February 18, 2013
W-HOCKEY PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: Semifinal matchups are set
February 15
Guelph @ UOIT (Guelph wins series 2-0)
OSHAWA, Ont. – The CIS No. 6 Guelph Gryphon women’s hockey team is through to the OUA semi-finals after a 3-2 double overtime win over the UOIT Ridgebacks tonight in Oshawa. The Gryphons defeated the Ridgebacks in two straight games to close out the best-of-three quarterfinal series.
Gryphon forward Jessica Pinkerton (Oshawa, Ont.) scored the game winning goal just over three minutes into the second overtime frame.
In the first period the Ridgebacks went ahead 2-0 with goals by Sarah Worthington and Jacklyn Gibson. Worthington notched the first goal at 15:15 while Gibson scored on the powerplay at 17:29 to give her team a two-goal advantage heading into the locker room at the end of the first. Despite the score the Gryphons managed to outscore the Ridgebacks 10-9 in the period.
In the second period, leading OUA scorer Amanda Parkins (Kitchener, Ont.) didn’t wait long to get the Gryphons on the scoreboard. She scored an unassisted goal at 3:27 into the second period to get the Gryphons within one goal. The Gryphons maintained a furious pace in the second period, outshooting the Ridgebacks 11-5, but were unable to find the tying goal. Guelph’s Leigh Shilton left at the end of the period after a knee injury and didn’t return to the bench.
Similar to the second period, the Gryphons didn’t wait long before scoring as Kaitlyn Mora (Guelph, Ont.) scored the tying goal 1:47 into the period. The rest of the period went without any goals, sending the game to overtime. The Gryphons outshot the Ridgebacks 12-8 in the period.
Stephanie Nehring earned the win in net turning aside 20-of-22 shots. The Gryphons finished 0-for-4 on the powerplay.
The Gryphons will now advance to the OUA semi-finals. Their opponent is yet to be determined as other remaining quarterfinal games are yet to be played in the playoff schedule. Stay tuned to gryphons.ca for all your playoff information.
Source: Guelph Sports Info
Western @ Toronto (Western wins series 2-0)
The Varsity Blues women’s hockey team’s 2013 OUA season ended in heart-breaking fashion, losing 4-3 in triple overtime to the visiting Western Mustangs on Friday, February 15 at Varsity Arena.
The Blues fell 0-2 in the three-game series, falling 2-0 Wednesday night in London, Ontario.
Despite the loss, the Blues effort could not be questioned and several veterans stepped up, with third-year Amanda Ricker (Ottawa) scoring twice, and fourth-year veteran Ragan Danford (Madoc, Ont.) picking up a goal of her own. Rookie forward Taylor Day (Ilderton, Ont.) had two assists on the night.
After third-year goaltender Nicole Kesteris (Aurora) got the start Wednesday night in London, sophomore Krista Funke (Regina) was called upon in tonight’s game, and was solid, making 36 saves in the loss.
The two teams traded goals in the first. Two minutes after Stacey Scott opened the scoring for Western at 4:28, Day skated into the zone and dished the puck to Ricker, who one-timed a rocket past Mustang’s goaltender Kelly Campbell.
The Blues then took the lead early in the middle frame, when Danford stole the puck from a Western defender to give herself a breakaway from her own blueline. The veteran forward raced in alone and fired it past Campbell to put the Blues up 2-1.
The lead would last until the latter half of the period, when Katelyn Gosling scored the first of her two goals on the night to tie the game.
The Blues continued to pressure despite Gosling’s goal, outshooting the Mustangs 18-3 in the third period. Their peppering of the net finally paid off at 2:21 when Ricker potted her second of the evening. Day started the play off again, cutting into the Mustangs zone and toe-dragging the defenceman. Ricker grabbed the loose puck and chipped it past Campbell to put the Blues up 3-2.
Toronto looked to have forced a third game, but with just 25 seconds remaining, Scott swatted a bouncing puck by Funke to send the game to overtime.
The Blues again turned the Mustang’s zone into a shooting gallery in the extra periods, firing a combined twenty shots on goal. But after two overtimes went by without a goal, Gosling took it upon herself to rush the puck up ice, and make several nifty moves before firing the puck home to give Western the series victory.
