Autographed hockey stick that washed ashore belonged to Olympic gold medalist

It didn't take long for someone to figure out which Olympic gold medal hockey player had signed a broken hockey stick Monica McIntyre found washed up on a beach in Escuminac, a community in northeastern New Brunswick.

Now, the mystery is to find out who owns it and how it ended up in Miramichi Bay. 

Upon reading the story, CBC Nova Scotia copy editor and sports buff Monty Mosher, quickly deduced that the signature belonged to Vicky Sunohara. She wore No. 61 for the Canadian women's team, who won gold during the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics.

Sunohara was one of the team's captains and a left-hand shot, which matched with the stick's left curve.

When CBC News told McIntyre the mystery had been solved, she immediately found contact information for Sunohara and sent her an email along with pictures of the stick.

Sunohara responded. 

Returning stick to its rightful owner 

"That is really funny and amazing that my stick washed up on the shore like that," wrote Sunohara. "I am wondering if it was from a friend of mine who lives in Escuminac!" 

McIntyre said she's waiting to see if it's the person she suspects it might be, but plans to hold onto the stick until she finds out for sure.

"If it is who I believe it is, yeah, I'm happy." 

Knowing that person is an avid collector of sports memorabilia, McIntyre says she'll return the stick if he wants it. 

"But I still want to know the story of how it ended up in the water." 

McIntyre found the stick about three years ago after the waves from a storm washed it up on the beach.

The avid beachcomber has found many treasures washed up on shore, including the skeleton of a beluga whale, but the autographed hockey stick is a first. 

'I heart New Brunswick'

"It says, 'I heart New Brunswick' and then it has the signature, No. 61, and then it says either 2002 or 2012 Olympic gold."

Not an avid hockey fan, she had no idea where to begin to authenticate the autograph after an internet search led her from one site to another. 

After going public to find out who had signed it, McIntyre said she received many emails and Facebook messages telling her it was Sunohara's signature.

"It was great hearing from everyone with that information."

For now, the hockey stick will stay in her office at the family's campground while she waits for confirmation of the owner's identity.