Antigonish, NS - The STFX X-Women defeated the visiting UPEI Panthers 5-2 on Bell's Let's Talk night Wednesday at the Charles V. Keating Centre.

It was a welcome return to Antigonish for Lea MacLeod (Dartmouth, NS), who was away representing Canada at the FISU Games, as she raced down the ice in the game's first minute. She fired a shot on net and Chloe Vukosa (Mississauga, ON) deposited an easy rebound into an open net. 

With just over four minutes remaining in the opening period MacLeod again made her way into the UPEI zone and feathered a perfect pass to Lauren Dabrowski (Tiny, ON). Dabrowski one-timed a wrist shot past the impressive Sarah Forsythe (Riverview, NB).

The 2-0 lead held up after 20 minutes.

The Panthers took advantage of their second power-play of the game early in the middle frame. Taylor Gillis (Summerside, PEI) used her veteran savvy as she controlled possession before she found Lexie Murphy (Kensington, PEI) in the slot. Murphy one-timed a perfect shot by Jamie Johnson (Victoria, BC). 

Anna MacCara (Yellowknife, NWT) restored X's two goal lead a minute later as she interrupted a UPEI breakout before she zipped a shot into the short-side of the net. The remainder of the period was scoreless as the X-Women were up 3-1 after two.

The third period was a goal-filled affair that saw the Panthers draw level before two late X-Women power-play goals sealed the victory for the home team. 

A great individual effort by McKinley Nelson (Calgary, AB) followed by an excellent wrist shot reduced STFX's lead to one goal, just 2:30 into the period. Just 37 seconds later, Ashley McCutcheon (Kitchener, ON) continued her fine goal scoring form as she fired a shot along the ice into the far corner to knot the game at 3-3.

The X-Women line of MacCara, Ellie Brown (Kemptville, ON), and Kamdyn Switzer (Stittsville, ON), was in top form and their efforts were rewarded with the game's final two goals. 

As STFX controlled possession on the power-play, a scramble in front led to the puck being loose for the briefest on moments, before Brown used her quick hands to put X up by one, tallying the eventual game winner as the assists went to MacCara and Switzer at the 12:38 mark.

Switzer then scored the insurance marker with a minute and a half left in the game on a top corner shot with Brown drawing the assist.

The X-Women held a lopsided shot advantage in the game, 49-16, as Johnson earned the win in the X net.

With her two-point effort and game winning goal, Brown was named the first star and Subway player of the game. MacCara was the second star, and UPEI's Forsythe the third star, earning 4 saves in the Panthers net.

Next on the AUS scheduled sees StFX (15-4-2-1) travel to Sackville to play Mount Allison Friday night at 7pm. UPEI (14-7-1) will be in Fredericton, also on Friday at 7pm to play UNB.

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Recap courtesy Bart Sears, STFX Athletics

Prior to the game STFX SAMHI (Student-Athlete Mental Health Initiative) representatives Luc Gallant (Cross Country), Chloe Oleksiuk (Hockey) and Liam Wilde (Football) drop the puck on Bell Let's Talk Night

Ellie Brown earned Subway Player of the Game honours with a goal & an assist in the X-Women's 5-3 win over UPEI! #goxgo #SubwayFuel pic.twitter.com/JYcsqRyXbN

— StFX Athletics (@StFXAthletics) January 26, 2023