Gosling and Scott each had two goals, but Kelly Campbell was the story again for the Mustangs, as she made 47 saves for the win.
The Blues are the proud hosts of the 2013 CIS women’s hockey championship, March 7-10, at Varsity Arena.
Source: Toronto Sports Info
February 16
Laurier @ Waterloo (Laurier wins series 2-0)
The Laurier Golden Hawks slipped past the Warriors 3-2 on Saturday afternoon at the CIF to sweep the three game series and advance to the OUA semifinals. Hawks Goaltender Erika Thunder was clutch down the stretch making several big saves to secure the victory and series.
Waterloo gave the tough Hawks squad all they could handle but were unable to emerge victorious in what was their first home playoff game in franchise history. The Hawks scored six minutes apart in the first period and added an early marker in the third period to walk away with the win.
Tammy Freiburger (Wingham) fired home her first of the OUA playoffs to open the scoring at the 10:02 mark of the first period. Six minutes later Laurier padded their lead as Laura Brooker (Fergus) notched her first of the post-season on the powerplay to give her Hawks a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Waterloo natives Haley Baxter and Caitlin Muirhead were credited with the assists on the Brooker goal.
Waterloo would cut into the Laurier lead 24 seconds into the second period as Marissa Redmond (Ajax) potted the Warriors first goal of the playoffs. Assists were given to Kelly MacLean (St. George) and Kaitlyn McDonell (Kincardine).
The second period would remain scoreless as Laurier held a slight 2-1 lead into the third but would find the all-important insurance marker and eventual game winner four minutes into the final frame as Robyn Degagne (North Bay) put one past Waterloo keeper Rebecca Bouwhuis (Orillia).
The never say die Warriors showed their fight in the final 15 minutes pouring on the pressure and would be rewarded with Bouwhuis out of the net at the 17:41 minute mark as a Sarah Endicott (Toronto) point shot would be batted home by Emma McMillan (Hastings). Down 3-2 with less than two minutes to go both teams would exchange penalties but the black and gold could not get one past Thunder who stood tall down the stretch for the win.
Thunder made 23 saves on 25 shots while Bouwhuis was as impressive stopping 24 of 27 shots faced. The Hawks will now await their next opponent depending on results of other playoff matches going on this weekend.
Source: Waterloo Sports Info
Windsor @ Queen's (Series tied 1-1)
KINGSTON, Ont. (February 16, 2013) - An offensively charged second period led the No. 7 Queen's Gaels to a 3-2 win over the Windsor Lancers in OUA playoff action at the Cataraqui Community Centre Saturday night.
Bree Polci (London, Ont.) opened the scoring for the Lancers with a powerplay goal at the 10:39 mark of the first period assisted by Erinn Noseworthy and Candace Kourounis (Markham, Ont.) putting Windsor up 1-0. The Gaels out shot the Lancers 14-13 in the first period, but were unable to get on the board.
Windsor carried their 1-0 lead into the second period. Kristin Smith (Toronto) evened the score with a goal for the Gaels at the 1:09 mark of the second period; Morgan McHaffie (Guelph, Ont.) and Alisha Sealey (Elora, Ont.) had assists. Katie Duncan (Kitchener, Ont.) added a powerplay goal for the Gaels at 9:07 with assists from Marlee Fisher (Kingston, Ont.) and Taryn Pilon (Peterborough, Ont.). Less than two minutes later, Sealey added another powerplay goal for Queen's with an assist from Chantal Morais (Guelph, Ont.) putting the Gaels up 3-1 to end the second period.
Kourounis added a second goal for the Lancers at the 5:31 mark of the third period bringing the Gaels' lead to just one goal. The Gaels were able to hold on to the 3-2 lead bringing the best of three game series to a 1-1 tie.
Karissa Savage (Calgary, Ont.) had 31 saves for Queen's, while Windsor's Karlyle Robinson (St. Catharine's, Ont.) stopped 22 shots. The Gaels were 2-6 on the power play, while the Lancers were 1-6.
The Gaels return to action Sunday, February 17, as they face the Lancers in their third game of the best of three series. Faceoff is set for 3 p.m. at the Kinsmen pad at the Cataraqui Community Centre. The winner will advance to the OUA semifinals.
