Jade Iginla scores first international goal to help Canada advance at U18 Worlds

Jade Iginla has officially arrived on the world stage.

After sitting out of Team Canada’s first three games at the 2022 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship with an upper-body injury, Iginla scored her first goal of the tournament on Sunday to help lift her team to a 2–1 win over Team Finland.

Iginla, 17, circled the offensive zone and split a couple of Finnish defenders at the top of the right faceoff circle before firing a heavy wrist shot past goaltender Emilia Kyrkko to give Team Canada a 1–0 lead with 4:56 to play in the first period.

Alexia Aubin and Mckenna van Gelder picked up the assists on the first goal of Iginla’s international career.

Iginla also picked up an assist in her tournament debut on Friday, a 7–0 win over Team Slovakia in the quarterfinal round. The right-handed winger is set to join Brown University’s hockey program beginning in the 2022–23 season.

Jade Iginla is the eldest of Jarome Iginla’s three children. Her younger brothers, Tij and Joe, also play hockey, with the 15-year-old Tij recently being selected ninth overall by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the 2021 WHL Prospects Draft.

After Tilli Keranen scored for Team Finland to tie the game during the second period, Team Canada forward Madison Chantler netted the eventual game-winning goal midway through the final frame.

Iginla and the rest of Team Canada will return to action at the Labahn Ice Arena in Madison, WI on Monday evening to go for the gold medal against either Team USA or Team Sweden.

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