Huskies top Panthers 3-0 in home opener

The Saint Mary's University Huskies won 3-0  in their home opener, over the UPEI Panthers on Saturday at Alumni Arena. The win gives the Huskies a 3-0-1 record on the season and leaves the Panthers at 2-2.

Rebecca Clark (Keswick, ON) made 12 saves to record her first shutout and second win of the season for the Huskies.

Caitlyn Manning (3) (Cambridge, ON), Hayley Hallihan (2) (Miramichi, NB) and Siobhan Birch (2) (Mississauga, ON) all found the back of the net for the Huskies.

Marie Soliel Deschenes (Ile-Bizard, QC) made 29 saves for the Panthers.

1^st

The Panthers were able to control the flow for the opening few minutes of the game yet were not able to generate any scoring chances on Clark.

The Huskies broke up the Panthers momentum with some quick rushes up ice. The first great chance of the game came on a Huskies three-on-two rush with Breanna Lanceleve (Middle Sackville, NS) carrying the puck into the Panthers zone, Mary Worndl (Kitchener, ON) drove hard to the left post, while Manning came in as the trailer, Lanceleve showed tremendous patience looking off the covered Worndl before dropping to a wide open Manning in the high slot, Manning ripped a wrist shot on goal and Deschenes made a great save.

Moments later Birch had a quick wraparound try denied by Deschenes as the Panthers keeper went post-to-post in a flash to make the toe save.

The Huskies opened the scoring at the 10:12 mark of the period. Lanceleve led the rush again working her way with speed through the middle of the ice into the Panthers zone, she headed wide towards the left corner and sent a perfect pass back into the slot right on the tape of a wide open Manning who fired a wrist shot home to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead.

Kristen MacIntyre (Sydney, NS) tried to bring the Panthers level when she jumped an errant Huskies pass through the neutral zone and rushed up the right wing ripping a shot on Clark who made a nice glove save.

The Huskies had another quality scoring chance as Kiana Wilkinson (Prince George, BC) sent a pass from the right point to Nicole Blanche (Dunville, NF) all alone in the slot, Blanche turned and fired on goal and Deschenes made another great save.

Shots after one were 16-3 Huskies.

2^nd

Much like the first the second opened with the Panthers controlling the early flow. Emma Weatherbie made a rush up the left wing and drove hard towards goal but her backhand try was kicked away by Clark.

Just after that rush the Panthers had their best opportunity to score. Clark was seemingly down and out after making an initial save and the rebound found Jenna Pellerin (Halifax, NS) in the slot, Pellerin's shot looked like it was on its way in when Clark somehow reached out with her glove hand and got just enough to deflect the puck wide.

The Huskies were able to turn the tide of momentum again, as Lanceleve led another rush this time finding Worndl alone in the slot, again Deschenes made a great save on the point blank shot.

On the same shift Manning worked in on a two-on-one with Worndl but Emma Martin (Winsloe, PE) made a great defensive play poking the pass away just before it got to Worndl.

The pressure kept coming from the home side and they finally broke through 13:07 in. Hallihan had the puck at the top of the left circle and sent a feed to Kate Barber (Aurora, ON) in the slot, Barber worked the puck down low to Beatrice Harrietha (Guelph, ON) just to the right of the net, Deschenes made the save on Harrietha's try but the rebound came to Hallihan, who had crashed the net after starting the play, and Hallihan made no mistake tapping it into a wide open net for a 2-0 Huskies lead.

The Huskies made it 3-0 just over a minute later. Haylee Tretiak (Teulon, MB) had the puck in the right corner and found Nicole Scholfield working in from the left point, Sholfield fed the puck to the net to Birch who whacked it home on her second try at 14:07.

Shots after two were 23-5 Huskies.

3^rd

The opening minutes of the third saw the puck move from end-to-end, as neither team could establish offensive possession.

Just after the Panthers killed off the first penalty of the game, Pellerin had a glorious scoring chance alone on the doorstep but Clark game through with a big save.

Martin made a great solo rush with the Panthers short handed, nearly going coast-to-coast, but just as che was trying to work her backhand on goal Hannah Askin (Waterloo ON) came in to poke the puck away.

Some good Panthers pressure led to their only power-play opportunity of the game. They were able to get some point shots on goal but Clark was there each time.

Just after the penalty had expired Bria Harding (Plaster Rock, NB) made some nice moves on a rush up the right wing, she worked a give and go with Corniela Geib (Calgary AB) but her shot was deflected away.

Final shots were 32-12 Huskies.

Up next:

The Panthers will host the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus on Saturday October, 29 in Charlottetown, PE.

The Huskies will take on the STFX X-Women on Friday October, 28 in Antigonish NS.

By Cam Honey-Webb, SMU Communications

Photo, Nick Pearce