QSSF Semi Final: No.1 McGill wins playoff opener, win streak now at 81

OTTAWA - Ann-Sophie Bettez of Sept-Iles, Que., scored the game-winner and assisted on the insurance goal by Vanessa Davidson of Kirkland, Que., as the No.1-ranked McGill Martlets blanked Carleton 2-0 in a Quebec university women's hockey semifinal opener in the nation's capital on Wednesday.

It was McGill's 81st straight victory and the 15th consecutive post-season win for the Martlets since the 2007 CIS gold medal game, which they lost 4-0 to Alberta.

Bettez, a third-year management major and two-time all-Canadian forward, connected on a power-play at 13:12 of the first period then set up Davidson's empty-netter with 11 seconds remaining in the game.

McGill outshot the Ravens 35-20, including a 16-6 advantage in the final stanza.

Goaltender Taylor Salisbury, a science freshman from Surrey, B.C., made 20 saves to post her first-ever playoff shutout and her fourth goose-egg in 19 games overall. Senior Valerie Charbonneau took the loss for Carleton, registering 33 saves.

The Martlets lead the best-of-three series 1-0 and could wrap up the series with a win on Friday at McConnell Arena. McGill has never lost to the Ravens and own a 50-0-1 lifetime record in head-to-head matchups, including 38 straight wins.

If a third game is necessary, it is scheduled for Sunday at 2 p.m., also at McConnell Arena. The Martlets agreed to open this series on the road and host Games 2 and 3 since the scheduled playoff dates conflict with the McGill-Carleton men's semifinal series. Should both McGill puck squads win their semifinal rounds, then they would have another scheduling conflict for all three games in their respective conference finals, tentatively slated for Mach 3, 5, 7.

MARTLET MURMURS: The Martlets plan on watching the Olympic women's hockey gold medal game between Canada and the USA together on Thursday evening after practicing at McConnell Arena. The national team, which includes McGill head coach Peter Smith on the coaching staff, features former Martlet defenceman Catherine Ward, plus goaltenders Charline Labonté and Kim St-Pierre... Ward, who wears No.18, has a pair of goals and four points in four tourney games. A rookie of the Olympic team, she leads all Canadian players with a combined total of 80 minutes and 30 seconds of ice time. She is also tied for fourth on the team in the plus-minus ratings with a +13...St-Pierre has appeared in two games, registering wins in both and one shutout, allowing no goals on 13 shots in 100 minutes. Labonté has only seen 20 minutes of playing time and has kicked aside eight of nine shots.

SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
McGill University Athletics & Recreation