October 15, 2010

CIS women's hockey Friday roundup

Photo credit UBC Athletics

St. Thomas	4	Mount Allison	3	Final	Boxscore
In a back-and -forth game all night, the Saint Thomas Tommies prevailed 4-3 in front of the hometown Mount Allison Mounties in the 2010 AUS Women's Hockey opener on Friday, October 15. Katie Brewster broke a 3-3 tie on her second goal of the game with less than 90 seconds left, and the Tommies also got a goal and two assists from Lyse Rossignol. Jessica Holt scored the other Tommies' goal. Mounties' Jenica Bastarache opened the scoring 3:34 into the game. Lindsay James, in her Mountie debut, scored a pair of goals, while her linemates, fellow rookies Courtney King and Kristen Cooze, assisted on both of her goals. STU's Julia Sharun stopped 34 shots for the win, while Meghan Corley-Byrne stopped 30 of 34 shots fired her way. Source: Mount Allison Sports Info
Concordia	3	No. 6 Montreal	2	Final - OT
MONTREAL - L'équipe de hockey féminin des Carabins de l'Université de Montréal a comblé un retard de deux buts en troisième période avant de s'incliner 3 à 2 en tirs de barrage vendredi soir au CEPSUM dans le cadre de son match d'ouverture de la saison 2010-2011 l'opposant aux Stingers de l'Université Concordia. Il s'agit du premier revers de l'histoire des hockeyeuses en bleu-blanc-noir face à ses rivales montréalaises. Rappelons que le hockey féminin a fait ses débuts l'an dernier à l'UdeM. Avec huit recrues au sein de son alignement, l'entraîneure-chef Isabelle Leclaire a vu sa troupe manqué de cohésion au cours des deux premières périodes et les Stingers en ont profité pour se forger une avance de deux buts. Les Bleus ont inscrit deux buts en l'espace d'une minute et trois secondes à mi-chemin au troisième tiers et se sont ensuite butées à la gardienne Audrey Doyon-Lessard qui s'est particulièrement illustrée en prolongation et en fusillade. Jaymee Shell a ouvert la marque après seulement deux minutes sept secondes de jeu en redirigeant un tir dans une cage à moitié ouverte suite à un déplacement de la gardienne Katrina Giuliani (Arts et sciences) et pendant que l'attaquante Kim Deschênes (Arts et sciences) était au cachot. « Notre jeu collectif a fait défaut en début de rencontre et Concordia a mis beaucoup de pression sur nos joueuses. On s'est rapidement retrouvé en déficit et ça a pris un certain temps avant que les filles se sentent à l'aise », a expliqué Leclaire au terme de la rencontre. Erin Lally a doublé l'avance des siennes après un peu plus de dix minutes au deuxième engagement en poussant au fond du filet une rondelle égarée dans le cercle de la gardienne de but. Giuliani a stoppé une échappé en moitié de troisième période et son arrêt a semblé réveiller les Carabins. Quelques instants plus tard, Deschênes, recrue de l'année au Québec l'an dernier, a battu Doyon-Lessard en sautant sur un retour de lancer de Josianne Legault (Déficience intellectuelle) suite à une belle entrée de zone orchestrée par Sophie Brault (HEC Montréal, Administration). Profitant du momentum, a capitaine Stéphanie Daneau (Sciences infirmières) a rapidement nivelé la marque. Après avoir effectué une belle feinte, elle s'est retrouvée seule devant la gardienne adverse qu'elle a déjoué d'un tir du poignet précis à l'intérieur du poteau droit. Les deux équipes n'ont pu profiter d'un avantage numérique en prolongation. Même si les Carabins ont au l'avantage 6-1 au chapitre des tirs au but, ce sont les Stingers qui ont eu la meilleure occasion de marquer en frappant le poteau. Les joueuses de l'UdeM ont réalisé 38 tirs au but contre 30 pour les visiteuses. Doyon-Lessard a complètement fermé la porte en fusillade en arrêtant tour à tour Amanda Lalande (sécurité et études policières), Deschênes et Brault. Pendant ce temps, les trois premières joueuses de Concordia ont eu le dessus sur Giuliani. « C'est certain que c'est un résultat décevant, mais il n'y a rien d'inquiétant dans cette performance, a ajouté Leclaire. Nous avons créé de meilleures chances de marquer que nos adversaires sans réussir à en profiter. De petites choses ont finalement fait la différence. » Le prochain match des Carabins aura lieu ce mercredi 20 octobre à 19h à l'Université McGill face aux Martlets. Source: Montreal Sport Info
No. 9 Saskatchewan	2	Regina	4	Final	Boxscore
