KINGSTON, Ont. (March 9, 2011) – After an incredible run through the OUA playoffs en route to their first conference championship in 32 years, the No. 10 Queen's Gaels women's hockey team are off to the CIS Championships this week in Waterloo, Ont.

The 2011 CIS tournament, hosted for the first time by Wilfrid Laurier University, gets under way Thursday at the Waterloo Memorial Recreational Complex and culminates Sunday at 7:30 p.m. with the gold medal final.

The Gaels, who are seeded fourth in their first appearance at the national championship, have been seeded with top-ranked McGill and the defending champions, the Alberta Pandas, who are seeded sixth.

Pool B consists of the AUS Champion and No. 2 seed StFX X-Women, the Canada West Champions and No. 3 seed Manitoba Bisons, as well as the host Laurier Golden Hawks, who are seeded fifth.

The Gaels enter the tournament as one of the hottest teams in the country, having won 11 consecutive games dating back to January 23, 2011. During the streak, the Gaels have won seven games over national-ranked opponents, including playoff sweeps of the No. 2 Golden Hawks and the No. 7 Guelph Gryphons in the OUA Championship.

However, the game that the team has become synonymous with is their thrilling six overtime victory over the Gryphons in Game 1 of the OUA Championship last week. The 2-1 victory made headlines around North America and has gone into the record books as the longest collegiate hockey game – men's or women's – in history. The marathon game trails only a 1936 NHL matchup between Detroit and the Montreal Maroons for longest overall contest.

The puck from Morgan McHaffie's (Guelph, Ont.) game-winning goal scored 17:14 into the sixth OT frame is set to be sent to the Hockey Hall of Fame at the end of the season.

Queen's has been led by Morgan and twin sister Brittany McHaffie (Guelph, Ont.) in the playoffs. The two have combined for three of the team's five game winning goals and have combined for 14 points (Morgan 8, Brittany 6) in the Gaels five post-season contests. Morgan also had a strong regular season leading the team in goals with 15 while adding 12 assists for 27 points as she was named an OUA Second Team All-Star.

Other offensive threats include OUA First Team All-Star Kelsey Thomson (Martintown, Ont.,), who finished second in the OUA in scoring this season, along with veteran forwards Elizabeth Kench (Ganaqnoque, Ont.) and Becky Conroy (Pembroke, Ont.).

In net, Mel Dodd-Moher (Stittsville, Ont.) has posted a stellar 0.75 goals against average and a .971 save percentage in 477 minutes of play to lead all OUA goalies in the post-season.

The Gaels will open the tournament Friday afternoon when they take on the loser of the McGill-Alberta matchup on Thursday afternoon. Queen's will then play the winner of that game Saturday afternoon. Both games are scheduled for 4:00 pm.

PARTICIPATING TEAMS

No. 1 McGill Martlets
Head Coach: Peter Smith (11th season)
Regular season record: 20-0-0
Regular season standing: 1st RSEQ
Playoff record: 4-0
Playoff finish: RSEQ champions
Final Top 10 ranking (Feb. 22): No. 1
Best Top 10 ranking (17 weeks): No. 1 (16 weeks: last 16 polls / No. 2 in first poll)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (17 weeks): 17
Conference award winners: Katya Clément-Heydra (rookie), Peter Smith (coach)
Conference 1st team all-stars: Charline Labonté (G), Cathy Chartrand (D), Gillian Ferrari (D), Ann-Sophie Bettez (F)
Conference 2nd team all-stars: Caroline Hill (F)
Conference all-rookie team: Adrienne Crampton (D), Katya Clément-Heydra (F)
Season leader (points): Cathy Chatrand, 29 (20 GP, 8-21-29)
Season leader (goals): Ann-Sophie Bettez, 11 (17 GP) – Katya Clément-Heydra, 11 (20 GP)
Season leader (assists): Cathy Chatrand, 21 (20 GP)
Season leader (goaltending): Charline Labonté (17 GP, 17-0, 7 SO, 0.71 GAA, .953 SV%)
CIS championship appearances (including 2011): 12th
CIS championship all-time record: 22-11 (.666)
CIS championship all-time medals: 9 (2 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze)
CIS championship best result: 2-time champions (2009, 2008)
CIS championship last appearance: 2010 (silver medal)
CIS championship sequence: 9th straight appearance (12-in-14 since inaugural tourney in 1998)

