Saulnier Siblings A Source Of Reciprocated Inspiration And Passion For Hockey

EDITOR'S NOTE: All quotes within this story passed along by the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' from their media availability with Team Canada Women's National Team forward Jill Saulnier and Phantoms' forward Brennan Saulnier at PPL Center Thursday, October 21 with Phantoms' voice Bob Rotruck and local media (69News and Service Electric Network).*

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Though their paths hadn't crossed in the hockey world in several years, the bond that Jill Saulnier, 29, and brother Brennan, 27, have through hockey is one that is also a source of reciprocated inspiration and passion for the game of hockey, not to mention a source of pride in growing the game in their local hockey community in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

This weekend, at the PPL Center in downtown Allentown, their paths will not only cross but be played out on the same sheet of ice on back-to-back nights.

On Friday night, Jill and Team Canada Women's National Team take on Team USA in an exhibition tune-up for the 2022 Olympics. On Saturday, Brennan and the Phantoms will kick off the home portion of their 2021-22 regular season schedule against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

"It's a surreal experience, for sure. Brennan and I, our journeys have really taken us all over the world, I guess you could say, so we really don't see each other very much," Jill said Thursday. "So to be kind of living out our dreams doing what we love, and then coming back to like the exact same rink it's kind of full-circle and a pretty cool experience, so I'm excited for the weekend."

"We've been playing this game all our lives. To be in our late 20's now and you know still waking up tying our skates and doing what we love for a living it's pretty surreal," Brennan said, explaining his excitement when it was confirmed that the two teams would be playing at PPL Center on back-to-back nights. "It's going to be a cool moment, and a cool weekend, definitely special for our family," he added, which he mentioned they are expecting a a decent group of their extended family to attend the games in person.

A Bond Built Through Hockey

Growing up, Jill Saulnier was one of "maybe one or two other girls in town" her age who played hockey. The way she describes her entrance into the game was watching her two-year old brother Brennan beginning to skate and thinking maybe that would be something she would like to do.

"I think I begged my parents in the stands honestly and they were like 'do you want to go try to skate'?," she recalled. "I think it was honestly a ploy to get me out of their hair in the stands, and I hopped on the ice with them."

Then four-year-old Jill stepped onto the rink, and the rest is history.

With Jill 21 months older than Brennan and there not being any girls' hockey teams in the area, she played with the boys. Every other year, with Jill born early in 1992 and Brennan in December of 1993, they played on the same team all the way into their teens - something Brennan mentioned was convenient for their parents having to only send the kids to one rink for practices and games.

"That was kind of the only option when I started playing was was with the boys and Brennan are his friends," she said.

As Jill recalled, her brother and his friends being not only supportive of her as a teammate, but would also make sure players on the opposition would not bother either.

"It was like I had this little army behind me. I was also like a little bit taller than the guys all through because I grew quicker," Jill said, telling a story of a time her brother and friend Brad came to her aid. "There was one time Brennan and his buddy Brad hopped off the bench and chased down this guy because he came after me at front of the net, and I'll never forget it. We probably 12 years old but that was just the kind of guys that I grew up with."

The Saulniers found each other as a source of inspiration and when it came time for Jill to leave have home and continue her hockey career at the NCAA level with Cornell University, it opened his brother's eyes to the possibility of playing hockey in America at the collegiate level.

"I took a look through those books, and I mean back then they were predominantly you know, guys booklets with a little bit of the girls in the back," Brennan recalled of Jill's recruiting process. "She definitely paved that way for me. With what Jill has done in this game and the impact she has had on me, I don't think I'd be sitting here next to her if it wasn't for her, so it's pretty cool."

Saulnier later decided to go to the University of Alabama-Huntsville, and in his senior year was able to play in front of Jill and some family when UAH traveled up to Cornell. Brennan's team lost 5-1 to Cornell, but it was Brennan scoring the lone goal in that game - with family watching - late in the third period.

That was the last time Brennan has had family watch him play live and in-person. The Saulnier's will get to see Brennan play at the pro level this weekend.

Brennan said he expects most of his teammates will be in the building for Friday night's Team USA vs. Team Canada game, half-jokingly saying the Phantoms' locker room is split on who they'll be rooting for.

Unfortunately, Jill will likely have to watch Satuday's Phantoms game from her phone as Team Canada heads to their next stop on the 'My Why Tour' that will see the Canada and U.S. rematch on October 25  in Hartford, Connecticut at the XL Center - home to the AHL's Hartford WolfPack.

Brennan continues to be a fourth line energy player for the Phantoms in his second season, and he's quickly shown that while he might not be the biggest guy he isn't afraid of dropping the gloves with anyone. He danced with Hershey's Dylan McIlrath in the preseason, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton enforcer Jamie Devane in last Saturday's regular season opener.

"This guy is like my absolute inspiration. I've never seen someone just grind towards a goal as much as Brennan has and it's just a testament of character," Jill said of Brennan's path to the pros. "I see now how far passion can really get someone and [this is] just proof," she added. "We were chatting the one day, and I said, listen bud like you just need one person to see it like you need one person to grab that talent and see it. You don't need 50. You just need one."

The Phantoms are the latest team that has come calling, as Brennan is in his second season with the team.

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