The first International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) sanctioned Women's World Championship was played in 1990, in Ottawa. Heaney was selected for Team Canada, but as she was a landed immigrant, she had to rush the process of gaining citizenship before she could play. Canada and the United States were the class of the tournament and met in the final. Heaney scored the gold medal winning goal in dramatic fashion as she deked around two American defencemen before sliding the puck into the net as she tripped over the goaltender and flew through the air in a fashion reminiscent of Bobby Orr's Stanley Cup winning goal in 1969. The goal, coupled with her skills as an offensive defenceman led to Heaney becoming known as the "Bobby Orr of women's hockey".