(HALIFAX, N.S.) - The Saint Mary's women picked up their third win of the season after defeating the Dalhousie Tigers 5-3 on Wednesday night. The Huskies were looking to bounce back after a 4-1 loss to StFX in which they were outshot 43-10. The matchup was marked with forty minutes of tight play, but the second period offensive outburst from the Huskies propelled them to the victory.
It was the Dalhousie Tigers who struck early in the first period, taking a one-goal lead just 28 seconds into the game. On an odd-man rush, a streaking Sarah Robichaud took a feed from Lisa MacLean and lifted the puck over the outstretched pad of Huskies goaltender Sienna Cooke.
The Tigers' lead did not last long, however, as the Huskies managed to tie the game five minutes later on the powerplay. It was Brianna Soper who scored her first of the season, when she jammed a puck into the back of the net on a broken play in front of the crease of Tigers netminder Mati Barrett.
Saint Mary's began the second period having to kill off a Dalhousie powerplay, however, Barrett had to face two great chances from Huskies forward Breanna Lanceleve. She turned away a Lanceleve breakaway deke attempt and shut the door on the freshman again during a 2-on-1 chance later in the same shift.
Four minutes into the second period, Huskies captain Rebecca Mosher gave Saint Mary's the lead on a great individual effort. After having her slapshot blocked in the high slot, Mosher tracked down the loose puck, circled out from behind the net, and ripped a wrist shot from the left face-off dot over the shoulder of Barrett. The Tigers were able to bring the game back to even just over two minutes later on a goal by forward Jennifer Thompson.
With the game tied at two and half of the second period remaining, the Huskies began to control the neutral zone. On several occasions, the speedy Huskies were able to receive long passes near the Tigers' blue line all the way from their own defensive end, allowing clear entry into the Dalhousie zone.
On a Huskies offensive rush, Laura Polak took a big hit from a Dalhousie defenceman but was able to direct the puck over to Lanceleve who cut to the net and fired a shot through the five-hole of Barrett. This was Lanceleve's sixth goal of the season, ranking her first among AUS goal scorers. Once more, it was the Polak line that doubled the Saint Mary's lead before the end of the second period. Barrett mishandled a Lanceleve shot which Polak gathered below the goal line and immediately slid in the net on a wraparound. This would be the game winning goal.
In the third period, Caitlyn Manning scored her first goal of the season on the powerplay when she deflected a Lanceleve point shot over the glove hand of the Dalhousie goaltender.
With twelve minutes to play, Tigers defenceman Joleen MacInnis brought her team within two when she stole the puck during a Huskies breakout and beat Sienna Cooke along the ice. That was as close to the lead as Dalhousie could get as the Huskies defence prevented the Tigers from rallying any more offensive opportunities for the balance of the game.
With the win, the Huskies now sit two points behind StFX in the AUS standings.
Saint Mary's will head to New Brunswick this weekend where they will face Mount Allison and St. Thomas. The Moncton Aigles Bleues are in Halifax next Friday, Nov. 8. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at the Alumni Arena.
Source: Saint Mary's Sport Information