Mounties nip X-Women in shootout

Antigonish, NS – The Mount Allison Mounties came out on the winning end of a 3-2 game, needing a shootout to beat the X-Women on their home ice at the Charles V. Keating Centre on Saturday afternoon.

Kelsey Taylor (Saint Andrews, NB), the 16^th shooter in the shoot-out, netted the game-winner for the Mounties. She stayed with goaltender Sojung Shin (Seoul, Korea) after she went down and tucked it in behind, low on the glove side.

The goal came after seven shooters apiece couldn't score, then the two teams exchanged shoot-out goals to remain tied, before three more shooters then Taylor's game winner. She earned Subway player of the game honor for her efforts.

After a quick opening first period with lots of back and forth action, it was the X-Women who found the scoreboard first as Sarah Bujold jumped on a rebound and buried it past Mounties netminder Keri Martin (Brampton, ON) at 13:36. Lisa Downey (Stratford, ON) and Schyler Campbell (Galloway, NB) assisted on the play.

Shortly after the goal, Bujold was assessed a roughing penalty and the Mounties capitalized with the extra player as Kara Anthony (Toronto, ON) tipped in a Rosie Heffernan (Oakville, ON) shot from the point, deflecting the puck over the shoulder of Shin. Emily van Diepen (Moreel, PE) also had a helper on the power play goal, scored at 14:55.

The 1-1 tie held after 20 minutes of play as Mount Allison held a slight 15-13 shot advantage.

In the second period, Jennifer Bell (Miramichi, NB) beat Shin at 2:09 to give the Mounties a 2-1 lead in the game. Gabrielle Vautour (Hampton, NB) picked up the lone assist on the play.

Mount A kept the pressure on after scoring the goal with a couple scoring chances but were turned aside by Shin. StFX then had several key chances on the power play including a hot post by Nicole Corcoran (Bloomfield, PE).

X-Women veteran forward Kara Power (New Glasgow, NS) finally solved Martin when she scored at 8:54. After making the initial save on a X-Women 2-on-1, captain Taylor Dale (Oromocto, NB) picked up the rebound and fed Power who popped it into the open Mounties net. Daley Oddy (Cranbrooke, BC) was also in on the X rush and had an assist.

Mount Allison had a few good scoring chances on a late second period power play opportunity but Shin held her ground in the X net.

The X-Women had a good chance with just over a minute left in the period after a face-off inside the MtA zone resulted in a goal mouth scramble, but the puck stayed out. There was more pressure in front of the Mounties net late in the period but the 2-2 tie held heading into the second intermission.

The X-Women held a 16-9 shot advantage in the middle frame.

In the third period, both goalies continued to make key saves to keep their respective team in the game, resulting in a scoreless final period.

With under five minutes to play, StFX had their best scoring opportunity when Martin lost her stick but managed a glove save on an X-Women attack.

Shots were fairly even in the final period at 10-9 for Mount Allison.

The first five-minute overtime period featured back and forth four-on-four action but no goals. Ashley Murphy (The Pas, MB) almost ended it for the Mounties when she broke in alone with under 10 seconds to play but shot it high above the goal.

The next five-minute overtime frame brought on exciting end to end action with open ice and several scoring chances by each team as they played three-on-three hockey.

Bujold had a nice shot for X, but was stopped by Martin on the short side. Mounties captain Mackenzie Lalonde (Ottawa, ON) was then stoned in close by Shin.

Oddy had a great chance from inside the slot but again Martin made the save.

The Mounties were close to ending it when Richards passed the puck out front to an open Anthony in the slot, but she was stopped by Shin on the initial shot and again on the rebound.

With less than 10 seconds to play in the game, Bujold deflected a Corcoran shot just wide of the Mounties net.

Final shots in the game ended at 45-40 for the X-Women, leading into the lengthy shoot-out which saw Taylor emerge as the game's hero.

Shin received third star game honors as she had 38 saves in the StFX net. Anthony was named the second star of the game and Taylor the first star.

Martin had 43 saves in the Mounties net as they improved to 11-10-2 on the season. They will next see action on Saturday, February 13^th when they host Saint Mary's (15-5-1). Puck drop is at 1:15 pm.

The X-Women (9-9-3) hit the ice again on Sunday as they have a road trip to Moncton (14-6-1) to face the Aigles Bleues. Game time is 2:00 pm.