The University of Regina's women's hockey team scored three times in the first period en route to a 4-2 win over No. 9-ranked Saskatchewan on Friday night in a Canada West game at The Co-Operators Centre. Kendra Finch and Rianne Wight both scored in a span of 74 seconds late in the first period, turning a 1-1 tie into a 3-1 Cougar lead going into the first intermission. That would be all the offence Regina would need, as Saskatchewan drew to within one goal midway through the third after a Kelsey Tulloch goal but couldn't add the equalizer. Lisa Urban had another strong effort between the pipes for the Cougars, stopping 29 of the 31 shots Saskatchewan sent her way. The win improves Regina's conference record to 2-1-0 on the season, while the Huskies now sport an identical 2-1-0 mark. Shelby Davey opened up the scoring for Saskatchewan at the 4:25 mark of the first, but Kelcie McCutcheon replied almost immediately to tie the game at one apiece. Finch's first of the season came at even strength, while Wight's came on the power play. Neither team found the back of the net until Tulloch's unassisted power play goal in the third. Wight's empty-net goal with 36 seconds left iced the win for the Cougars and gave the third-year forward her CIS-leading sixth goal of the season. Besides her first period tally, McCutcheon also assisted on both of Wight's goals, giving her eight points through the team's first three games. Mackenzie Rizos made 18 saves in the loss for the Huskies, who were 1-for-7 on the power play during the contest. Regina was successful on one of its four attempts with the man advantage. The two teams will meet again on Saturday night in Saskatoon. Source: Regina Sports Info
UBC	4	No. 3 Alberta	3	Final	Boxscore
EDMONTON - The UBC Thunderbirds scored a late goal to edge out the University of Alberta Pandas with a 4-3 win, Friday night at Clare Drake Arena in Edmonton. Senior Lisa Bonang led the T-bird offense with a pair of goals, including the game-winner, while third-years Chelsea Laing and Kaitlin Imai each chipped in a goal and an assist. Third-year Karla Bourke scored alongside seniors Leah Copeland and Lindsie Fairfield for the Pandas, with sophomore Katie Stewart notching a couple helpers as Alberta starts the season at an uncharacteristic 1-2. The Pandas gamely fought back three times in the game before Bonang finalized things with 93 seconds left to go in the game. The Kamloops, BC native also opened the scoring on a UBC penalty when she grabbed a loose puck and came in off the wing, fanning on a backhand that carried itself over the line for the short-handed tally at 6:06 of the first period. Alberta tied up the game just as the same penalty expired when Bourke tipped a Sarah Grandinetti point shot for her first conference goal in Panda silks. The home team overwhelmed the shot clock 10-2 in their favour after the opening 20 minutes, but senior Melinda Choy held the opposition at bay to keep the score deadlocked at 1-1. Port Coquitlam, BC native Laing retook the lead for UBC in the second when she tipped a Kirsten Michalcheon point shot at the 9:11 mark of the middle frame. Alberta team captain Copeland tied things up again just over four minutes later when she got a stick on a Nicole Pratt slapper on the power-play. It took Imai only 17 seconds into the third to reclaim the T-bird lead when she shot high to the far side from inside the face-off circle to beat sophomore 'keeper Michala Jeffries. The see-saw battle continued with Calgary native Fairfield potting a loose rebound in front of the UBC goal with 9:27 left to go in the final frame. Alberta almost took the lead two minutes later when senior Melody Howard, who scored the game-winner at last year's CIS gold medal game, was all alone in front with an entire net to shoot at before former Canada West Rookie of the Year Choy robbed her blind with a scintillating glove save. The Victoria, BC native's efforts opened the door for Bonang's heroics, taking advantage of an out-of-position Jeffries and potting a loose rebound to get the visitors their final lead of the game. With Jeffries on the bench, Choy held off the attacking Pandas for the win, earning the T-birds their second-straight victory against Alberta in conference play. The final shots went 24-14 in favour of Alberta, who was 1-7 on the man advantage while UBC went 0-3. The Pandas will have their rematch tomorrow against the 1-0 Thunderbirds at 7:00 PM MT at Clare Drake Arena. Source: Alberta Sports Info
Lethbridge	0	Calgary	5	Final	Boxscore

