The first Hockey For Her session of the season was held before the Nov. 20 game vs. Florida and hosted by ABC6 sports reporter Kellyanne Stitts. The event started off with getting to know the game through the eyes of the four officials that were working the Jackets' game against the Panthers that night.
The main event for the night was listening to Sanna-Mari Kiukas and Lisa Chesson speak about their own unique experiences in the game of hockey.
A native of Helsinki, Finland, Kiukas was a forward for multiple teams in her home country's top women's league and won a championship with Espoo during the 2014-15 season. In the same season, she also had the experience of playing for the Finnish Under-18 National Team in the World Championship in Buffalo, New York.
Kiukas has retired from play because of injury, but along with her own hockey knowledge, she also brings a different insight into the game through having a significant other in the NHL (Patrik Laine).
As a result, the Blue Jackets' games this season in the NHL Global Series had an even greater impact on Kiukas. The series is great for players like Laine who get to go back and play in their home country, but it is also a great experience for the fans overseas.
"It offers the NHL experience for everyone," she said. "There are a lot of boys and girls dreaming of playing hockey at the top level that are not from the U.S., and by having the Global Series they are able to see the top hockey players in the world in their home country."
Chesson has also been very involved in the game throughout her life, including four seasons as a defenseman at Ohio State, where she scored 89 points in only 145 career games. She also helped Team USA win the silver medal at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Her favorite moment from the Olympics is when she looked up into the crowd after the gold-medal game vs. Canada in Vancouver, and with all the commotion was still able to spot her family in the stands.
"They had sacrificed so much for me, it felt like everything had paid off to get to that moment," she said.
The Ohio State women's ice hockey team won the national championship this past year for the first time in program history. When asked about their success, Chesson was very excited for the team.
"To win the championship is huge. It is exciting to see that program is now on the map and girls from all over want to come to Columbus," Chesson said. "It is great that the young girls here in Ohio are able to see the success of the OSU team because women's ice hockey is still not a big sport; it has come a long way but is still growing."
When asked about how they would introduce young girls to playing hockey, both former players agreed that the most important factor is having fun.
"It is very important to speak more about girls hockey and try to grow that a little more," Kiukas said. "There are a lot of great programs on how to learn how to skate and eventually learn how to play the game, but the most important part is that they have fun with it."
Chesson agreed.
"The most important part is that you have fun," she said. "Hockey is not the easiest sport to get into. You are not going to step onto the ice and just be good at it. It is going to take time, you are going to fall down a lot, but it is about getting back up and sticking with it."
Laine also took time during the event to meet Hockey For Her attendees and pose for photos. After the Jackets' win against the Panthers that night, participants were given the opportunity to go down to the ice and learn how to take a slap shot from both Kiukas and Blue Jackets assistant coach Kenny McCudden.
The next Hockey For Her Event will be held on April 2, 2023, before the Blue Jackets take on the Ottawa Senators (more information about the event is to come).
