CALGARY – Hockey Canada announced that three-time Olympic gold medallist Kim St-Pierre, who also won four Women’s World Championships, and three-time Olympic gold medallist Cherie Piper, who also won one Women’s World Championship, have officially retired from international competition.

“On behalf of Hockey Canada and fans across the country, we thank Kim for her dedication to Canada’s National Women’s Program, and contributions not only to the team, but to female hockey overall,” Hockey Canada president and CEO Bob Nicholson said. “We wish Kim all the best in her future endeavours. Kim will always be remembered as one of the best female goaltenders of all-time.”

St-Pierre, 34, joined Canada’s National Women’s Program in 1998, and went on to win three Olympic gold medals and four IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship gold medals. She appeared in a record 83 games for Canada, amassing 64 wins, another Team Canada record, and only 10 losses.

Her career goals against average for Team Canada stands at 1.17, with a 93.9 save percentage and 29 career shutouts, also a Team Canada record. St-Pierre also had a storied Canadian Interuniversity Sport career, with the McGill University Martlets, playing four seasons with the women’s team, and one season for the men’s team, to become only the second woman to play for a men’s university team in Canada. The Chateauguay, Quebec, native also played with the Canadian Women’s Hockey League’s Montreal Stars, winning two Clarkson Cups.

“It has been a great honour and source of pride for me to represent Canada on the international hockey stage,” St-Pierre said. “I want to thank Hockey Canada, my teammates, coaches, trainers, friends, family and the fans who have supported me throughout my career. I will miss playing for Team Canada, but I know that I have exciting new challenges and opportunities in front of me, both as a mother and in my future projects.”

“On behalf of Hockey Canada and fans across the country, we thank Cherie for her dedication to Canada’s National Women’s Program, and contributions not only to the team, but to female hockey overall,” Hockey Canada president and CEO Bob Nicholson said. “We wish Cherie all the best in her future endeavours.”

Piper, 31, joined Canada’s National Women’s Program in 2001, making her major event debut at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, going on to win three Olympic gold medals and one women’s world championship. Overall, Piper appeared in 111 games for Canada over 12 seasons, amassing 40 goals, 78 assists and 118 points, ranking her as the eighth all-time scorer in the National Women’s program. The Scarborough, Ont. native was also a graduate of the Under-22 program, where she amassed 20 goals in only 16 games.

“I want to take this time to thank everyone that has helped me along the way, from my first minor hockey coaches to the coaches and staff who helped at the national level,” Piper said. “I will definitely miss the camaraderie and competition that came with playing for Team Canada, but I am also excited about the challenges ahead of me, as I embark on a career in teaching.”

– with files from Hockey Canada