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Charline Labonte McGill

\r\nOTTAWA (CIS) - For the second year in a row, the Quebec conference champion McGill Martlets are the top-seeded team going into the Canadian Interuniversity Sport women's hockey championship as they vie for an elusive first national title.

The 2008 CIS tourney, hosted for the second straight year by the University of Ottawa, will get under way on Friday, March 7 and will conclude Monday, March 10 at 7 p.m. with the gold-medal final, live on The Score Television Network.

Top-seeded McGill is followed in order in the championship seeding by the defending national champion, No.2-Alberta Pandas (Canada West champions), No.3-Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (OUA champions), No.4-St. Francis Xavier X-Women (AUS champions), No.5-Manitoba Bisons (Canada West finalists), and No.6-Ottawa Gee-Gees (championship hosts).

McGill, StFX and Manitoba will battle for a berth in Monday's final in Pool A, while Alberta, Laurier and Ottawa make up Pool B.

Opening day match-ups will see No.1-McGill face No.5-Manitoba at 4 p.m., and No.2-Alberta square off against No.6-Ottawa at 7:30 p.m.

McGill, which has claimed two silver and four bronze medals in eight previous appearances since women's hockey was added to the CIS program in 1997-98, was also tournament favourite a year ago but was dropped 4-0 by Alberta in the title game after dominating Manitoba, 4-1, and Moncton, 8-0 in round-robin play.

The No.1-seed hasn't won CIS gold since Alberta in 2004.

This Martlets have compiled an impressive 33-1-0-0 overall record against CIS opponents in 2007-08, their lone loss coming against Alberta on December 30 at the Gryphon Invitational tournament, a 2-1 shootout defeat during which McGill had a 29-13 advantage in shots on goal.

Bench boss Peter Smith, who was named head coach of the Canadian national team last June, can count on a pair of national team members in goaltender Charline Labonté and defenceman Cathy Chartrand, and on Canadian Under-22 team rearguard Catherine Ward. Labonté led Canada to Olympic gold in 2006.

The reigning champion Pandas are the queens of CIS women's hockey with six crowns, including five in the last six seasons, and two silver medals in nine previous appearances at the championship.

The No.3-Golden Hawks beat Alberta 4-1 in the 2005 final for their lone national title.

StFX, Manitoba and Ottawa are all looking for a first triumph.

All games from the championship will be available through a video webcast. For all the information visit the official website at: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/w_hockey/2008

Note: a complete championship preview will follow on Tuesday.