A Female Trailblazer’s Next Notch

female hockey 5Three members of the Columbus team were happy to attest to Szabados’s ability. Johnson, Andy Willigar and Jordan Draper played alongside Szabados at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and they all praised her to Bechard. Johnson said he “was in Boom-Boom’s ear” about signing Szabados as soon as he arrived here last year.

“Maybe for me, it was a little bit selfish,” Johnson said. “I want to win, and she’s won at every level she’s competed at.”

Johnson added: “There’s not a doubt in my mind that she’s going to do well here. She’s extremely fast and super, super athletic.”

Thursday’s morning skate was only the second time Szabados had been on the ice in the three weeks since Canada’s 3-2 overtime win against the United States in the final. The other time was at a practice last week with her hometown N.H.L. team, the Oilers, who were down a goaltender after making a trade.

She claimed to be rusty, but it was hard to tell. The Cottonmouths, like the Oilers, found her difficult to score on. Bechard, who took a few shots in vain, said, “She’s really good at closing holes and controlling rebounds.”

Johnson, a defenseman with one goal in 47 games, got a puck past her. So did Matt Gingera, a forward from Winnipeg who said he watched women’s hockey during the Olympics and wondered if he would have been able to score on Szabados.

“It’s very cool we get to play with her,” Gingera said. “Watching her on TV during the Olympics, she’s like a celebrity.”

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