March 6, 2006
LAURIER COMPLETES THREE-PEAT WITH OT WIN
ST. CATHARINES - The Laurier Golden Hawks Women's Hockey Team cemented their amazing season Sunday afternoon by defeating the No. 6 nationally-ranked Toronto Varsity Blues 2-1, garnering their third straight OUA Championship. Laurier's Jessica Judges played the hero on this day, scoring the winning goal 4:18 into overtime.
Having already clinched spots in the CIS National Championships, the Varsity Blues and Golden Hawks came out battling in the first period. Toronto's Janine Davies generated the first quality scoring chance of the game, just over four minutes in, wheeling around a Laurier defender and wristing a shot on net that Laurier netminder Morgan Wielgosz turned aside. For the Golden Hawks, defenseman Andrea Bevan had a fine period, controlling the puck on power play opportunities and leading a number of rushes from her own end.
Laurier showed why a team needs to play a full 20-minute period as they tallied the game's opening goal with just 0.03 seconds left in the opening frame. Stealing the puck off a Toronto defender at her own blueline, Laurier's Laurissa Kenworthy walked in on Toronto keeper Lisa Robertson uncontested. Switching from her forehand to her backhand, Kenworthy caught Robertson going cross-crease and slid the puck under the Toronto netminder's right pad. While Toronto contested the goal, Laurier's 1-0 lead stood as the two teams entered the second period of play.
Toronto tied up the game at the 13:16 mark of the second period with a fine solo effort from Annie Delguidice. After receiving a pass from Sue McCutcheon, Delguidice streaked up the left side of the Laurier zone, split the defense and slid the puck past Wielgosz in tight. Coming through in the clutch, the goal was Delguidice's second in the Final Four, her last being a game winner.
Sparked by the goal , the Blues continued their high-tempo offensive attack and threatened to take the lead minutes later. Toronto's Katie Dowdall had the best scoring chance the rest of the period, stripping the puck from Lauren Meschino, and breaking out on Wielgosz alone. Before Dowdall could reach the net however, Bevan caught up to the Toronto forward and took her entirely out of the play.
The third period saw a great deal of back and forth action as the two teams traded quality chances. Laurier started the period with Lauren Barch turning a Toronto defender inside out before sliding the puck to teammate Diana Cicchillo, who missed in close. Six minutes in, Laurier was at it again, this time with Lindsay Arbeau getting an open lane in front of the net and backhanding one that Robertson swallowed into her equipment.
The second half of the period was dominated by the Blues. The Blues got things started off with a power play 12 minutes in, taking shot after shot on Wielgosz. Moments after the power play ended, Laura Heenan nearly finished off a pretty passing play but was unable to beat Wielgosz who made the save while flat on the ice. Despite all the scoring chances from both teams, overtime would be required to settle things.
Laurier did not wait long to break the tie in the extra frame, as Jessica Judges wired a shot that beat Robertson stick side, just 4:18 in. With the win, the Laurier Golden Hawks captured their third straight OUA Women's Hockey Championship in a row, becoming the first team since the powerhouse Varsity Blues of the early 1990s to achieve the feat.
Despite the loss, the Blues can still take solace in the fact that they will be moving on to the CIS Championships, hosted this year by St. Francis Xavier University.
Scoring Summary
Period 1
00:01 - LAU - Laurissa Kenworthy
Period 2
13:16 - TOR - Annie Delguidice (Sue McCutcheon)
Period 3
No Scoring
Overtime
4:18 - LAU - Jessica Judges (Candice Djukic)
Shots
TOR - 29
LAU - 25
Goaltending
TOR - Lisa Robertson - 64:18 - 23 saves (2 GA)
LAU - Morgan Wielgosz - 64:18 - 28 saves (1 GA)
(Source: Brock Sports Information.)
(Photo: Laurier's Laurissa Kenworthy, left, and Lauren Meschino hold up the Hawks' third consecutive OUA Championship banner. Photo by Shawn Whiteley.)
Having already clinched spots in the CIS National Championships, the Varsity Blues and Golden Hawks came out battling in the first period. Toronto's Janine Davies generated the first quality scoring chance of the game, just over four minutes in, wheeling around a Laurier defender and wristing a shot on net that Laurier netminder Morgan Wielgosz turned aside. For the Golden Hawks, defenseman Andrea Bevan had a fine period, controlling the puck on power play opportunities and leading a number of rushes from her own end.
Laurier showed why a team needs to play a full 20-minute period as they tallied the game's opening goal with just 0.03 seconds left in the opening frame. Stealing the puck off a Toronto defender at her own blueline, Laurier's Laurissa Kenworthy walked in on Toronto keeper Lisa Robertson uncontested. Switching from her forehand to her backhand, Kenworthy caught Robertson going cross-crease and slid the puck under the Toronto netminder's right pad. While Toronto contested the goal, Laurier's 1-0 lead stood as the two teams entered the second period of play.
Toronto tied up the game at the 13:16 mark of the second period with a fine solo effort from Annie Delguidice. After receiving a pass from Sue McCutcheon, Delguidice streaked up the left side of the Laurier zone, split the defense and slid the puck past Wielgosz in tight. Coming through in the clutch, the goal was Delguidice's second in the Final Four, her last being a game winner.
Sparked by the goal , the Blues continued their high-tempo offensive attack and threatened to take the lead minutes later. Toronto's Katie Dowdall had the best scoring chance the rest of the period, stripping the puck from Lauren Meschino, and breaking out on Wielgosz alone. Before Dowdall could reach the net however, Bevan caught up to the Toronto forward and took her entirely out of the play.
The third period saw a great deal of back and forth action as the two teams traded quality chances. Laurier started the period with Lauren Barch turning a Toronto defender inside out before sliding the puck to teammate Diana Cicchillo, who missed in close. Six minutes in, Laurier was at it again, this time with Lindsay Arbeau getting an open lane in front of the net and backhanding one that Robertson swallowed into her equipment.
The second half of the period was dominated by the Blues. The Blues got things started off with a power play 12 minutes in, taking shot after shot on Wielgosz. Moments after the power play ended, Laura Heenan nearly finished off a pretty passing play but was unable to beat Wielgosz who made the save while flat on the ice. Despite all the scoring chances from both teams, overtime would be required to settle things.
Laurier did not wait long to break the tie in the extra frame, as Jessica Judges wired a shot that beat Robertson stick side, just 4:18 in. With the win, the Laurier Golden Hawks captured their third straight OUA Women's Hockey Championship in a row, becoming the first team since the powerhouse Varsity Blues of the early 1990s to achieve the feat.
Despite the loss, the Blues can still take solace in the fact that they will be moving on to the CIS Championships, hosted this year by St. Francis Xavier University.
Scoring Summary
Period 1
00:01 - LAU - Laurissa Kenworthy
Period 2
13:16 - TOR - Annie Delguidice (Sue McCutcheon)
Period 3
No Scoring
Overtime
4:18 - LAU - Jessica Judges (Candice Djukic)
Shots
TOR - 29
LAU - 25
Goaltending
TOR - Lisa Robertson - 64:18 - 23 saves (2 GA)
LAU - Morgan Wielgosz - 64:18 - 28 saves (1 GA)
(Source: Brock Sports Information.)
(Photo: Laurier's Laurissa Kenworthy, left, and Lauren Meschino hold up the Hawks' third consecutive OUA Championship banner. Photo by Shawn Whiteley.)