CALGARY – The University of Calgary Dinos notched a convincing win over the Lethbridge Pronghorns Friday in a 5-0 shutout at the Olympic Oval.

Led by 3Hayley Wickenheiser#, the new-look Dinos started strong and notched their first goal 3:36 into the game with Wickenheiser dropping off a pass to Elana Lovell in the slot. Lovell buried her shot easily, starting her on her way to a two-point night.

After that, the remainder of the first was a back and forth affair with the most noteworthy scoring chance coming from a redirected point shot that was tipped past Lethbridge goalie Crystal Patterson by Dinos rookie Chelsea Peterson. That shot would bounce off the inside of the post, keeping the Dinos to 1-0 at the first intermission..

"Our first period was slow," noted Dinos captain Cait O'Hara after the win. "We were a little bit tentative at the start."

That goal was the only even strength goal of the contest as the next bout of scoring didn't happen until midway through the second period with the Dinos on the penalty kill. That kill caused some scary moments for the Dinos defense as holding calls to Melissa Zubick and Shannon Davidson a minute and a half apart gave Lethbridge a five-on-three. After killing the first penalty off and springing Zubick from the box, Wickenheiser took the puck from behind her own net and skated end to end in order to bury the Dinos' second goal of the night. O'Hara and Nicole Kuglin picked up assists.d.

Six seconds later the Dinos' other penalty killing unit took the ice and went to work on a drive towards the 'Horns net that culminated in a goal by Erin Davidson with an assist by Tanya Morgan.

The special teams continued to be fruitful for the home team with their power play converting it's first goal of the night at 14:44 in the second period. That goal was set up by a Wickenheiser shot from the point that was tipped in front by rookie Madison Gee. The ensuing rebound was fired behind the Lethbridge goalie by Morgan before being stuffed in by Calaine Inglis.

After the fourth goal against, Lethbridge decided it was time to change netminders. Up to that point Patterson had made 10 stops on 14 shots. Replacing her was Shauntelle Williams who would get in front of 14 out of 15 shots that she would face in the last 25 minutes of the game.

The third period saw the Dinos pepper the Lethbridge net, notching 14 shots to the visitor's three in the final period. The only goal in that frame came from another Wickenheiser point shot that was tipped in by rookie forward Erika Mitschke. Lovell picked up the other assist on that goal.

At the other end of the rink, Dinos goalie Amanda Tapp had a quiet night posting a shutout on 11 shots against her. On the special teams, Lethbridge failed to convert on four Calgary infractions while the home team put two goals away on seven attempts with the powerplay.

Following the win, Dinos head coach Danielle Goyette laid out how she wants the year to progress.

"As a team we have to work at getting better every year," Goyette said. "This year with having Hayley on the team it is an adaptation for us. We have to make sure that we grow together as a team, not just hoping that she will make the difference for us."

Wickenheiser echoed similar thoughts from a player's perspective.

"I think that this was a nice win for these girls so they can get some confidence. They are taking another step this year to become a competitive team in the CIS. It's about learning how to win and haw to play intense every shift, every game."

With less than 24 hours before the next meeting with Lethbridge, the Dinos will have to keep the intensity high. That meeting is the Pronghorns' home opener and faces off at 7 p.m. Saturday night at the Nicholas Sheran Arena in Lethbridge.

Source: Calgary Sports Info