Milestones Continue for Furies Veteran Meagan Aarts

For Meagan Aarts, one of the CWHL’s elite talents, the year 2014 continues to provide memories that will last a lifetime. The first half of 2014 was an opportunity for Aarts to add to an impressive hockey career.

Not only did Aarts become the first Vaughan Flames alumni to reach the CWHL’s 100-point career plateau, she would finish the 2013-14 campaign by winning the first Clarkson Cup of her career. This was followed a few months later by Aarts tying the knot, enhanced by the fact that many of her Furies teammates were in attendance at her wedding.

Heading into the 2014-15 edition of CWHL play, which also represents the fifth anniversary season for the Furies, Aarts continued to establish herself as one of the league’s ambassadors. In addition to logging four points in the first eight games of the season, Aarts ended 2014 with another memorable milestone.

A weekend series on December 5 and 6 against the Brampton Thunder marked more than just the continuation of the Battle of Toronto. While it was the Furies final series before the league’s inaugural All-Star Game, both games held very special meaning for Aarts.

In the first game of the series, Aarts celebrated her birthday while suiting up for the 175th time in her CWHL career. Despite suffering a loss, Aarts contributed with an assist. While the point was certainly a gift for Aarts, her years of effort in building the league were the true gift, one that Furies fans certainly cherish.

Although the Furies would end up being swept by Brampton, the second game certainly held special meaning. By playing in her 176th game, she surpassed Kelly Zamora for second place all-time in the CWHL’s career list for games played.

For Aarts, it was a milestone that took on a very special meaning. Of note, Zamora was one of her teammates during the Clarkson Cup run. Coincidentally, Kelly’s sister, Kristy, surpassed her for the all-time lead in career games played the weekend prior in Montreal.

Taking into account that Aarts’ performance will be followed by the CWHL hosting its inaugural All-Star Game, it is only fitting that one of the league’s heroes helps build positive momentum by making history. Although Aarts was not one of the 42 players named to the event, no one can dispute that her years of dedication to the sport helped set the foundation for the game today.

Photo credit: Jess Bazal