Hockey players from Waterloo Region win bronze at world women’s under-18 championship

Two players from Waterloo Region helped Canada pull off a win in the bronze-medal game at the world women’s under-18 hockey championship.

The team skated away with an 8-1 victory over Finland on Sunday, with both Caitlin Kraemer and Abby Stonehouse scoring two goals each.

CAITLIN KRAEMER

Kraemer, 17, has played with the Waterloo Ravens for most of her life.

She helped Canada’s under-18 team get the gold medal last year and said her teammates set the standard with their leadership skills and showed her how to be a good teammate.

“This year, I learned so much how to make those connections, and I’ve just really enjoyed getting to know these girls.”

Caitlin Kraemer of Waterloo, Ont. is the all-time top goal scorer at the U-18 Women’s World Championships.

Canada had hoped for its third-straight gold medal at the championship but ultimately lost their chance with a 4-2 loss to Czechia in the semifinals.

Coach Tara Watchorn said her message to the team ahead of the bronze-medal game was “stick together.”

“Let’s have another day to celebrate the time we have together and go on representing our country with pride,” she recalled.

Kraemer said the team really rallied together.

“I think just knowing that we’re capable of so much more, and never letting our love and belief in each other go. Just staying focused and finishing the tournament the way we wanted to finish.”

In the end, Kraemer scored twice and helped secure Canada’s win over Finland.

“It means a lot that we were able to jump back,” she explained. “Honestly, we didn’t come out with the colour [medal] we wanted, but we’re not going to take for granted that we did medal in the world championship. That’s pretty special and I know a lot of teens would want to be in our shoes.”

Kraemer also made history as the all-time leading scorer with a career total of 20 goals.

Ten of those she made at this year’s tournament.

Watchorn calls Kraemer a “really, really special player.”

“She was a great leader for us this time around,” she said after Sunday’s game. “It was fun to watch her play and elevate the people next to her and represent.”

This is Kraemer’s last time competing with the under-18 team.

She’s headed to the University of Minnesota Duluth but will still be cheering on her former teammates.

“I’m going to be watching and support them,” Kraemer said.

ABBY STONEHOUSE

Stonehouse, 17, also plays for the Waterloo Ravens and scored twice in Canada’s bronze-medal game.

“I think I played well,” she said after the match. “It says a lot about our team that we stuck together and pulled through. We ended on a high note. We showed that we can handle adversity. I’m really proud of this team.”

Stonehouse had a total of four goals and seven assists throughout the tournament.

She’ll play with the Ravens for the rest of the season before leaving for a U.S. university.

“I’m going to head off to Penn State, which I’m super excited about,” Stonehouse said. “[I’ll] continue to grow my game and develop and see where that takes me in the future.”

Caitlin Kraemer and Abby Stonehouse.

MORE FROM THE TEAM

Kraemer and Stonehouse weren’t the only ones in the spotlight after Sunday’s game.

Chloe Primerano of North Vancouver, B.C. also scored twice against Finland.

She finished with 16 points and set a new single-tournament record by a defender.

Primerano also had the second-highest points total in championship history, just three points shy of American Amanda Kessel.

Team Canada after their bronze-medal winning game at the women's under-18 hockey championship on Jan. 14, 2024. (Source: Hockey Canada)

GOING FOR GOLD

The U.S. faced off against Czechia on Sunday in the gold-medal game.

The Americans would go on to win the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship title in Zug, Switzerland.

They defeated Czechia 5-1.