SaskTel Centre was a familiar arena for Emily Clark growing up in Saskatoon, attending WHL games and running along the concourse with friends and teammates.
On Wednesday night, she skated onto the ice of that familiar rink for the first time with Canada’s national women’s hockey team surrounded by number 26 jerseys dotting the crowd in attendance for the Canada-United States Rivalry Series.
“I know this was going to be a special night for me,” said Clark. “I was definitely going to feel the love and there’s no sense in pushing that away. I tried to lean into it, take some good looks around in warmup before the game and obviously try to spot my family as I do every game that they are in the stands.
“You treat it like any other game, but you might as well embrace those moments because they don’t come around every day.”
Clark and fellow Saskatoon product Sophie Shirley were treated to a special homecoming for Game 5 of the Rivalry Series hosted in their hometown, with close to 8,500 fans turning out for the first meeting between Canada and the United States of the 2024 international calendar.
A key 4-2 victory for the Canadians pulled themselves back into the series trailing the Americans three games to two.
“They blew my expectations out of the water,” said Clark. “I was feeling the love, our team was feeling the love and I’m so proud of our group for getting that win for the crowd.”
Despite playing a decade for the Canadian national team, it was Clark’s first game at home as she missed out the 2018 Four Nations Cup hosted in Saskatoon due to injury.
As for her former teammate at the University of Wisconsin, Shirley made her debut with the senior women’s squad on Wednesday after being called up to the roster earlier in the week.
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Playing for PWHL in Boston this season, it was a game Shirley had been eagerly waiting to play in since learning of her addition to Team Canada.
“Definitely a heartwarming feeling for me being a young girl and growing up in this area,” said Shirley. “Being able to put myself in their shoes I like was at one point, to now being on the ice and be at this level is a pretty cool feeling for me.”
According to assistant coach Kori Cheverie, it was a game Team Canada had circled knowing the impact it would have on their two Saskatchewan players.
“It was an amazing experience and to be able to share it with two players who are from here, it doesn’t happen that often they’re from the town,” said Cheverie. “It was just a special moment for our team.”
Trailing 1-0 after the first period following a Grace Zumwinkle tally, Canada got on the board with a Brianne Jenner power play goal just 47 seconds into the second period to tie the score at 1-1.
Gabby Hughes restored the Americans’ lead before the end of the second, with the Canadians looking to play catch up in the third.
Canada finally broke through with an Ashton Bell shot from the point that beat Nicole Hensley five-hole with 8:31 remaining in regulation, before Renata Fast would snipe the eventual game-winner off the rush less than three minutes later.
“The series is still alive, that’s the key,” said Fast. “I think we’re all pretty excited with the results. To be able to do it on home soil, come together and get that comeback in the third period was huge.”
Laura Stacey would add an empty-netter for Canada, scoring three goals in the third period to pull within one win of the United States in the series.
“Our start was not the greatest but we were able to get back into the game in the third,” said Team Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin.
“It was a great 20 minutes, we were six on the ice and played together. From our goalie, defence and forwards, we stuck to it and played our way to the end.”
The only moments to lift the roof off SaskTel Centre as much as the goals were three separate breakaways by Clark, two stopped by Hensley and another missing high above the net — coming oh, so close to burying a goal in front of friends and family.
Shirley saw more ice time as the game went along, eventually ending up on a line with national team staples Sarah Nurse and Jamie Lee Rattray.
Meanwhile, she shared the ice with a longtime mentor of hers in Clark.
“Emily has been a huge role model for me,” said Shirley. “Since I can even remember I’ve always looked up to her and tried to emulate everything that she’s done and follow in her footsteps. It was super cool to share the ice with her for the first time at this level.”
The PWHL Ottawa standout added it was a special moment hitting the ice together with a fellow Saskatoon AAA Stars graduate.
“I’m really proud of her,” said Clark. “It was really fun to do that alongside her, kind of like a proud big sister moment to watch her grow up and be on this journey together. So it was a really special day for both of us.”
The Saskatoon duo will remain together with the national team for the final two games of the Rivalry Series this week, aiming to inspire even more young fans like they did in Saskatoon.
It brought back memories for Clark of meeting Olympic gold medalist Dana Antal as a child, sending her down the path towards winning an Olympic gold herself.
“I know first hand all it takes is a few seconds and an autograph,” said Clark. “It can fuel a dream for a lifetime, so I’m really proud that my community got to experience that.”
Team Canada will next face the United States on Friday night for Game 6 at the Brandt Centre in Regina, looking to even up the Rivalry Series at three games each.
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