2011–12 CWHL season


The 2011–12 CWHL season was the fifth in league history. Regular season play begun on October 22, 2011, as the defending champion Montreal Stars hosted the Brampton Thunder. The league expanded from five teams to six as Team Alberta (CWHL) joined the league for competitive play. The 2012 Clarkson Cup in Niagara Falls was also contested between the Stars and Thunder, with Montreal winning its second consecutive title.

Offseason

News and notes

  • April 19: The league announced on April 19, 2011, that it would merge with the Western Women's Hockey League for the 2011-12 season. The merger featured one team based in Edmonton and Calgary and was a combination of the former WWHL franchises the Edmonton Chimos and Strathmore Rockies. The team would play their games in various locations around Alberta. Strathmore Rockies founder Samantha Holmes-Domagala, joined the sponsorship division of the CWHL to look after the requirements of the expansion team.
  • July 21, 2011: Philanthropist Joan Snyder donated $2 million to Winsport Canada. The goal was to ensure priority rink access to female hockey players at all levels, and to help expand the Canadian Women's Hockey League with the creation of Team Alberta. Part of the donation would cover the new addition to the Athletic and Ice Complex at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary. This would serve as the future home to Hockey Canada. In addition, there would be four hockey rinks, one of which would aptly be named the Joan Snyder Rink. Team Alberta would benefit with the allocation of free practice time, and a dressing room exclusive to the club.

CWHL Draft

The following are the first ten overall picks in the CWHL Draft. For further detail, please see 2011 CWHL Draft
PickPlayerTeam
1Meghan AgostaMontreal Stars
2Molly SchausBoston Blades
3Meaghan MikkelsonTeam Alberta (CWHL)
4Vicki BendusBrampton Thunder
5Jesse ScanzanoToronto CWHL
6Courtney BirchardBrampton Thunder
7Catherine WardMontreal Stars
8Meghan DugganBoston Blades
9Bobbi-Jo SlusarTeam Alberta
10Sommer WestBurlington Barracudas

NCAA exhibition

  • On November 2, 2011, Scanzano was on loan from the Toronto Furies, as she appeared in one game for the Brampton Thunder. The game was an exhibition contest versus her alma mater, the Mercyhurst Lakers. In the second period of said contest, Scanzano scored the game-winning goal as the Thunder defeated the Lakers by a 3-1 tally.

Regular season

News and notes

  • October 13, 2011: The CWHL participated in two charity hockey games for cancer research at Windsor Arena. The event was called 'Stick It To Cancer' and the Montreal Stars competed versus the Toronto Furies in two games on Nov. 26 and 27. The campaign was organized in partnership by the CWHL, along with Breast Ride Ever, a not-for-profit organization. Proceeds from the games benefitted local cancer programs and the Hospice of Windsor and Essex County.
  • On November 18, 2011, several Burlington Barracudas players competed in the first ever Hockey Helps the Homeless Women's Tournament, held at the Magna Centre in Newmarket, Ontario.
  • On November 19, at Montreal, the second annual "Game on to beat breast cancer" benefit. The target to surpass the previous year's donation results was far exceeded. A new attendance record was also set at the game, with over 1,100 fans in the stands.
  • On December 8, Montréal Stars offered a cheque for close to $15,000 to the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation
  • Barracudas players Christina Kessler and Shannon Moulson were part of an event at Power Play Sports in Niagara Falls, Ontario on December 20, 2011 to promote the 2012 Clarkson Cup. After the event, they met players from the NFGHA for photographs and autographs.

Season standings

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points.
No.TeamGPWLOTLGFGAPts
1Montreal Stars2722411606651
2Boston Blades2720701076146
3Brampton Thunder2718721028040
4Toronto Furies2791357510526
5Alberta CWHL155100386620
6Burlington Barracudas271260461502

Team Alberta CWHL played only half of the number of regular matches. This was because of the geographical estrangement. Points were consequently adjusted with another teams.
Reference

League leaders

Scoring leaders

PlayersTEAMGPGAPTSPIM
Montreal Stars2741398016
Montreal Stars2730366612
Montreal Stars2724254926
Boston Blades2724174116
Brampton Thunder2719203970
Montreal Stars2412223416
Brampton Thunder2512213310
Boston Blades2611223310
Boston Blades2711213224
Montreal Stars272293128
Brampton Thunder2715142918
Montreal Stars1410182830
Montreal Stars2110172724
Brampton Thunder274232722
Montreal Stars17816242

Goaltending leaders

PlayerTEAMGPMINWLOTLGASOGAA
Boston Blade231386:051670002.38
Montreal Stars231358:131940022.39
Brampton Thunder201206:061361012.94
Toronto Furies9525:00251102.97
Team Alberta CWHL10603:33460003.98
Toronto Furies16933:13572214.11
Burlington Barracudas11634:441100005.10
Burlington Barracudas13675:120110005.86

Reference

Awards and honours

The 2012 CWHL Awards Banquet was held on Mar. 21, 2012 in Niagara Falls, ON. That night, the league formally recognized the Angela James Bowl winner, the Most Valuable Player, the Goaltender of the Year, the Rookie of the Year, and the Coach of the Year.

CWHL Top Players

CWHL All-Stars

First Team All-Stars
Second Team All-Stars

CWHL All-Rookie Team

CWHL Monthly Top Scorer

Postseason

The postseason was held at the Gale Centre in Niagara Falls, Ontario. All teams played in a round robin to determine the contestants in the Clarkson Cup finals.
DateAwayHomeScore
March 22TorontoMontrealMontreal, 7-0
March 22BramptonBostonBrampton, 3-2
March 23TorontoBostonBoston, 5-2
March 23BramptonMontrealMontreal, 2-0
March 24TorontoBramptonBrampton, 4-2
March 24BostonMontrealMontreal, 5-4

TeamWLOTLGFGA
Montreal300144
Brampton21076
Boston1111110
Toronto030416