Before the Golden Knights arrived in Las Vegas, hockey programming was limited in the city, and girls’ teams were almost unheard of. In ten short years, the Vegas Golden Knights organization has transformed youth hockey in the valley, giving young athletes equal opportunities to follow all their dreams. Two-time National Champions, the Vegas Jr. Golden Knights girls’ hockey team, reached their ultimate goal, securing their second National title in three years.
On Sunday, March 29th, in Maryland Heights, Missouri, the Jr. Golden Knights won the Chipotle-USA Hockey Girls Tier II 16U 1A National Championship. The Jr. Golden Knights beat the Lady Cyclones of Missouri by one goal at the Centene Community Ice Center. The team won all six games in the tournament to secure their spot in the final championship.
“To win one National Championship as a player is incredible,” said Gordie Mark, head coach of the 16U team. “To win two really defies the odds, as so many things have to go right. You have to stay healthy, you have to be at the top of your game for six games in five days, and you also need some luck along the way. The two biggest attributes these girls have are that they are relentless all over the ice and they genuinely like each other. None of them care who scores or gets the credit. All that matters to them is if they played well enough as a team to beat our opponent.”
Two years ago in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the 14U team won their first National title, beating Team South Dakota, 1-0. A total of 12 female athletes who played on the original 14U team have continued to compete for the 16U group.
“I am sure having the experience from two years ago was definitely a plus going into this tournament,” said Mark. “Knowing what was waiting for them and the level of competition that would be there before we got to the tournament was definitely a plus for the group.”
Vegas’ Goaltender Ruby Olde stopped all 23 shots in the championship game, posted a .983 save percentage, recorded four shutouts, and only allowed two goals in the entire six-game tournament.
“For each game, I went into it with a mentality of pure dominance,” said Olde. “If I think about the outcome with only one choice, which is winning, I can usually follow it. I had my job to do as a goalie, and so did my team. Even if I got all shutouts, I couldn’t have won without my team scoring goals.”
Olde’s focus between the pipes never wavered, even as the pressure mounted across six games in five days.
“During the games, you don’t think about what goals you let in or don’t,” said Olde. “One puck at a time, or else you will get in your head, and everything will go downhill. But it felt good to deliver what my team needed to win. I couldn’t have done it without my defense.”
One moment in particular stands out from the championship game. With just two seconds left in the third period, Olde made a low blocker save before diving to keep a second chance out of the net, a stop that, in retrospect, may have saved the title.
Kalie Kizanis netted the only goal of the championship game to lift her team to the National Title victory.
“Kali’s goal was huge,” said Olde. “I remember jumping up and down when she scored. I was telling myself that this was my game now. It was up to me whether we won.”
Kizanis scored 4:18 into the second period, and Lizabeth Smith recorded an assist on the goal. Kizanis described the moment as one that will stick with her for the rest of her career and beyond.
“I remember somehow in some way the puck popped out and ended up right on my stick,” said Kizanis. “I think that Liz Smith somehow got it to Annalie Izzolo, who tapped towards my direction, and it was a perfect pass. I couldn’t have done it without them, and not just them, all my teammates, every single one of them. When I turned towards the net and shot the puck, it felt like it was happening in slow motion. When I saw the water bottle lifted from the net, I genuinely jumped from sheer excitement. It was such an unforgettable moment and feeling that is now an irreplaceable memory for me.”
The girls have an valuable bond that makes them want to play better and win for each other. Kizanis describes Olde as the team’s glue and does not think the group could have won without her in the net.
“Ruby knows how to get us hyped and ready to go before puck drop, and it’s amazing to have her as a teammate. Every game, she impresses me by making the craziest saves look so easy, like she could do it in her sleep. Anyone could have scored the goal I scored, but no one else could have played in net as Ruby did. She seriously played lights out. She deserves so much credit for the way she played the entire tournament. Even though I scored the game-winning goal, Ruby was really the one who won Vegas our second National title.”
National Champions Olde and Smith were recently selected to the 2026 All-Tournament Team. These female athletes will carry their titles and these experiences with them for the rest of their lives, and Mark hopes that the girls take what they learned beyond the rink.
“Hopefully, the girls realize what they have accomplished by winning the two National Championships over the last 3 years,” said Mark. “I think they know that they are forever joined through their accomplishments and that the sisterhood bond they have created will last, hopefully, far into their adult life. I hope the shortfalls in some tournaments and the elation of winning Nationals help mold them into strong, confident young women.”
Assistant coach Kate Glover, who played hockey at Harvard University, says the 16U age is uniquely rewarding to coach, with players old enough to take real ownership of their development, but still show up for the love of the game. Glover has spent a lot of time with this group and says the girls’ toughness is what makes them capable of winning two National titles in three years. They may not always be the biggest team on the ice, but they make their opponents earn every inch and battle until the clock runs out. Glover says these attributes make the group the kind of team no one wants to play against.
For the first time in its existence, USA Hockey has officially surpassed 100,000 registered female players. The Jr. Golden Knights and other female athletes continue to prove that hockey is for everyone, in a time when women’s hockey sees its biggest growth in the country, in terms of viewership and participation. Glover says that the growth of women's hockey around the country has been incredible, and she is so impressed by how far the girls’ programs have come in Las Vegas in such a short amount of time.
“Now, girls have role models similar to what NHL players are on the boys’ side, and it really shows how much representation and investment in the women’s game can inspire girls to play,” said Glover. “Not that long ago, girls' and women’s hockey wasn’t even seen as a real option, and pioneers were fighting just to give girls the chance to lace up skates. I had a coach once tell me to leave the game better than you found it. Now we’re getting to a generation of women who have not only played in college but will have careers in the sport, and I hope many of them find ways to give back and keep growing the game for the next group coming up.”
