Shannon Szabados back with women's team, keeps toe in men's game

Shannon Szabados says she could write a book about her departure from the Peoria Rivermen, but the goaltender would rather discuss her return to the Canadian women's hockey team.

The 30-year-old from Edmonton was among the 22 women named to Canada's roster Wednesday for a two-game series against the United States in December. The archrivals meet in Plymouth, Mich., on Dec. 17 and again in Sarnia, Ont., on Dec. 19.

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Szabados hasn't been on the ice with the Canadian women since Feb. 20, 2014, when her 27 saves helped Canada win the Olympic women's hockey final in Sochi, Russia.

She's played men's pro hockey in Southern Professional Hockey League since then and most recently with the Rivermen.

The two-time Olympic gold medallist has spent the majority of her hockey career playing with and against men. Szabados knows the adjustments she must make upon her return to women's hockey.

"They're pretty different games for a goalie," she said Wednesday on a conference call.

'Girls play smarter game'

"For the girls, I find they hold onto the puck a little bit more. It's a little more puck possession. The guys never like it when I say this, but the girls play a little bit more of a smarter game. The men, it's a little more run and gun. Where they would take a shot, maybe the girls would take a pass, so as a goalie, it's a little bit more patience.

"One of the big things is tracking. The puck comes off the stick a little bit differently for a girl than it does the guys."

Szabados spent the previous two seasons with the SPHL's Columbus Cottonmouths. Her overall record was 20-20-6 and she carried a save percentage over .900 each year.

Szabados started this season with the Rivermen before her and fellowgoaltenderStorm Phaneuf were released after Peoria's opening weekend in October.

I think I have enough ammunition for a whole book but ... I think it's more important to be professional about it.- Shannon Szabados on being released by the Peoria Rivermen earlier this season

She played parts of two games with a goals-against average of 6.10 and a save percentage of .792.

Rivermen coach Jean-Guy Trudel told CBC Sports after releasing her that he signed Szabados in a "package deal" to get defencemanCarl Nielsento sign as well. Trudel called the two players' relationship "cancerous" on the team.

"There's a lot of things I would love to say," Szabados said. "I don't think they handled it the way it should have went. Maybe there will be a day I can kind of clear the air, but for now, I don't want to get into a he-said, she-said type thing.

"I think I have enough ammunition for a whole book but at the same time I think it's more important to be professional about it."

Deadline for women's team

Szabados said Trudel's comments hurt her chances of joining another SPHL team.

She is currently skating with the Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs men's senior AAA team of the Alberta-based Chinook Hockey League,which includes several former pro and university players.

But Szabados also faced a deadline to return to the national women's squad if she wants to play for Canada in the 2018 Winter Games. There are several women on the national team Szabados has yet to played behind.

Szabados participated in a skills session Wednesday with the national-team players who are based in Calgary. She'd spent the previous day working with women's team goaltending coach Brad Kirkwood.

Szabados expects to split her time between Calgary and Edmonton. She'll supplement ice time with the Chiefs by skating with her former men's college team in Edmonton.

Canada's roster for the December series includes 14 players who won Olympic gold in Sochi. The Americans have won six of the last seven world titles.

Canada roster

FORWARDS

• Meghan Agosta, Ruthven, Ont.
• Emily Clark, Saskatoon
• Haley Irwin, Thunder Bay, Ont.
• Brianne Jenner, Oakville, Ont.
• Rebecca Johnston, Sudbury, Ont.
• Sarah Potomak, Aldergrove, B.C.
• Amy Potomak, Aldergrove, B.C.
• Marie-Philip Poulin, Beauceville, Que.
• Jillian Saulnier, Halifax
• Sophie Shirley, Saskatoon
• Natalie Spooner, Scarborough, Ont.
• Blayre Turnbull, Stellarton, N.S.
• Jennifer Wakefield, Pickering, Ont.

DEFENCE

• Erin Ambrose, Keswick, Ont.
• Laura Fortino, Hamilton
• Micah Hart, Saanichton, B.C.
• Halli Krzyzaniak, Neepawa, Man.
• Jocelyne Larocque, Ste. Anne, Man.
• Meaghan Mikkelson, St. Albert, Alta.
• Lauriane Rougeau, Beaconsfield, Que.

GOALIES

• Ann-Rene Desbiens, La Malbaie, Que.
• Shannon Szabados, Edmonton