(HALIFAX, N.S.) - The Saint Mary's Huskies and Moncton Aigles Bleues have played one another well this season, splitting their four regular season games. However, it would be difficult to find one of those contests more dramatic than Wednesday night's Game 1 of the Subway AUS women's hockey championship semifinal series at Alumni Arena.
The Huskies emerged victorious at the end of a double-overtime thriller, 3-2, when Nicole Blanche scored the first playoff goal of her AUS career four minutes into the second overtime.
Blanche's goal, a rebound of a point shot by Rebecca Mosher, gives the Huskies a 1-0 lead in the semifinal series and affords them an opportunity to win the best 2-of-3 affair in Friday's Game 2 at the J. Louis Levesque Arena in Moncton.
This game featured several skilful goals, while the third period and overtimes were commanded by quality goaltending.
Tonight, it was Sienna Cooke for Saint Mary's and freshman Gabrielle Forget from Moncton going save for save with the game tied at 2-2 from the start of the third period onward. In all, Cooke made 27 saves while her counterpart Forget stopped 30 shots.
On the winning goal, Nicole Blanche won an offensive zone faceoff back to her captain Rebecca Mosher at the blue line. Mosher fired a high shot through traffic that Forget bobbled with her glove, but Blanche was on the doorstep and poked the rebound under the goaltender.
The Moncton players and coaching staff were upset with the goal, contesting that Forget had the puck covered before it was knocked loose, but after a brief discussion with her linesmen, the referee decided on a good goal ending an exciting game of hockey.
It was a parade to the penalty box for much of the first two periods as both sides had to utilized their special teams for nine power-plays. Each team enjoyed six total power-plays on the night with Moncton going 2-for-6 and Saint Mary's 1-for-6.
Moncton took the first lead of the game at 8:13 of the first period, scoring on a 5-on-3 power-play when Marie-Pier Arsenault slammed a one-timer past Cooke on the shortside.
Just two minutes later, Breanna Lanceleve tied the game at 10:17. This time, the Huskies had a two-man advantage of their own. Lanceleve circled around the high slot and wristed a shot past Forget.
Before the end of the first period, Mosher gave her team the lead when her high point shot floated into the top of the net past a screened Forget.
Marika Lacroix tied the game with a brilliant power-play goal at 14:44 of the second period. While Saint Mary's penalty killers were trying to clear the puck in a battle against the wall, Lacroix came away with the puck, powered off the side boards and sniped a wrist shot over the shoulder of Cooke.
The teams will return to the ice for Game 2 Friday night in Moncton at 7 p.m. with the Aigles' season on the brink. Game 3, if it is necessary, is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Saturday,
Source: Brian Mosher for Saint Mary's Sports Information