BY RANDY SCHULTZ – (Photo: Emily Janiga center) – Emily Janiga thought she had accomplished everything she could do in ice hockey. The East Aurora, NY native had a successful hockey career in high school while attending Nichols School in Buffalo.

From there it was on to Erie, PA and Mercyhurst College where success seem to follow her with four outstanding seasons with the Lakers. She topped that by being drafted by the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) and helping them win the Isobel Cup in 2017.

What more could there be for Janiga to prove? The answer came in the summer of 2017 when the 24 year-old forward accepted the opportunity to serve as a sport ambassador to Team China, a women’s development program for hockey aimed at the 2022 Winter Olympics to be held in Beijing, China.

While it may have looked like a relatively easy decision to make, Janiga had to think about it for a short period of time. And for a good reason.

“Growing up in the little community I did, I really hadn’t been to far from there my whole life,” said Janiga, the daughter of Leonard and Mabel Janiga. “Sure, I had gone to Mercyhurst which was just a couple of hours from my house.

“And I had been to Mexico once for my sister-in-laws bachelorette party. But it wasn’t for an extended period of time.  I had been back and forth to Canada for hockey games. But this trip to China was going to be for several months.

“I really felt I had to leave that comfort zone and always being near to home. So I accepted the opportunity.”

Janiga will be the first one to also tell you that a second thought about her decision went through her mind following her 14 hour flight to China.

“It was culture shock,” responded Janiga, the 2015 College Hockey America (CHA) Player of the Year. “That’s the only way I can describe it.

“I remember getting off that plane in Hong Cong and seeing nothing but people. Everywhere! It was just overwhelming.”

In addition to her role as a sport ambassador, Janiga also signed a contract to play pro hockey with the Vanke Rays, one of China’s two pro hockey expansion teams that began play in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League for the 2017-18 campaign.

“It was a great opportunity for me,” said the 2014 and 2015 All-CHA First Team member. “I could continue playing the sport I love while teaching it to players just being introduced to the game for the first time.”

But Janiga admitted that it wasn’t as easy as one would think when she first arrived in China.

“There was a big difference in food and language,” commented Janiga. “That was quite an adjustment to make. Going out to get groceries was an experience. And the city I lived in, Shenzhen, has something like 12 million people living in it.  For someone who grew up where I did in a town that has less than 7000 people that was a big adjustment to get used to.”

But there was always one thing that kept Janiga calm.

“Hockey,” stated Janiga, with a smile.

“Hockey is hockey, no matter where you play it,” she continued. “And being able to develop the sport and helping it grow in another country like China, is a great opportunity.

“Working with Chinese players that had good skills, was a good experience. It was a great feeling to watch these players grow as players every day. It was a lot of hard work, but I really didn’t mind that.”

Hard work is something Janiga is quite used to. Having grown up on a 1000-acre farm, with the main crop being sweet corn, the hockey forward knew what early hours were like both on the farm and playing hockey.

Janiga recently signed a contract with the Beauts to play for them again for the 2018-19 season. She admits that she is a bit of a different person coming back to her roots.

“I really think I grew as a person with the time I spent in China,” concluded Janiga. “It was a great experience to help grow the game in another country. It was also a chance to raise the awareness of women’s hockey.

“In the end it was an awesome experience for me. I know I will have a different feeling for the Chinese when it comes time for the 2022 Winter Olympics, especially with hockey. While I’ll still be pulling for Team USA, it will be interesting to see how China does. And I know I will have had a small part in their success. That’s a great feeling.

“I think I’ve also become a better person. I have a different outlook on life. I stepped outside my comfort zone.

“It was an awesome experience.”

(Photo by Janet Schultz Photography)

by Janet Schultz

It’s been an active off-season for the National Womens Hockey League (NWHL) with coaching announcements, player signings and expansion.

The Minnesota Whitecaps have officially joined the NWHL, making them the first expansion team for the league. Founded in 2004, the Whitecaps are the fifth team in the NWHL and will play at TRIA Rink in their debut on October 6.

Among the Whitecap’s alumni are hockey legends Angela Ruggiero, Julie Chu and Natalie Darwitz. The Olympic gold medal-winning Team USA in 2018 included Whitecaps Hannah Brandt, Kendall Coyne, Jocelyn Lamoureux-Davidson, Monique Lomoureux-Morando and Alex Rigsby. Lisa Chesson, a member of the Buffalo Beauts, is a former member of the Whitecaps.

