Olympic gold medalist and 2026 Walter Cup champion Laura Stacey brought a little bit of everything back to Etobicoke on Saturday: road hockey, rain-soaked gloves, PWHL stars, Olympic teammates, community support and the kind of competitive edge that never really shuts off.

The Montréal Victoire forward hosted the seventh annual LS7 Sticks In For Charity tournament, a road hockey event created through the LS7 Foundation to help remove financial barriers to sport participation for young people.

This year’s Toronto tournament featured PWHL players and Olympians including Marie-Philip Poulin, Sarah Fillier, Jocelyne Larocque, Julia Gosling, Blayre Turnbull, Jamie Lee Rattray, Lauren Messier, Jessica DiGirolamo, Shiann Darkangelo, Elaine Chuli, Maureen Murphy, Emma Woods, Savannah Harmon, and Erica Howe, among others.

The Walter Cup was in attendance as well, with Poulin handing it to Stacey and then gathering for photos with the Cup and attendees.

Since its inception, the tournament has raised more than $211,000. This year, the LS7 Foundation is aiming to raise $177,777, with proceeds supporting KidSport Ontario and FitSpirit-Fillactive in Quebec.

For Turnbull, the Toronto Sceptres captain, Saturday marked her first time attending Stacey’s tournament after several years of scheduling conflicts.

“It’s awesome,” Turnbull said. “She’s been asking me for the last number of years to attend, and I have been out of town, so I’m really excited that I’m here for this one, which is my first time here. I just can’t believe the events that she puts on and the support that she receives. It’s incredible.”

The event has grown significantly from its early days, but former PWHL Toronto goaltender Erica Howe said the community feel remains intact.

“I’ve been here since the beginning,” Howe said. “Day one, it was just Markham Thunder players. It was a very, very small community event. To see what it is today is honestly so wholesome and so heartwarming. It still has the community feel, but honestly, it’s a testament to how far women’s hockey has come.”

The rain did not seem to dampen the mood, or the competitiveness.

Howe, who spent her playing career in goal, got the chance to play out instead.

“Playing in the rain is something you would do as a kid, so I’m happy to come here, play in the rain, have an incredible day with incredible people,” Howe said. “No complaints from Team Orange.”

Turnbull said the games may be for charity, but the players still struggle to turn off their instincts.

“They’re competitive,” Turnbull said. “That’s one thing — I think it’s hard for us to turn that off. So it’s fun to get out there and play.”

Rattray, who recently signed with the Sceptres as a free agent, said her team was off to a strong start.

“We’re 2-0,” Rattray said. “We have a good goalie. She's actually a goalie in real life.”

Asked if she was offering any coaching advice, Rattray laughed.

“Absolutely not,” she said.

Messier’s team was also pushing toward the playoff rounds.

“I think we’re 3-1, so we’re trying to go all the way here,” Messier said.

Harmon, who recently retired from professional hockey, 'came out of retirement' for the day.

“Just on special occasions,” Harmon said.

The former Sceptres defender said the event was worth coming back for.

“It’s an incredible event,” Harmon said. “It’s my first time here, and it’s just absolutely amazing. This whole charity, this whole foundation, it’s just incredible. I’ve been invited to it the past couple of years and schedule-wise it hasn’t worked out, so I’m lucky to be here with my husband this year.”

Harmon also said the effort behind the tournament stood out.

“It’s just amazing what they’re able to put on,” Harmon said. “All the work, all the volunteering and all the thought and everything that goes into it — it’s just incredible. I’m happy to be a part of it.”

The LS7 Foundation will also host its second annual Montréal tournament on Aug. 29 in Verdun, continuing Stacey’s effort to support access to sport in both of her hockey homes.

For Stacey, the message behind the event is simple: one opportunity can change the course of a young person’s life.

“All it takes is one opportunity to spark a dream,” Stacey said in a release ahead of the event. “One chance to play in a community road hockey tournament. One chance to watch a PWHL hockey, WNBA basketball, NSL or NWSL soccer game. One chance to cheer on Team Canada. One magical moment that can change your life. And hopefully this can be one of those moments.”

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