Sarah Vaillancourt
Encyclopedia
Sarah Marie Vaillancourt (born May 8, 1985 in Sherbrooke, Quebec
) is a Canadian
women's ice hockey
player. She is a member of the Canadian national women's hockey team
and a member of Montreal Stars
(CWHL).
. She graduated from high school as a tri-varsity captain and athlete from Pomfret School
in Pomfret, Connecticut as a member of the class of 2004.
program and won the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2008. Her freshman year was in 2004-05, and she finished fifth in the nation, and first among freshmen, in scoring with 2.31 points per game.
, where she would go on to play at the 2005 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships
in Sweden
. In her first game ever, she led Canada with 6 points in an 13-0 win over the Kazakhstani national women's ice hockey team
. This tied a record for most points in a game on the Canadian national team. She would finish the tournament with 8 points. On February 20, 2006, Vaillancourt, as the second youngest member of the team, won a team gold medal in Turin with the Canadian Women's Hockey team beating Sweden in the final game and outscoring their opponents 46 to 2.
, Vaillancourt scored a goal in the third period. By winning the 2011 Clarkson Cup
, Vaillancourt became an unofficial member of the Triple Gold Club (the accomplishment by women is not yet officially recognized by the IIHF), as she became one of only four women to win the Clarkson Cup, a gold medal in the Winter Olympics
, and a gold medal at the IIHF World Women's Championships. The other women include Caroline Ouellette
, Jenny Potter
and Kim St. Pierre.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
women's ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. She is a member of the Canadian national women's hockey team
Canadian national women's hockey team
The Canadian women's national ice hockey team is controlled by Hockey Canada. Canada has been by far one of the two most dominant teams in international competition. They have won the majority of major ice hockey tournaments, while their losses have only been against the United States and Sweden...
and a member of Montreal Stars
Montreal Stars
The Montreal Stars are a professional women's ice hockey team that plays in Montreal, Quebec. The team was awarded the Clarkson Cup in 2009 and 2011 for winning the highest honour in North American women's hockey. . The team has played in the Canadian Women's Hockey League since 2007 its...
(CWHL).
Playing career
Sarah Vaillancourt was the captain of Canada’s Under 22 team at the 2007 Air Canada Cup. In 2003, she was the captain of Team Québec at the Canada Winter Games that won the Silver Medal. One of her teammates was future Olympian Catherine WardCatherine Ward
Catherine Ward is a member of the Canada women's national ice hockey team. She was also a member of the 2008–09 McGill Martlets women's hockey season, which won a Canadian Interuniversity Sport title...
. She graduated from high school as a tri-varsity captain and athlete from Pomfret School
Pomfret School
Pomfret School is an independent coeducational boarding and day school in Pomfret, Connecticut, United States for grades 9 through 12 plus a post-graduate year. Pomfret School was founded in 1894, on the principles of intellectual rigor and the development of character...
in Pomfret, Connecticut as a member of the class of 2004.
Harvard Crimson
She was a star for the Harvard Crimson women's ice hockeyHarvard Crimson women's ice hockey
The Harvard Crimson women's ice hockey team represents Harvard University in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women's hockey. Harvard competes as a member of the ECAC Conference and plays its home games at the Bright Hockey Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.-History:In the...
program and won the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2008. Her freshman year was in 2004-05, and she finished fifth in the nation, and first among freshmen, in scoring with 2.31 points per game.
Hockey Canada
In 2005, she made the Canadian national women's hockey teamCanadian national women's hockey team
The Canadian women's national ice hockey team is controlled by Hockey Canada. Canada has been by far one of the two most dominant teams in international competition. They have won the majority of major ice hockey tournaments, while their losses have only been against the United States and Sweden...
, where she would go on to play at the 2005 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships
2005 Women's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2005 IIHF World Women's Championships was held April 2–9, 2005, in Linköping, at Cloetta Center, and Norrköping, at Himmelstalundshallen, in Sweden. USA won their first ever gold medal at the World Championships, defeating the defending champions Canada in a penalty shootout...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. In her first game ever, she led Canada with 6 points in an 13-0 win over the Kazakhstani national women's ice hockey team
Kazakhstani national women's ice hockey team
The Kazakhstan women's national ice hockey team represents Kazakhstan at the International Ice Hockey Federation's IIHF World Women's Championships. The women's national team is controlled by Kazakhstan Ice Hockey Federation. Kazakhstan has 127 female players in 2011.-History:The Kazakhstani...
. This tied a record for most points in a game on the Canadian national team. She would finish the tournament with 8 points. On February 20, 2006, Vaillancourt, as the second youngest member of the team, won a team gold medal in Turin with the Canadian Women's Hockey team beating Sweden in the final game and outscoring their opponents 46 to 2.
Montreal Stars
In the championship game of the 2011 Clarkson Cup2011 Clarkson Cup
The 2011 Clarkson Cup will be contested at the Barrie Molson Centre in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. The four competing teams will include three from the Canadian Women's Hockey League and one from the Western Women's Hockey League. All teams play each other in a round robin Thursday March 24 through...
, Vaillancourt scored a goal in the third period. By winning the 2011 Clarkson Cup
2011 Clarkson Cup
The 2011 Clarkson Cup will be contested at the Barrie Molson Centre in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. The four competing teams will include three from the Canadian Women's Hockey League and one from the Western Women's Hockey League. All teams play each other in a round robin Thursday March 24 through...
, Vaillancourt became an unofficial member of the Triple Gold Club (the accomplishment by women is not yet officially recognized by the IIHF), as she became one of only four women to win the Clarkson Cup, a gold medal in the Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the...
, and a gold medal at the IIHF World Women's Championships. The other women include Caroline Ouellette
Caroline Ouellette
Caroline Ouellette is a Canadian ice hockey player. She is a member of the Canadian national women's ice hockey team and a member of Montreal Stars...
, Jenny Potter
Jenny Potter
Jenny Schmidgall-Potter is an American ice hockey player. She is a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team. She won a gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics, silver medals at the 2002 Winter Olympics and 2010 Winter Olympics, and a bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics...
and Kim St. Pierre.
Hockey Canada
| Event | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | PIM |
| 2005 Women's World Championships | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 2 |
| 2006 Olympics | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| 2007 Women's World Championships | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| 2008 Women's World Championships | 5 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 |
| 2009 Women's World Championships | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 |
| 2010 Olympics | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 |
Awards and honors
- 2004-05 All USCHO.com Rookie Team
- Top 10 Finalist for 2007 Patty Kazmaier Award
- First Team All-Ivy League, 2007–08, Harvard (Junior), Unanimous selection
- Ivy League Player of the Year 2007-08, Harvard (Junior), Unanimous selection
- 2009 First Team All-Ivy League
- Sarah Vaillancourt, 2009 First Team All-ECAC
- 2009 ECAC Player of the Year
- 2011 Clarkson Cup2011 Clarkson CupThe 2011 Clarkson Cup will be contested at the Barrie Molson Centre in Barrie, Ontario, Canada. The four competing teams will include three from the Canadian Women's Hockey League and one from the Western Women's Hockey League. All teams play each other in a round robin Thursday March 24 through...
Tournament Most Valuable Player