SASKATOON – The University of Alberta Pandas women's hockey team stole the show in the Saskatchewan Huskies home opener, as they picked up a 3-2 double-overtime victory at Merlis Belsher Place on Friday, Oct. 11.
Alex Poznikoff provided the game-winning goal in double-overtime to give the visitors the victory.
Madison Willan and Autumn MacDougall each increased their point total to eight through two games, as Willan recorded a goal and an assist, while MacDougall scored her third goal of the season in the opening period. While fifth-year blueliner Cayle Dillon also registered two assists.
Shyan Elias scored her first goal of the season, while
Kennedy Brown's shorthanded breakaway goal in the third period tied the game up and sent it to overtime.
Morgan Willoughby and
Bailee Bourassa tacked on assists on the marker.
Pandas goaltender Halle Oswald stopped 18 of 20 shots on the night to pick up the win.
Huskies goaltender
Jessica Vance stopped 31 of the 34 shots she faced in her second start of the season for Saskatchewan, as her record now sits at 1-0-0-1.
With the win, the Pandas remain undefeated, as their record moves to 2-0-1-0, while the Huskies fall to 1-1-0-1.
It was Saskatchewan who opened the scoring just moments into the game, with Elias scoring her first of the season on a deflection from a Willoughby point-shot just 1:01 into the contest to give the Huskies an early advantage.
However, the lead wouldn't last long, as Alberta struck back early into the frame. MacDougall, who entered the night as the leader in points in the Canada West, continued to build upon her hot start with the powerplay goal to tie the game up at one goal apiece.
The Huskies had the chance to take the lead late in the first period, as
Abby Shirley broke-in alone shorthanded on Oswald, but her backhander was knocked aside.
After the teams went to the dressing rooms even, Alberta was the beneficiary of a pair of two-man advantages in the second period. Saskatchewan was able to kill off the first, but Willan found the back of the net to give the visitors the one-goal lead.
The Huskies were outshot 20-13 through two periods of play, however, that didn't stop the home side from tying the score in the final frame. Saskatchewan struck shorthanded when
Emily Upgang's active stick deflected the puck and sprung Brown on the breakaway. The second-year forward made no mistake, going high blocker-side to tie the game back up.
After the first frame of four-on-four solved nothing, the visitors had a golden opportunity to end it just seconds into three-on-three, but Vance was able to shut the door on Poznikoff's breakaway chance. However, the Pandas didn't go away, as you can only stymie their potent offensive attack for so long. Dillon spotted Poznikoff on the back-door and the fifth-year forward redeemed herself and found the back of the net to give Alberta the overtime win.
Saskatchewan and Alberta will do battle in game two of the series tomorrow evening at 7:00 p.m. at Merlis Belsher Place.
That action can be watched live on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.