No. 2 St. Francis Xavier X-Women
Head Coach: David Synishin (9th season)
Regular season record: 24-0-0
Regular season standing: 1st AUS
Playoff record: 3-0
Playoff finish: AUS champions
Final Top 10 ranking (Feb. 22): No. 3
Best Top 10 ranking (17 weeks): No. 3 (13 weeks: last 13 polls)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (17 weeks): 17
Conference award winners: Alex Normore (rookie)
Conference 1st team all-stars: Suzanne Fenerty (D), Alex Normore (F), Janelle Parent (F)
Conference 2nd team all-stars: Marilynn Hay (D)
Conference all-rookie team: Kristy Garrow (G), Jenna Pitts (D), Alex Normore (F)
Season leader (points): Janelle Parent, 44 (24 GP, 21-23-44)
Season leader (goals): Janelle Parent, 21 (24 GP)
Season leader (assists): Alex Normore, 25 (24 GP)
Season leader (goaltending): Kristy Garrow (13 GP, 13-0, 5 SO, 1.53 GAA, .914 SV%)
CIS championship appearances (including 2011): 10th
CIS championship all-time record: 3-24 (.111)
CIS championship all-time medals: 0
CIS championship best result: 4th place (2006)
CIS championship last appearance: 2010 (6th place)
CIS championship sequence: 4th straight appearance (6th in 7 years)

No. 3 Manitoba Bisons
Head Coach: Jon Rempel (7th season)
Regular season record: 16-5-3
Regular season standing: 2nd Canada West
Playoff record: 4-0
Playoff finish: Canada West champions
Final Top 10 ranking (Feb. 22): No. 6
Best Top 10 ranking (17 weeks): No. 3 (1 week: poll 3)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (17 weeks): 17
Conference award winners: None
Conference 1st team all-stars: None
Conference 2nd team all-stars: Tara Lacquette (G), Caitlin MacDonald (D), Addie Miles (F)
Conference all-rookie team: No all-rookie team in Canada West
Season leader (points): Addie Miles, 19 (20 GP, 9-10-19)
Season leader (goals): Nellie Minshull, 10 (24 GP)
Season leader (assists): Tammy Brade, 12 (24 GP)
Season leader (goaltending): Tara Lacquette (17 GP, 9-7, 3 SO, 1.66 GAA, .920 SV%)
CIS championship appearances (including 2011): 5th
CIS championship all-time record: 7-5 (.583)
CIS championship all-time medals: 3 (3 bronze)
CIS championship best result: Bronze medal (2008, 2007, 2005)
CIS championship last appearance: 2009 (4th place)
CIS championship sequence: Return after 1-year absence (5th appearance in 7 years)

No. 4 Queen's Gaels
Head Coach: Matthew Holmberg (2nd season)
Regular season record: 15-8-4
Regular season standing: 4th OUA
Playoff record: 5-0
Playoff finish: OUA champions
Final Top 10 ranking (Feb. 22): No. 10
Best Top 10 ranking (17 weeks): No. 10 (2 weeks: polls 2 and 17)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (17 weeks): 2
Conference award winners: None
Conference 1st team all-stars: Kelsey Thomson (F)
Conference 2nd team all-stars: Morgan McHaffie (F)
Conference all-rookie team: None
Season leader (points): Kelsey Thomson, 33 (27 GP, 15-18-33)
Season leader (goals): Morgan McHaffie, 15 (26 GP)
Season leader (assists): Kelsey Thomson, 18 (27 GP)
Season leader (goaltending): Mel Dodd-Moher (16 GP, 8-8, 3 SO, 1.92 GAA, .933 SV%)
CIS championship appearances (including 2011): 1st
CIS championship all-time record: 0-0
CIS championship all-time medals: 0
CIS championship best result: First appearance in history
CIS championship last appearance: First appearance in history
CIS championship sequence: First appearance in history

