Road to the 2025 Esso Cup: Étoiles de Laurentides-Lanaudière

After missing out on back-to-back Quebec titles last year, the Étoiles are ready for their third Esso Cup.

Shannon Coulter

The Étoiles de Laurentides-Lanaudière were one game away from representing Quebec at consecutive Esso Cups in 2024.

A 4-3 overtime win over the Intrépide de l’Outaouais sent the Étoiles to the Esso Cup in 2023—their second appearance at Canada’s U18 Women’s National Club Championship. The Intrépide bounced back and shut out the Étoiles 2-0 in the 2024 Coupe Chevrolet provincial championship .

The Étoiles and Intrépide were top two in the Ligue de hockey d'excellence du Québec (LHEQ) again this season, with Outaouais edging Laurentides-Lanaudière by three points to top the standings. However, the Étoiles scored more goals (125) and allowed fewer (37), collecting a 23-5-0 record.

To return to the Esso Cup this year, the Étoiles would need to get past their provincial rivals; they defeated the Intrépide in the preliminary round and semifinals to book their spot in the provincial final. With the Coupe Chevrolet’s consolation-style bracket, the Intrépide downed the Stars 55 de Mauricie-CDQ to join the Étoiles in the final, where Laurentides-Lanaudière scored a 4-3 win to earn a spot at the 2025 Esso Cup.

Elli Allard helped to lead the Étoiles back to the national stage; the 16-year-old was second in LHEQ scoring with 18 goals and 47 points before adding three goals and 12 points in the playoffs.

HOW THEY GOT TO LLOYDMINSTER

Coupe Chevrolet
Preliminary round: defeated Intrépide de l’Outaouais 4-2, defeated Amazones de Laval-Montréal 4-1
Quarterfinal: defeated Stars 55 de Mauricie-CDQ 4-0
Semifinal: defeated Intrépide de l’Outaouais 3-2
Final: defeated Intrépide de l’Outaouais 4-3

REGULAR SEASON

Record (W-L-OTL): 23-5-0 (2nd in LHEQ)
Goals for: 125 (1st in LHEQ)
Goals against: 37 (1st in LHEQ)
Longest winning streak: 8 (Nov. 9-Jan. 11)

Top 3 scorers:
- Elli Allard – 18G 29A 47P (2nd in LHEQ)
- Maika Gauthier – 25G 18A 43P (3rd in LHEQ)
- Abigaël Blais – 12G 17A 29P (6th in LHEQ)

PLAYOFFS

Record: 5-0
Goals for: 19
Goals against: 8

Top 3 scorers:
- Elli Allard – 3G 9A 12P
- Maika Gauthier – 6G 1A 7P
- Abigaël Blais – 2G 3A 5P

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY