The Markham Thunder are proud to have three members nominated for CWHL Awards: Victoria Bach for Rookie of the Year, Laura Fortino for Defender of the Year, and Jim Jackson for Coach of the Year.
Bach lead all rookies and the Thunder in points, and finished the regular season fourth in league scoring. Over 26 games, she potted 19 goals, which tied her for second in the CWHL and with 32 points Bach averaged 1.23 points per game. Her 5 game-winning goals were second best in the league, putting her one behind league leader Marie-Philip Poulin.
Fortino was fourth in team scoring, and the top defender, recording 5 goals and 13 assists. Averaging 28 minutes per game, Fortino was deployed against top lines, and worked hard to generate scoring opportunities. She previously won the award for Defender of the Year in 2016.
Jackson’s sophomore coaching campaign came with pressure to return to the playoffs for the chance to retake the championship. Though the team finished with fewer points than last season, the Thunder did move up in the standings. Jackson created an environment that bred confidence and teamwork, leading to many tenacious showings. The Thunder scored at least once in every regular season game, only one of two teams to pull off the feat.
Fans can join the Award nominees, CWHL players and alumni on Friday, March 22nd in Toronto. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.