My Path, My Story

(Feature Photo Created by Emma Dowsett)

With so many amazing female hockey fans we had to include more of their stories. Here is part two of Girls Club fan features.

Gina Aucello (@ginaaucello on Instagram, @gina_mariee1 on X)

Favorite Team(s): New York Rangers

Favorite Player: Henrik Lundqvist

Player most like them: Vincent Trocheck- not the biggest name on the team but always helping out wherever I can. 

Fun fact: I have been told by multiple coworkers that I am the go to person for any hockey stat or information! Girl power!! (for context: I work in a male dominated government and law enforcement agency)

How long have you been a fan of hockey? 27 years (born and raised)

How has hockey and/or sports affected your life? Hockey has been a catalyst in the formation of some of my closest friendships as a child and an adult. I have made so many friends through a shared love of hockey, even if we weren’t fans of the same teams. 

What does hockey mean to you? My family is one of those generational Ranger families from New York City. My grandfather grew up watching them in the 40’s and passed it along since. My mother tells stories of going to one of the games in the 1994 Cup Final series and going to the parade and her and her friends being told to get down off the bar when they climbed up to steal a banner. There are pictures of me in the 90’s in a Rangers onesie. My earliest memory is sitting on my grandfather’s living room floor and him teaching me to yell “shoot the puck”. When I was in elementary school my best friend and I became friends when we were the only two Rangers fans in our class in a suburban New Jersey town full of Devils fans and have been friends for the last 16 years. For me, hockey is something that creates relationships- even if you don’t follow the same teams, even if you hate your friends’ favorite players, hockey is something that has brought people into my life and been something we bond over multiple times. Even now as an adult I’ll have people (sometimes even grown men!) say “you know so much about hockey, teach me” and it builds a new friendship every time!

What is your favorite memory of the game? Of all my years of following the game- I lost my grandfather when I was six years old, and so many of my memories with him are sitting with him on weekdays when MSG would air the previous night’s game again during the morning. He would sit with me in the living room and try to teach me the game, and while I’m sure I didn’t grasp much, I’ll always remember him saying “now say ‘shoot the puck!’” In terms of the modern era and my adult life- one of the most memorable experiences was attending the 2024 Stadium Series Game (NYR v NYI). The feeling of singing the Rangers goal song in MetLife with 80,000 people gives me chills every time I think about it. 

Seanna Wainman (@seriouslyseanna on Instagram)   

Favorite Team(s): Vancouver Canucks and Victoria Royals

Favorite Player: Daniel Sedin

Player most like them: Kevin Bieksa - loud, a little bit mouthy, but gets the job done. 

Fun fact: I have three daughters and love working in sports because I’ve shown them they can do whatever they want in the world, no matter who they are.

How long have you been a fan of hockey? Probably from 10 years old! I’m 36 now. 

How has hockey and/or sports affected your life? My love of the game sparked my passion for sports broadcasting and women in sports. I’m now in-game host for my local WHL team and couldn’t be happier! 

What does hockey mean to you? Hockey means the world to me! I grew up at the rink watching friends and family play, and then went to university hoping to be a sports broadcaster because of that love. 

What is your favorite memory of the game? Travelling to my childhood best friend’s brother’s games, learning about everything from icing to how to do the perfect celly.

Sadie (@sadie.trow on Instagram)

Favorite Team(s): Toronto Maple Leafs

Favorite Player: Don’t have one

Player most like them: Jack Campbell

Fun fact: I love to read

How long have you been a fan of hockey? Four years

How has hockey and/or sports affected your life? Sports have always been a big part of my life even as a kid but as an adult and in college playing hockey has been an amazing way to find community and lasting friendships.

What does hockey mean to you? Hockey to me means friendship. I have found some of my closest friends by playing hockey and I get to watch games with them too.

What is your favorite memory of the game? My favorite memory is anytime I get to be with my team.

Abbey (@abbey_lynn06 on Instagram)

Favorite Team(s): Tampa Bay Lightning, Buffalo Sabres and Seattle Kraken

Favorite Player: Brendan Harris of the Jacksonville Iceman (ECHL)

Player most like them: I literally can not think of anyone

Fun fact: I love Taylor Swift

How long have you been a fan of hockey? Since I was about four years old.

How has hockey and/or sports affected your life? It has given my family something to bond over. 

