‘Words can’t describe how I feel right now’
Jackson reaches women’s hockey pinnacle in first year in Toronto
The Isobel Cup is coming to Nova Scotia. Hastings native Carly Jackson will bring the cup to Amherst this summer after the Toronto 6 defeated the Minnesota Whitecaps 4-3 in overtime in Tempe, Az. on March 26 to claim their first Premier Hockey Federation championship.
Jackson, who plays goal for Toronto, is in her first season with the 6 after spending the previous two seasons with the Buffalo Beauts.
“Words can’t describe how I feel right now,” Jackson said a day later from her hotel in Arizona. “A couple of people asked me that already and my best response was sending them a couple of photos. That’s the best way to describe it.”
The 25-year-old is the only Nova Scotian on the championship team. Jackson had a 5-0 record backing up starting goalie Elaine Chuli. She also had a 1.90 goals against average is six games.
Jackson described the championship game, shown nationally on ESPN in the U.S. and on TSN in Canada, as intense with the 6 coming back from a 3-2 deficit early in the third period and then tying it to force overtime where Tereza Vanisova won it.
“What an amazing finish,” said Jackson, who plans to return to Nova Scotia in May and will be captain of Team Nova Scotia’s summer national senior women’s baseball championship.
“I haven’t won a championship in a long time. I came to Toronto to win a championship and I couldn’t be happier,” she said. “It’s everything I’ve ever wanted. I’m just trying to soak it all in and enjoy every single moment of the celebration. It feels like a blur, it’s been kind of nuts.”
Like the Stanley Cup, each of the players on the winning team had an opportunity to lift the Isobel Cup and skate a lap at the Mullet Arena.
“This is our Stanley Cup … we’ll each have our time with the cup this summer. I’m bringing it home to Amherst and there’ll be a parade.”
While Jackson’s father, Rob, has travelled to many of her games through her
“I came to Toronto to win a championship and I couldn’t be happier.”
Carly Jackson
college career at the University of Maine and got to a few of her professional games during two COVID seasons, he wasn’t able to attend the final game in Arizona. The family held a viewing party and she was able to call and celebrate with them.
And Jackson hasn’t forgotten her roots. The graduate of the Cumberland County Minor Hockey Association and the Cumberland County Junior B Blues is proud of where she comes from.
“I’ve been in other communities and around other parts of Canada and the United States. If I could do it all again, I’d have the same development in Nova Scotia and I’m so happy I grew up there,” she said.
“I believe if you work hard, be a good teammate, a good person and you learn every day there’s nothing that can hold you back. I’m proud of being an example of that.”
With the end of the season, Jackson is now a free agent and open to returning to the 6, but said it’s too early to discuss next season.