Source: Queen's Sports Info
February 17
Windsor @ Queen's (Queen's wins series 2-1)
KINGSTON, Ont. (February 17, 2013) - The No. 7 Queen's Gaels closed out their best-of-three series against the Windsor Lancers on Sunday with a 7-1 win, advancing to the OUA semi-final with a two games to one series win. Morgan and Brittany McHaffie (Guelph, Ont.) combined for eight points in the win.
The Gaels scored five times in the second period, including three in less than a three minute span. Brittany McHaffie had a hat-trick while her sister Morgan McHaffie had a five point game with one goal and four assists.
The Lancers got the first scoring chance of the game when Candace Kourounis (Markham, Ont.) took the puck off the Gaels in the neutral zone and fired a slap-shot from the right face-off dot into the shoulder on Gaels starting net minder Karissa Savage (Calgary) who corralled the puck for the save.
Queen's got a few chances of their own early, Chelsey Verbeek (Beiseker, Alta.) broke in alone but couldn't slip the puck through the legs of Robinson. Brittany McHaffie circled the Lancer net a few minutes later and found Allie Biglieri (Toronto) in front who chipped the puck over Robinson but just wide.
It was Windsor that opened the scoring in the first period as Savage could not find the puck at the side of the goal and a scramble ensued, Caitlin Connell (Edmonton, Alta.) buried the puck as it bounced out in front the Gaels net for a 1-0 lead.
The Gaels closed out the first period with a powerplay after Brittany McHaffie was hauled down on a partial break, but the Gaels couldn't find the back of the net.
The Gaels offence came alive in period number two, only 31 seconds in Pilon and Morgan McHaffie broke in and got the puck in front of the Lancer goal. After a few shots, Brittany McHaffie came into the play at the side of the goal and forced the puck past Robinson to draw even. Morgan and Pilon drew the assists.
Next was Windsor who got a great chance of their own as they attempted to restore their lead when three Lancers broke in on one Gaels defender. With no passes being made, the Lancer shot was handled easily by Savage who deflected the puck over the net.
Courtenay Jacklin (Regina, Sask.) gave the Gaels their first lead of the game a few minutes later. Jacklin broke in on the right wing and wristed a shot on net that Robinson had trouble with. The Lancer goaltender was unable to get a good piece of the shot and the puck slipped by her and into the net. Verbeek added the assist for the Gaels.
With 3:26 remaining in the period a Katie Duncan (Waterloo, Ont.) shot top shelf over the glove of Robinson put the Gaels ahead by two. Morgan and Brittany McHaffie each scored before the period was out to put the Gaels ahead 5-1. Brittany got a great outlet pass from Morgan and faked to her left, stopped, then moved the puck back to the right for the goal. Morgan picked up a loose puck along the boards and potted her first of the game with a rocket over the shoulder of Robinson. The Gaels final three goals of the period came within a 2:57 span.
The Lancers made a goaltender change to start the third period as Kassandra Paone (Port Colborne, Ont.) entered the game for Robinson. The Gaels penalty kill unit was busy to start the final period, as Queen's found themselves shorthanded on two separate occasions in the early going. The Gaels managed to stave off the Lancer attack however, holding their 5-1 lead. Mary Coughlin (Amherstburg, Ont.) scored her first of the playoffs and Brittany McHaffie completed her hat-trick to close out the game giving the Gaels a 7-1 win.
Savage made 25 saves for the win, her second in as many days.
With the victory the Gaels move on to the OUA semi-final where they will take on No. 6 Guelph who finished as the second seed in the OUA. The Gryphons will host game one on Wednesday at 7:30PM and game two will be at the Cataraqui Centre in Kingston on Friday night at 7:30PM. Game three if necessary will be on Sunday at 2PM in Guelph.
Source: Queen's Sports Info
Guelph @ UOIT (Guelph wins series 2-0)
OSHAWA, Ont. – The CIS No. 6 Guelph Gryphon women’s hockey team is through to the OUA semi-finals after a 3-2 double overtime win over the UOIT Ridgebacks tonight in Oshawa. The Gryphons defeated the Ridgebacks in two straight games to close out the best-of-three quarterfinal series.
Gryphon forward Jessica Pinkerton (Oshawa, Ont.) scored the game winning goal just over three minutes into the second overtime frame.
