X-Women fall to Pandas, will play for 5th place

GAME 6 POOL B: CIS women’s hockey championship
Pandas to battle Martlets for gold after 2-0 win over X-Women

Courtesy StFX sports information

ANTIGONISH, N.S. (CIS) – The No. 3 ranked Alberta Pandas (2-0) are heading to the gold medal game after a 2-0 shutout over the No. 5 host StFX X-Women (0-2) Saturday evening at the StFX Keating Centre.

Championship website (including complete stats): http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wice

Alana Cabana (Edmonton) scored a power play marker midway through the first period and Melody Howard (Grande Prairie, AB) scored at 5:11 of the second as the two goals held strong for the win. Goaltender Dana Vinge (Edmonton) earned her second consecutive shutout of the tournament to help the Pandas advance to the national final. Alberta has not allowed a goal against in two games played to date at the national championship.

StFX goaltender Katie Harvieux (Digby, NS) played another strong game for the X-Women, recording 20 saves, but her teammates could not solve Vinge.

The opening period of the game was plagued with penalties as StFX were sent to the sin bin on 4 occasions and the Pandas were called for 3 minor infractions. On Alberta’s second power play, forward Alana Cabana shot the puck on net and it went in off Harvieux’s back inside the post. Leah Copeland (Calgary) and Stephanie Ramsay (Charlottetown) assisted on the goal scored at the 10:05 minute mark. 

Carolyn Campbell (Ottawa) had the best scoring chance for the X-Women, as she skated into the Panda’s zone during some 4-on-4 open ice and almost sneaked the puck through Vinge’s pads but she was able to make the save. 

Shots on the period turned out even with 7-7 for each side at the completion of 20 minutes of play.

The opening five minutes of the second period saw no big scoring chances for either squad until Howard broke in ahead of a StFX defender and was able to fake Harvieux and tuck the puck around her left pad, notching the Pandas’ second goal of the night at 5:11. Ramsay picked up her second assist of the game on the goal.

Harvieux kept the X-Women in contention during the second period. She made a nice toe save off a Copeland shot and stoned the Pandas later in the period while on the power play. Andrea Boras (Calgary) let off a shot from the point then Copeland jumped on the rebound but Harvieux stretched the pads for the save.

Campbell had another key chance for the X-Women, redirecting a Marilynn Hay (Sombra, ON) shot from the point which was close to going into the Alberta net but bounced out the other way.

Cabana had a chance in alone for Alberta to put away their third goal but she shot the puck high of the StFX net.

The Pandas finished off the second period with a 9-6 advantage in shots.

Katie Harvieux continued her strong play in the StFX net in the third period but she was unable to get any help on offense from her teammates as the X-Women were held scoreless for the third consecutive period as the Pandas closed out a 2-0 victory.

The X-Women were assessed three minor penalties in the third period but the Pandas were not able to capitalize and increase their lead, despite pressuring on the power play with several shots on net. Harvieux held her ground between the pipes, finishing with 20 saves on 22 shots. Her counterpart Vinge finished with the same save total.

Pandas defender Stephanie Ramsay was named Player of the Game for her two point effort while StFX defender Jenna Downey (Stratford, ON) earned Player of the Game honors for the X-Women.

With the win the Pandas (2-0) punched their ticket to the gold medal final slated for Sunday evening at 6:00 pm (AST). Their opponent will be the No. 1 ranked McGill Martlets (2-0) who advanced from the Pool A side of the bracket. The X-Women (0-2) will play No. 6 Montreal in the fifth place game Sunday at 11:00 am (AST). Rounding out the Sunday playoff bracket is No. 2 Laurier (1-1) versus No. 4 Saint Mary’s (1-1) for bronze at 2:00 pm (AST).

SCORING SUMMARY 

Alberta 2, StFX 0

FIRST PERIOD

SCORING:
1. ALB Alana Cabana (1) (Leah Copeland, Stephanie Ramsay), 10:05.

PENALTIES:
Tyson Beukeboom (StFX) holding, 7:28; Alana Cabana (ALB) slashing, 7:41; Carolyn Campbell (StFX) tripping, 8:38; Catie Gavin (StFX) roughing, 10:20; Leah Copeland (ALB) hooking, 10:43; Laura Grant (StFX) body contact, 15:58; Alana Cabana (ALB) interference, 16:32.

SECOND PERIOD

SCORING:
2. ALB Melody Howard (1) (Stephanie Ramsay), 5:11.

PENALTIES:
Jenna Downey (StFX) holding, 15:07.

THIRD PERIOD

SCORING:
No scoring.

PENALTIES:
Jacinta Sullivan (StFX) slashing, 6:41; Carolyn Campbell (StFX) hooking, 9:58; Jenna Downey (StFX) body contact, 17:22.

 
GOALS (by period)
ALB: 1-1-0: 2
StFX: 0-0-0: 0

SHOTS ON GOAL (by period)
ALB: 7-9-6: 22
StFX: 7-6-9: 22

POWER PLAY:
ALB: 1-9
StFX: 0-2

GOALTENDERS
ALB: Dana Vinge (W, 2-0, 22 shots, 22 saves, 60:00)
StFX: Katie Harvieux (L, 0-2, 22 shots, 20 saves, 59:53)

BLACKBERRY PLAYERS OF THE GAME:
ALB: Stephanie Ramsay
StFX: Jenna Downey

REFEREE: Katie Gullett

LINESMEN: Deanna Esch, Allison Smith

ATTENDANCE: 946

SEEDINGS, POOLS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS (All times LOCAL: Atlantic Time)

Pool A
1. McGill
4. Saint Mary’s
6. Montreal

Pool B
2. Wilfrid Laurier
3. Alberta
5. StFX

Thursday, March 11
16:00 Pool A #1: No. 1 McGill 3, No. 6 Montreal 1
19:30 Pool B #1: No. 3 Alberta 1, No. 2 Laurier 0

Friday, March 12
16:00 Pool A #2: No. 4 Saint Mary’s 4, No. 6 Montreal 2
19:30 Pool B #2: No. 2 Laurier 3, No. 5 StFX 2

Saturday, March 13
16:00 Pool A #3: No. 1 McGill 7, No. 4 Saint Mary’s 2
19:30 Pool B #3: No. 5 StFX 0 vs. No. 3 Alberta 2 

Sunday, March 14
11:00 5th Place: No. 6 Montreal vs No. 5 StFX (SSN Canada) 
14:00 Bronze: No. 4 Saint Mary’s vs No. 2 Laurier (SSN Canada) 
18:00 Final: No. 1 McGill vs No. 3 Alberta (SSN Canada)