No. 5 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks
Head Coach: Rick Osborne (8th season)
Regular season record: 24-2-1
Regular season standing: 1st OUA
Playoff record: 0-2
Playoff finish: OUA semi-finalists
Final Top 10 ranking (Feb. 22): No. 2
Best Top 10 ranking (17 weeks): No. 2 (16 weeks: last 16 polls / No. 3 in first poll)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (17 weeks): 17
Conference award winners: Laura Brooker (rookie)
Conference 1st team all-stars: Alicia Martin (D), Fiona Lester (D), Katherine Shirriff (F)
Conference 2nd team all-stars: Liz Knox (G), Laura Brooker (F)
Conference all-rookie team: Alannah Wakefield (D), Laura Brooker (F)
Season leader (points): Katherine Shirriff, 32 (27 GP, 7-25-32)
Season leader (goals): Laura Brooker, 19 (27 GP)
Season leader (assists): Katherine Shirriff, 32 (27 GP)
Season leader (goaltending): Liz Knox (22 GP, 20-2, 5 SO, 0.95 GAA, .955 SV%)
CIS championship appearances (including 2011): 10th
CIS championship all-time record: 17-10 (.630)
CIS championship all-time medals: 6 (1 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze)
CIS championship best result: 1-time champions (2005)
CIS championship last appearance: 2010 (bronze medal)
CIS championship sequence: 8th straight appearance

No. 6 Alberta Pandas
Head Coach: Howie Draper (14th season)
Regular season record: 17-4-3
Regular season standing: 1st Canada West
Playoff record: 2-2
Playoff finish: Canada West finalists
Final Top 10 ranking (Feb. 22): No. 4
Best Top 10 ranking (17 weeks): No. 1 (1 week: first poll)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (17 weeks): 17
Conference award winners: Howie Draper (coach)
Conference 1st team all-stars: Andrea Boras (D), Leah Copeland (F)
Conference 2nd team all-stars: None
Conference all-rookie team: No all-rookie team in Canada West
Season leader (points): Sarah Hilworth, 26 (24 GP, 13-13-26)
Season leader (goals): Sarah Hilworth, 13 (24 GP)
Season leader (assists): Sarah Hilworth, 13 (24 GP) – Leah Copeland, 13 (24 GP)
Season leader (goaltending): Kanesa Shwetz (13 GP, 8-5, 2 SO, 1.44 GAA, .924 SV%)
CIS championship appearances (including 2011): 12th
CIS championship all-time record: 27-6 (.818)
CIS championship all-time medals: 9 (7 gold, 2 silver)
CIS championship best result: 7-time champions (2010, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2000)
CIS championship last appearance: 2010 (champions)
CIS championship sequence: 9th appearance in 10 years (missed 2009)

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

NOTE 1: All games webcast live by SSN Canada on http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wice
NOTE 2: All games at Waterloo Memorial Recreational Complex

Pool A
1. McGill
4. Queen's
6. Alberta

Pool B
2. StFX
3. Manitoba
5. Laurier

Wednesday, March 9
12:00 Meet the Teams media conference (Delta Kitchener-Waterloo Hotel)
18:00 All-Canadian Banquet (Turret Lounge – Wilfrid Laurier University)

Thursday, March 10
16:00 Pool A #1: No. 6 Alberta vs. No. 1 McGill
19:30 Pool B #1: No. 5 Laurier vs. No. 2 StFX

Friday, March 11
16:00 Pool A #2: Loser Pool A #1 vs. No. 4 Queen's
19:30 Pool B #2: Loser Pool B #1 vs. No. 3 Manitoba

Saturday, March 12
16:00 Pool A #3: Winner Pool A #1 vs. No. 4 Queen's
19:30 Pool B #3: Winner Pool B #1 vs. No. 3 Manitoba

Sunday, March 13
12:00 5th Place
16:00 Bronze
19:30 Final