Olympian supports Quake, team excited for season to start

September 11, 2014

Yellowstone Quake supporters received a special treat at this year’s team fundraiser.

 

Hockey Olympian Hilary Knight gave a speech Friday to a captivated audience, before she signed autographs for Quake players and fans of all ages.

 

She says she is impressed with Cody and was glad to speak at the benefit for her favorite North American 3 Hockey League team. “It’s a beautiful place with a great small-town feel,” Knight said.

 

Upon landing at Yellowstone Regional Airport, Knight said it felt like being transported back to the Old West. With her limited free time Knight chose to go river rafting down the Shoshone River with a raft full of Quake veterans, as well as Quake personnel, thanks to Wyoming River Trips.

 

Despite her busy schedule, Knight was happy to help support the Quake, who begin their regular season Sept. 19 in Billings with a game against the Bulls, as well as helping all of Team Wyoming U14 & U19 Girls, and the Park County Youth Hockey Association providing on ice instruction.

 

“When you get to my level of notoriety and can help smaller groups out it’s a great thing,” she said.

Knight has carved out a noteworthy hockey career. Besides winning the Olympic silver medal in 2010 and 2014, she was also a top NCAA player at Wisconsin.

 

During her sophomore year, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team was the NCAA champion.

 

Knight graduated from Wisconsin in 2012 as the Badgers’ women’s hockey all-time leader in goals – 143 – game-winning goals – 30 – power-play goals – 37 – and short-handed goals – eight.

 

She was selected in the first round by the Boston Blades in the 2012 Canadian Women’s Hockey League draft. The league has five teams. The Blades with Knight on board as a forward won the women’s league championship – the Clarkson Cup – in 2013.

 

Knight, the league’s MVP, has said she may leave the women’s league to try out for a professional men’s hockey team. No timetable for that has been set.