Olympian Fortino goes 1st overall in CWHL draft

Canada's Laura Fortino (right) takes out USA's Meghan Duggan. Nathan Denette/CP

TORONTO — The Brampton Thunder made defenceman Laura Fortino the first overall pick in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League draft on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old from Hamilton played for the Canadian Olympic women’s hockey team this past season.

Fortino assisted on Marie-Philip Poulin’s overtime goal against the United States, in Sochi, Russia, as Canada won its fourth straight women’s hockey gold.

Fortino played four years for Cornell and ranks sixth all-time in Big Red assists with 98. She was an assistant captain in her senior year.

The CWHL includes Brampton, the Boston Blades, Montreal Stars, Toronto Furies and Calgary Inferno. The league includes several players from the Canadian and U.S. national squads.

The Furies, who were this year’s Clarkson Cup champions, chose American defenceman Megan Bozek second overall.

Forward Sarah Davis of Paradise, N.L., went third overall to Calgary. Boston selected veteran forward Jenny Potter at No. 4.

Montreal made hometown forward Kim Deschenes the fifth overall pick.

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