panoo

Old times, big hair
1990 world champs reunite in 'Peg
By KIRK PENTON, SUN MEDIA

The Canadian women's hockey team went back in time last Friday night in Dauphin, and it was a trip that veteran forward Vicky Sunohara enjoyed quite a bit.

Perhaps to give the team a little inspiration, head coach Melody Davidson popped in a tape of Canada's win over the U.S. in the final of the 1990 World Women's Hockey Championship, which was the first time the event was held.

It must have been weird for Sunohara, who was on that 1990 squad and is still going strong with the team today.

Last Friday night, she donned her pink and blue team track suit and did her hair the same way it appeared in the team picture 17 years ago.

"Everybody just looked, and then it was like a standing ovation," Davidson recalled yesterday. "Everybody got up and just clapped. Vicky actually looked like she was at her wedding walking in."

Actually, six or seven members of the team sent their hair back in time as well for the viewing of the historic event.

"It was: How high can you get it?" Sunohara said yesterday. "It was so funny when the girls did their hair like that. I wish the 1990s team was there to see that, because they would have appreciated it."

MORE EXCITED

Sunohara said her teammates, some of whom had never seen the 1990 championship game, were more excited to watch it than she thought they'd be.

"We were free to go after one period, but I can tell you most of the team stuck around and watched and asked questions about players," she said. "It was so great to see."

France St. Louis, a star defenceman on the '90 squad, was happy to hear that the players were interested in their pioneer spirit.

"I thought they would have laughed, but it's good to hear that," St. Louis said.

Sunohara, 36, entered another time warp last night at the Fort Garry Hotel, where 17 members of the '90 team, including Winnipeg's Susie Yuen, gathered for their first reunion since their triumph in Ottawa.

The group will be honoured before Canada's playoff-round game today against the U.S. at MTS Centre, and the tribute will continue during the contest, because the Canadians will wear pink jerseys just like the '90 team wore.

The jerseys will then be sold on EBay, with proceeds going to fight breast cancer and to support grassroots hockey.

"They're very proud to wear them, and they all recognize the history and the significance of that year," Davidson said. "And without that we wouldn't be standing here, either."

The players from the '90 team have a weekend full of activities planned. They will skate with minor hockey players at the University of Manitoba this afternoon at 1 o'clock, and they will do an autograph session during the first intermission of today's game.

FULL STORY