Kourtney Kunichika Explained

Kourtney Kunichika
Birth Date:7 November 1991
Birth Place:Fullerton, California
Height Ft:5
Height In:5
Position:Forward
Shoots:Right
Sex:f
Career Start:2015
Career End:2018

Kourtney Midori Kunichika (born November 7, 1991) is an American former professional ice hockey forward, who played for the Buffalo Beauts in the NWHL. She is the third highest scorer in Beauts history.

Career

Early life

Kunichika only began playing ice hockey at the age of 10. Prior to that, she had played roller hockey in her hometown state of California.[1]

College

Kunichika played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) between 2010 and 2014. She scored 136 points in 129 career games and remains RIT's leader in career games played.[2] [3]

NWHL

She signed with the Buffalo Beauts of the National Women's Hockey League (NWHL) in August 2015.[4] [5]

In 2017, she won the Isobel Cup with the Beauts.[6] [7]

In 2018, she announced her retirement from professional hockey.[8]

Playing style

She was noted for her strong two-way play as well as her creativity. She spent her three years in the NWHL as the Beauts' top centre, often leading the team in faceoffs and on the power-play. Never making an All-Star game appearance, she was considered by some to be one of the underrated players of the league.[9]

Personal life

Kunichika currently owns and runs a Hawaiian restaurant in Batavia, New York with her wife.[10] [11] She had worked in the restaurant industry during her professional career with the Beauts.[12]

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeam League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2015-16 NWHL18 9 8 17 45 0 1 1 2
2016-17 Buffalo Beauts NWHL17 2 9 11 62 0 0 0 0
2017-18 Buffalo Beauts NWHL15 4 10 14 82 0 1 1 2
NWHL totals50 15 27 42 189 0 2 2 4

Awards and honours

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rodriguez . Angelica . January 4, 2018 . Q&A: Kourtney Kunichika, Buffalo Beauts . The Ice Garden . May 21, 2020 . August 9, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190809211101/https://www.theicegarden.com/2018/1/4/16820264/q-a-kourtney-kunichika-buffalo-beauts-nwhl . live .
  2. Web site: RIT Athletics – Kourtney Kunichika – 2013–14 RIT Women's Hockey. January 1, 2016. September 16, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150916055748/http://www.ritathletics.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=9369. live.
  3. News: Oliver. Nathaniel. 'Warm California Sun' – Beauts' Kourtney Kunichika. October 16, 2017. The Hockey Writers. May 2, 2017. October 16, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171016181314/https://thehockeywriters.com/warm-california-sun-buffalo-beauts-kourtney-kunichika/. live.
  4. Web site: Figueroa and Kunichika Join NWHL Teams. January 1, 2016. February 1, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160201045026/http://nwhl.co/figueroa-and-kunichika-join-nwhl-teams/. dead.
  5. News: Hsieh. Ren. Asian Players Helping to Make History in Women's Pro Hockey. October 16, 2017. Discover Nikkei. April 18, 2016. October 16, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171016175654/http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/journal/2016/4/18/womens-pro-hockey/. live.
  6. News: Murphy. Mike. Inside the NWHL: Buffalo Beauts' replenished power play still one to fear. October 16, 2017. Sporting News. October 12, 2017. October 16, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171016225819/http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nhl/news/buffalo-beauts-power-play-roster-stats-nwhl-jess-jones-rebecca-vint-sarah-edney/1qbh5jeb5bwnr1ng8dhovb9hts. live.
  7. News: Jackson-Gibson. Adele. Buffalo Beauts re-sign Kourtney Kunichika, Lisa Chesson for 2017–18. October 16, 2017. Excelle Sports. July 5, 2017. October 16, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171016225941/http://www.excellesports.com/news/buffalo-beauts-sign-kunichika-defender-chesson/. live.
  8. Web site: Wollschlager . Erik . September 15, 2018 . Key players missing from Beauts' roster . Die By the Blade . May 21, 2020 . September 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210926095504/https://www.diebytheblade.com/2018/9/15/17862974/key-players-missing-from-buffalo-beauts-roster . live .
  9. Web site: Murphy . Mike . November 20, 2017 . Kourtney Kunichika has been the Beauts' unsung star for three years . The Ice Garden . May 21, 2020 . October 24, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211024145026/https://www.theicegarden.com/2017/11/20/16676198/kourtney-kunichika-buffalo-beauts-womens-hockey-nwhl-underrated-unsung-star . live .
  10. Web site: Galarneau . Andrew Z. . September 11, 2019 . Love story leads to Hawaiian restaurant in Batavia . Buffalo News . May 21, 2020 . March 5, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200305171149/https://buffalonews.com/2019/09/11/love-story-leads-to-hawaiian-restaurant-in-batavia/ . live .
  11. Web site: About - Islands Hawaiian Grill - Hawaiian Restaurant in Batavia, NY. May 21, 2020. August 15, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200815141008/https://www.islandshawaiiangrill.com/about. live.
  12. Web site: Pericozzi . Maria . January 20, 2018 . Buffalo Beauts veteran player and Batavia resident prepares to defend Isobel Cup . The Batavian . May 21, 2020 . August 8, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200808083532/https://www.thebatavian.com/maria-pericozzi/buffalo-beauts-veteran-player-and-batavia-resident-prepares-to-defend-isobel-cup . live .
  13. Web site: NWHL Players of The Week: Emily Field and Kourtney Kunichika . nwhl.zone . 26 March 2018 . March 26, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180326142220/https://www.nwhl.zone/news_article/show/892310?referrer_id=2748687 . dead .

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