Playing big
Newest Panther Leah Byrne led Nova Scotia league in scoring
Leah Byrne is leaving one Panthers team for another.
The forward from Glace Bay, N.S., has committed to UPEI for the upcoming season after playing for the MacIntyre Chevy Panthers in 2016-17.
“I’m very excited to be attending UPEI and play for the women’s hockey team,” said Byrne. “It has always been a goal of mine to be able to play (university) women’s hockey and I am grateful to have this opportunity.”
Byrne won the Nova Scotia female midget AAA scoring title last season, notching 21 points in 18 games. Two of her 13 goals came on the power play.
UPEI head coach Bruce Donaldson said he is not concerned about her height, estimated to be about five-foot-three, because of her willingness to compete and her skillset.
“She really sees the ice very well, so I think if we can complement her with some size on the line, she’ll find them,” he said. “She doesn’t mind competing for pucks and battling for them and she’s very deceptive in terms of her strength.”
The head coach said the team does have good size and has added more this off-season.
She led the league in scoring while captaining a Panthers team that finished last in the four-team league with a 4-13-1 record.
“It shows a lot in terms of character and skill set,” Donaldson said. “She never gave up and she always believed in her team and her teammates and led by example.”
In Glace Bay, Byrne played for Panther defenceman Kristen MacIntyre’s Floyd. Donaldson said he remembered Floyd speaking highly of his captain.
“Everybody is getting lost in the fact that she’s small, but you know what, there’s nothing about her game that’s small,” Donaldson said Floyd told him.
Byrne is the fifth member of the Panthers recruiting class to be announced.
Tyler Way is a forward from London, Ont.; Camille Scherger is a goalie from Lloydminster, Alta.; and Shelby Foran is a forward from Miramichi, N.B.
The Panthers recently announced the addition of Winnipeg Avros defenceman Sophie Vandale.
“I am super excited about my opportunity to move east to play and study at the University of Prince Edward Island,” said Vandale. “I am obviously looking forward to meeting my teammates and being part of the Panther family. I am honoured to be wearing the school logo and can’t wait to begin the new chapter in August.”
Donaldson said the Panthers saw Vandale during a recruiting trip to Notre Dame in Wilcox, Sask. She has a good skillset, including a good first pass and can get her shot on net.
“She doesn’t mind the battle and compete piece of (the game),” Donaldson said. “She’s very good on the one-on-ones, net-front positioning and corner battling.”
The Panthers (14-9-1) finished fourth in the Atlantic University Sport regular season in 2016-17. They lost 2-0 to Moncton in the best-of-three first-round series with both games decided by a goal.
Goalie Marie Soleil Deschenes, captain Kiana Strand, Teagan Pringle and Cornelia Geib all played their final season with the Panthers while defenceman Emma Martin is returning for her fifth year and will be the team’s captain.