The entire coaching staff of the Whitecaps are people who took part in the club’s inaugural season in 2004. They include Co-Head Coaches Ronda Curtin Engelhardt and Jack Bodt. They will be joined by assistant coach Laura Slominski.

“I’m humbled to be part of the Whitecaps and I want to extend a big thanks to all the people involved in getting the NWHL off the ground and giving players a place to play after college,” said Engelhardt.

The Whitecaps will be in Buffalo December 29 and 30 and play the Riveters October 20 and 21 at Barnabas Health Center.

In other NWHL news Paul Mara has been named assistant coach for the Boston Pride. Mara played in the NHL with Tamp, Phoenix, Boston, New York and Anaheim.

NY native Dana Trivigno has re-signed with the Boston Pride. She was named to the NWHL All-Star game in 2017 and played on Team NWHL in the game against Team USA. She had 6 goals/11 assists for 17 points last season.

The Metropolitan Riveters are headed to play SDHL Lulea Hockey in Sweden September 24 through 30.

Cydney Roesler has been named assistant coach for the Connecticut Whale. She will also play defense for the team. Last season Roesler was a volunteer assistant coach at Quinnipiac.

Melissa Sheeran of Schaghticoke, NY has signed with the Whale. She is a graduate of Plattsburgh and a 2018 recipient of the Laura Hurd Award.

Buffalo Beauts

Buffalo has re-signed a number of players and added several to their roster including Julianna Iafallo of Eden and Annika Zalewski, New Hartford. Iafallo played for Nichols School and then Ohio State. Zalewski also comes from Nichols School and then played at Colgate University, where she served as captain. She was drafted 14th overall. The Beauts also added Savannah Harmon, drafted sixth overall in 2017, who comes from Downes Grove, Ill and played for Clarkson who took home two national championships. She served as the Golden Knights captain last season.

Dani Cameranesi joins the team after helping Team USA take the gold in PyeongChang in 2018. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. The Beauts also added Goaltender Nicole Hensley, another gold medal team member, from Lindenwood University. Goaltender Shannon Szabados comes to Buffalo after playing on Team Canada in 2018; she is from Edmonton, Alberta.

Among those re-signed are Hayley Scumurra (Williamsville/Nichols/Northeastern), Maddie Elia (Lewiston/Nichols/Boston U), Lisa Chesson (Plainfield, Ill/Ohio State), Jordon Juron (Latham NY/Boston U), Jacquie Greco (Buffalo/Syracuse University), Julia DiTondo (played one pre-season game last year Kenmore/Mercyhurst), Emily Janiga (East Aurora/Mercyhurst), Sarah Edney I(Mississagua/Harvard), Taylor Accursi (Ancaster, Ont/Mercyhurst), Sarah Casorso (Kelowna BC/University of BC), Jordyn Burns (Chanhassen, Minn/Syracuse University).

The Beauts also came to terms with Goaltender Nicole Hensely. She won the gold with Team USA in 2018 and previously won gold with Team USA in the 2016 and 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championship. Also returning is Corinne Buie who has won two Isobel Cups in her three seasons in the NWHL; she also served as the Beauts Captain last season.

Most recently they re-signed Olympic Gold medalist and Buffalo native Emily Pfalzer.

Some moves have also been made with Kelly Babstock coming from the Whale, Goaltender Amanda Leveille heading to Minnesota to play for the Whitecaps, Kristen Lewicki left Buffalo for the Riveters.

The Beauts will open their season at home on Saturday, October 13 against the Connecticut Whale.

Metropolitan (formerly New York) Riveters

Amanda Kessel is returning to the NWHL after playing in the 2018 Olympics. She was a Patty Kazmaier winner from Madison, Wisconsin and played for the University of Minnesota.

The Riveters have re-signed Sarah Bryant (Providence College), Katie Fitzgerald (St. Cloud), and Kimberly Sass (East Amherst/Colgate), Kelly Nash (University of Wisconsin), Rebecca Morse (Providence College), Audra Richards (Providence and University of Maine), Courtney Burke (Albany/University of Wisconsin), Michelle Pickard (Harvard), Jenny Ryan (Victor NY/University of Wisconsin), Miye D’Oench New York/Harvard), Chelsea Ziadie (Quebec/Harvard), Rebecca Russo Westport Ct/Boston U), Kelsey Koelzer (Horsham Pa/Princeton),

Pittsburgh will host the Riveters when they play the Whale on December 2 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.

The Riveters open their season in Minnesota on October 6 and 7. They will hold their home opener Saturday, October 20 against the Whitecaps.

Tickets for NWHL game are now available. Go to NWHL.zone for more information.