News Out Of Jaca

This image is of Jaca, Spain. If you're unfamiliar with the city, that star-shaped fortress is the Citadel, the last remaining Spanish fortress built in this shape. With the original work on the Citadel beginning between 1592 and 1595, the fortress was built as a strategic measure due to its location, but wasn't finished until the 18th century. Thanks to Jaca's location just in northeastern Spain, it was the fortress that defended the Pyrenees. The fortress saw the French control it for a short time while they repelled the Gauls, but there's a long, storied history that can be told if one is to visit the Citadel.

You're not here for Travel Blog In Canada, though, because we do a little hockey chatter on this site. In saying that, Jaca is the site of the 2022 Women's World Division II Group A Ice Hockey Championship, and the city is playing host to teams from Great Britain, Latvia, Chinese Taipei, Mexico, and the host Spanish squad! Five teams are looking to climb the ladder to the next IIHF level, so let's take a quick peek at why HBIC is keeping an eye on a city in Spain this week!

I'm not overly concerned with four of these teams, but I am watching the results of the Great Britain team thanks to one player. As we spoke about early in the Canada West season, Ella Howard, a goaltender for the Calgary Dinos, plays for Team Great Britain thanks to her being born in Milton Keynes, England. Ella played one period against the Bisons during that opening weekend of Canada West hockey, looking solid as she surrendered no goals, but she's back with Team Great Britain this week as they aim to win the 2022 Women's World Division II Group A Ice Hockey Championship.

Game One went today as Great Britain met Chinese Taipei in their opening games, and I had to find out who was playing in the British net. I can report that it wasn't Ella Howard, but, instead, the starting netminder for Team Great Britain in Nicole Jackson.

I'm not disappointed by this as I'm quite certain that Ella Howard will start at least one of the games in this tournament, but I want to see the Calgary netminder of the future step in and perform well. In case you were wondering, Team Great Britain won their first game 8-0 over Chinese Taipei with Jackson recording the eleven-save shutout.

Great Britain will play Spain on Tuesday, Mexico on Thursday, and Latvia on Friday to close out the round-robin before jumping into the medal round, but getting that first win puts them atop the pool early in this competition as there was an upset on the first day of action!

Speaking of Spanish fortresses, we might want to give that name to Alba Gonzalo as she made 26 stops to shut out Latvia in those teams' opening games of the tournament! It took a shootout for the Spaniards to defeat the Latvians, but the 1-0 shootout win is rather shocking considering Latvia's history playing the game!

We probably shouldn't be surprised by Gonzalo's success, though, as she's one of the goaltenders on HV71 in the SDHL. The 24 year-old played 13 games with the Swedish sqaud this year, compiling a 7-6-0 record on the strength of a 2.40 GAA and a .908 save percentage. While Lina van Noort played the majority of the games, there's something to be said for getting players into higher-calibre leagues so they can continue to get better. Gonzalo is proof of that strategy working as she put up a wall against the Latvians!

The Spaniards might be in for a tougher game on Tuesday with the high-flying Brits, but they'll need Gonzalo at her best again. And she could perhaps be standing some 200-feet away from a goaltender we're getting to know here in Canada in Ella Howard. Either way, the clash between the Spaniards and the British will be one of the better games on the schedule for the 2022 Women's World Division II Group A Ice Hockey Championship, so make sure you're following along on the IIHF website!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!