Chicks with Sticks

Paula struggles to dodge bill collectors while working and raising her young son Stewie in Red Deer, Alberta. The film establishes the tough, fast-paced rhythm of her daily life and the financial pressures she faces.

Ross persuades Paula to fill in as a substitute for a local hockey match. Her presence helps his team challenge the league champions, the Chiefs, turning a casual game into a high-stakes showdown.

After sexist comments follow the game, Paula wagers that she can assemble an all-female team to beat the Chiefs using women's hockey rules. She begins recruiting players from the community, sparking the town's excitement and skepticism alike.

Paula and Curt regret the idea and attempt to cancel the upcoming match, but it has already been announced on local radio and has become the town's talking point. The fixture takes on a life of its own as a community event.

With help from her mother Edith and local DJ Heather, Paula forms the Black Widows from the region's talent pool. The roster includes Felicity the destitute goalie, Kate, Brigitte, Charlene, and Calgarian Marcie, and bake sale fundraisers cover their uniforms.

The Chiefs struggle with fundraising rules and internal turmoil, but Paula agrees to ease the financial pressure. Curt bribes Ross to overlook a talented new member for the Chiefs, yet Felicity's friends intercept the move and render the outsider unable to play.

Marcie disappears before the match, taking with her the prize money and leaving the team anxious about their fate. The mystery adds tension as the Widows push forward with their plan.

In the opening period, the Chiefs race to a 3-0 lead. Kate draws a penalty on Curt, the Widows score on the power play, and the Chiefs answer with another goal before the Widows pull their goalie to end the period at 4-2.

Radio coverage draws a crowd to the arena during the intermission, turning the match into a town-wide spectacle. The broadcast heightens anticipation for the second half and the potential dawn of a professional league.

Paula confronts Felicity in the changing room after learning about betting on the match, but she refuses to remove Felicity from the roster. She stresses that the team is a family and that integrity matters more than winning at any cost.

Paula delivers a pivotal score with a heavy bodycheck in the second period, proving her commitment to the Widows. While recovering, she explains to Stewie that years earlier she left the women's Olympic team training camp not because of him, but from fear of not making the team.

Both teams switch to man-to-man defense in the final period. The Widows exploit a breakaway to take the lead in the last minute and seal victory with an empty-net goal.

An executive from a national television network approaches Paula after the game, inviting the Widows to join a new professional women's hockey league as a founding team. The offer signals a potential commercial breakthrough for the women’s sport.

Following the post-game handshake, the Widows pose with a custom trophy dubbed the Family Cup. The moment symbolizes the team’s unity and the community support behind their unlikely triumph.