What does hockey mean to you? Hockey is very nostalgic for me. Hockey holds so many memories for me. I remember going to the games with my aunt as a child and loving every minute of it even if I did not completely understand the game. As I got older, my love for the sport grew. I started going to more games and started understanding what was going on and getting hyped up. Almost 10 years later I love going to games and I go every chance I get to and have even got some of my family and friends to love the sport like I do. 

What is your favorite memory of the game? My favorite memory of a hockey game has to be one of my first Tampa Bay Lightning games. I got a big slice of pizza with my aunt and we were watching the game and shoving our faces like nothing in the world mattered. 

Emily Scott (@hyperemmy on X)     

Favorite Team(s): Boston Bruins, Tucson Roadrunners, Pensacola Ice Flyers, and all of the PWHL

Favorite Player: I think as a Boston Bruins fan it's a hard pick with the incredible players we've had! Tuukka Rask, Zdeno Chára, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand. Taylor Heise, Lexie Adzija, and Saroya Tinker would be my favorite female hockey players. All three have had different, but no less impactful, experiences in the sport that have opened doors for the next generation.

Player most like them: Brad Marchand - loyal to friends and the team, continuing to grow his skills, not afraid to throw down when needed but overall loved by everyone who knows him.

Fun fact: Every time I go to a new hockey stadium for a game, I purchase a puck for the home team (juniors, college, developmental, professional - doesn't matter the level of the team)! It's my goal to visit every NHL stadium and collect pucks from each team.

How long have you been a fan of hockey? My entire life! I grew up in Upstate New York, watching my older brother play. I was the "annoying little sister" screaming at the team, having no idea what was happening! I remember my dad always telling me to quiet down. Somewhere along the way, I went from annoying little sister to loving to watch the sport.

What does hockey mean to you? Community. I love watching the players, the speed of the game, the intensity of what is happening on the ice. But even more than that, I love the community around hockey. I've lived in five different states over the last 10 years. No matter where I have lived, I have somehow found my way back to hockey games and into the fold of the local hockey community. Fans are always excited to increase the amount of people supporting their team, but more so making everyone feel comfortable and having fun at the games (as long as you are rooting for the home team lol!).

What is your favorite memory of the game? When I was 18, I worked at the Lake Placid Olympic Center in event catering. My parents grew up 45 minutes away, and I grew up about three hours away, so I was always familiar with Lake Placid being a famous location for the 1932 and 1980 Olympics. Also growing up with a hockey player as a big brother, I watched The Miracle more times than I could count. A few weeks into working at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, I was standing in the 1980 rink, and I had the sudden realization about where I was standing. It was like it had all hit me at once that where I was standing, the Miracle on Ice had happened. I was awestruck and had frozen in place when I was supposed to be working, and another employee was concerned and thought I was losing it. My heart became full and the first thing that came to mind was "DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?!" I loved standing in a spot where such an incredible moment had occurred many years before.

Bryanna Garcia (@bryannagarciia on Instagram)

Favorite Team(s): New York Rangers

Favorite Player: Henrik Lundqvist, Brady Skjei, Matt Rempe

Player most like them: Okay so I asked my friend and although it seems like a basic answer the justification behind it makes sense! she said Jack Hughes because he is a golden retriever but at the same time he will fight someone or defend his teammates and friends if he has too

Fun fact: I have met Adam Graves & Stèphane Matteau 

How long have you been a fan of hockey? 17 years

How has hockey and/or sports affected your life? Yes! I know it’s crazy to say but Hockey was actually part of my decision of what I wanted to major in in college and what I wanted to do post grad. I wanted to play hockey when I was younger but no other girls my age did so I decided not to. I want to work in hockey post grad to show other girls that sports like hockey aren’t just for boys and girls can play and work too!

What does hockey mean to you? Hockey means the absolute world to me! It’s just so special and different from other sports I don’t know how to explain it, there’s no other feeling like watching a hockey game, whether it’s in person or at home.

What is your favorite memory of the game? My parents used to take me and my brother to events that the rangers would host for young kids called junior rangers, I actually got a signed stick from Adam Graves at one of the events and it was the coolest thing ever, I still have the stick in my room and it’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced.

Editor: Soleil Dam

Photo Credits: Submitted by each girl