Fun-loving Carly Jackson is a breath of fresh air for PWHL Toronto

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Not being a starter on a three-goalie team can be frustrating for some.

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Carly Jackson won't let that happen.

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Jackson, like the other players on the PWHL Toronto roster, wants to play.

That was clear to anyone who stepped out onto Nathan Philip Fields Thursday morning as the PWHL Toronto Women put on a show of skill and 3-on-3 before the Toronto Maple Leafs' open practice on that ice.

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Jackson and starting goaltender Kristen Campbell (alternate goaltender Erica Howe was out for personal reasons) stole the show for PWHL Toronto, which had eliminated nearly half its roster, pitting Canada against the U.S. in a rivalry series and providing the Leafs with an outdoor workout. entertainment.

Scoring proved difficult for the ladies as Campbell and Jackson repeatedly battered them in a scrum as part of a show of skill, eventually forcing a punt when all were sent back scoreless after their first attempt.

Jackson, playing in white, stopped Laurent Rougeau, the only Toronto player to win a match this year, to give his team the win.

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He and his team celebrated and carried on like they won their first PWHL trophy, but that's who Jackson is.

He is a fun-loving, joy-sharing bottle of positive energy and that makes him a perfect fit for this club and his role.

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As the third baseman in each of the first nine games, Jackson has yet to dress for a game, meaning he is either in the stands or in the personal box for the game. Even there, he makes his teammates laugh with his on-ice antics. He's made it his business to try hotdogs at each of the different arenas, and he rates them on social media.

For those interested, Jackson has hotdogs at Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport, where PWHL New York plays, as the league's top dog.

Jackson, who believed Montreal should be better based on personal experience, explained that Montreal had a low bun-to-meat ratio, but that didn't stop him from getting four.

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Cracking jokes and keeping teammates busy comes naturally to the Nova Scotia native, but he sees it as part of his role as a backup goaltender on the team. He is there to support in any way possible and humor is often his way.

“It's an incredible gift to be here,” he said, shrugging off talk of his limited role. “You can live in doom and gloom but it's a great opportunity and I get to work with two great, great people and I love Soupy (Campbell) and Howie (Howe).

“Our relationship is great. They make my job easy and I hope I do the same for them. It's a beautiful life that I live and I get to play hockey every day, so it's really a gift. Whatever happens after that, I want this team to do well and be a part of this great group of people and this organization.”

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But don't let all the puppies and rainbows fool you. Jackson has a serious athlete inside him, and it's not just limited to the ice.

In addition to playing for the Buffalo Beauts and the Premier Hockey Federation's Toronto Six (he and PWHL Montreal netminder Elaine Chuly led the Six to the PHF title) before joining the PWHL's Toronto, Jackson has a long history of high-level baseball. , including the past three years as captain of the Nova Scotia provincial team.

“I've also been in the Team Canada program for a while, but to be honest, I'm a bit of a bubble player (at this level). But I'm playing in the summer and I'm having an absolute blast,” he said.

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Baseball, in fact, was his first love in the field of sports, as he joined the Amherst, NS, Little League at the age of five. Hockey didn't come into the picture until he was nine, but it's his No. 1 now.

“I like to play ball,” he said. “It's the sun, it's the friends, it's the vibe, but it makes me think better.”

And this is women's professional hockey at an unprecedented level. And Jackson makes it his mission to get the most out of it. Even if he doesn't play a minute, he finds a way to entertain himself and his teammates.

“I love it all,” she said. “There's nothing about it that I'm not in love with. Whether I was a starter, a second, third or fourth goaltender, I would be. It really doesn't matter. I love this game and it's so easy to express myself when I'm wearing clothes here. Even when I'm out there like today, I feel like a little kid, it's so easy to be myself, it's so easy to spread the love that I feel and I think that's one of the biggest opportunities to be in this position.”

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