to apply to their teams during the stretch of the sports season U.
First, however, almost as soon as they stepped home, they had games to play. Naturally, one against the other. Concordia both won by a combined score of 10-2.
“It was a lot of fun. And we knew it was a great competition, and we knew that when we returned, people simply said: ‘Oh, Lussier vs. Santerre’ and things. She,” Lussier said.
“We did such [a] Friendship down there and we know we will see each other again. “
Different roles
In their respective schools, Santerre and Lussier play very different roles.
Santerre, the 21-year-old girl from Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, who comes from a first year campaign last year in which she was appointed player and rookie of the year, becoming the first sports athlete u achieve such feat.
On Tuesday, Santerre was also selected as one of the 8 best academic Canadians for the season.
But the Bishop, despite the individual greatness of Santerre, has fought. The Gaiters lost in the RSEQ semifinals last year and sit 7-9 to 16 competitions this season.
Santerre was inspired by the Czechs below in Italy.
“I was hoped that we would lose a team that was less talented than us, but that is just the beauty of sport, everything can happen,” he said. “There are things that you cannot control. I think that is the biggest piece I have learned from that tournament.”
Lussier, the 22-year-old girl from Ste-Martine, who, is a strong player in her own right: her 18 RSEQ goals last season were tied in second place, one ahead of Santerre, but it is part of a larger machine In Concordia.
The Stingers have won two of the last three sports championships of the U, their only stain for loss in the last two years.
Lussier’s coaches are international stars Julie Chu and Caroline Ouellette. His teammate last year, Emmy Fecteau, became the first recruited of U Sports to play a PWHL game earlier this season.
And to a large extent, the defense of the Stingers title is currently with a 14-0 scorch. Concordia, then, is almost like the Canada team of the CSR.
“I would say that the pressure is beautiful [big] thing here and experiencing it with the Arce sheet, it is a great honor, “Lussier said.
“But when I return here and I have the same feeling of pressure and things like that, it’s great because we know that each team wants to overcome and know that we need to compete every game and be here in each game.”
PLAYOFS TRANSPORT
Less than a month left before the RSEQ playoffs begin on February 27. The two best teams of the four -school conference advance to the National Championship, which takes place from March 20 to 23 at the University of Waterloo, with live broadcast coverage available at CBC Deportes.
The goal of Lussier and the Stingers is to repeat as champions, although the motto is a game at the same time.
Santerre said he only hopes to get there, even when his second season is being a bit more difficult than his first round.
“The teams have much more objective in me, which is totally well. I expected that,” Santerre said.
“I think it was a good challenge for me … and I think I won the privilege of being attacked. So, I am learning through that. I think it is the first time I have gone through that type of phase. … But I’m happy to have experienced it now, and I hope I become a better player after this. “
In just over a year, Santerre and Lussier will see how the national senior team in Canada seeks to defend gold in its own Italian tournament at the Milan Olympic Games.
“I think it’s something fun that we will see the game and we are like, ‘my God, we were there a year ago,'” said Santerre.
For now, their immediate futures are at school, while in a few years their careers can take them to the PWHL, a league whose beginning coincided with their first year, and one that is already talking about expansion, which would provide more opportunities for sports U players who expect to be professionals.
“The PWHL is near Montreal,” said Lussier. “Sure, it’s something I am looking forward to. But yes, I just want to improve and improve. And we’ll see in four years.”
Santerre also said that the professional league is still a dream.
“It is another motivation. It is something that we did not have the opportunity to dream when I was younger. So now that I have the opportunity to see these girls play something like that, I have it in mind,” he said. .
Maybe if everything goes well, 2030 Olympic Games could call as another opportunity for the two players to join together.
Meanwhile, the Games of the World University of 2027, and an opportunity for redemption, is a much better bet.
“I would love to return to this team in two years. But I need to work hard and I need to show you that I can also be there in two years,” said Lussier.
“And I want gold to return.”