Three members of Esso Cup champion Queens given Hockey Canada U-18 opportunity

July 26 -- Success brings interest! Interest provides an opportunity!

Both interest and opportunity have been given to three members of the Esso Cup national female midget hockey champion Thunder Bay Sportop Queens.

Goaltender Amanda Makela has been invited to take part in the Hockey Canada national women's program goaltending camp that runs Aug. 1-5 at the Mastercard Centre in Toronto.

Makela is one of six netminders, under the age of 18, who will compete in the five-day event looking to earn a further invite to the Canadian national women's under-18 selection camp, which goes Aug. 6-15, also at the Mastercard Centre.

She will hope to join teammates, in Esso Cup most valuable player, Kaitlyn Tougas along with Brittany Zuback in vying for a berth on the Canadian U-18 side.

The two forwards are among 35 skaters chosen to take part in the U-18 selection camp along with the four to be named goaltenders.

Over the course of 10-day get together the prospects will be divided into two teams that will take part in practices and inter-squad games.

They will also have scrimmages against selected sides from the Canadian women's under-22 camp, which will be held in Toronto at the same time.

Following the completion of the U-18 camp a 22-player roster will be chosen to play for Canada in the three-game exhibition series vs. their Team USA under-18 counterparts Aug. 18-19 & 21 in Lake Placid, N.Y.