In the first period the Ridgebacks went ahead 2-0 with goals by Sarah Worthington and Jacklyn Gibson. Worthington notched the first goal at 15:15 while Gibson scored on the powerplay at 17:29 to give her team a two-goal advantage heading into the locker room at the end of the first. Despite the score the Gryphons managed to outscore the Ridgebacks 10-9 in the period.
In the second period, leading OUA scorer Amanda Parkins (Kitchener, Ont.) didn’t wait long to get the Gryphons on the scoreboard. She scored an unassisted goal at 3:27 into the second period to get the Gryphons within one goal. The Gryphons maintained a furious pace in the second period, outshooting the Ridgebacks 11-5, but were unable to find the tying goal. Guelph’s Leigh Shilton left at the end of the period after a knee injury and didn’t return to the bench.
Similar to the second period, the Gryphons didn’t wait long before scoring as Kaitlyn Mora (Guelph, Ont.) scored the tying goal 1:47 into the period. The rest of the period went without any goals, sending the game to overtime. The Gryphons outshot the Ridgebacks 12-8 in the period.
Stephanie Nehring earned the win in net turning aside 20-of-22 shots. The Gryphons finished 0-for-4 on the powerplay.
The Gryphons will now advance to the OUA semi-finals. Their opponent is yet to be determined as other remaining quarterfinal games are yet to be played in the playoff schedule. Stay tuned to gryphons.ca for all your playoff information.
Source: Guelph Sports Info
Western @ Toronto (Western wins series 2-0)
The Varsity Blues women’s hockey team’s 2013 OUA season ended in heart-breaking fashion, losing 4-3 in triple overtime to the visiting Western Mustangs on Friday, February 15 at Varsity Arena.
The Blues fell 0-2 in the three-game series, falling 2-0 Wednesday night in London, Ontario.
Despite the loss, the Blues effort could not be questioned and several veterans stepped up, with third-year Amanda Ricker (Ottawa) scoring twice, and fourth-year veteran Ragan Danford (Madoc, Ont.) picking up a goal of her own. Rookie forward Taylor Day (Ilderton, Ont.) had two assists on the night.
After third-year goaltender Nicole Kesteris (Aurora) got the start Wednesday night in London, sophomore Krista Funke (Regina) was called upon in tonight’s game, and was solid, making 36 saves in the loss.
The two teams traded goals in the first. Two minutes after Stacey Scott opened the scoring for Western at 4:28, Day skated into the zone and dished the puck to Ricker, who one-timed a rocket past Mustang’s goaltender Kelly Campbell.
The Blues then took the lead early in the middle frame, when Danford stole the puck from a Western defender to give herself a breakaway from her own blueline. The veteran forward raced in alone and fired it past Campbell to put the Blues up 2-1.
The lead would last until the latter half of the period, when Katelyn Gosling scored the first of her two goals on the night to tie the game.
The Blues continued to pressure despite Gosling’s goal, outshooting the Mustangs 18-3 in the third period. Their peppering of the net finally paid off at 2:21 when Ricker potted her second of the evening. Day started the play off again, cutting into the Mustangs zone and toe-dragging the defenceman. Ricker grabbed the loose puck and chipped it past Campbell to put the Blues up 3-2.
Toronto looked to have forced a third game, but with just 25 seconds remaining, Scott swatted a bouncing puck by Funke to send the game to overtime.
The Blues again turned the Mustang’s zone into a shooting gallery in the extra periods, firing a combined twenty shots on goal. But after two overtimes went by without a goal, Gosling took it upon herself to rush the puck up ice, and make several nifty moves before firing the puck home to give Western the series victory.
Gosling and Scott each had two goals, but Kelly Campbell was the story again for the Mustangs, as she made 47 saves for the win.
The Blues are the proud hosts of the 2013 CIS women’s hockey championship, March 7-10, at Varsity Arena.
Source: Toronto Sports Info
February 16
Laurier @ Waterloo (Laurier wins series 2-0)
The Laurier Golden Hawks slipped past the Warriors 3-2 on Saturday afternoon at the CIF to sweep the three game series and advance to the OUA semifinals. Hawks Goaltender Erika Thunder was clutch down the stretch making several big saves to secure the victory and series.
Waterloo gave the tough Hawks squad all they could handle but were unable to emerge victorious in what was their first home playoff game in franchise history. The Hawks scored six minutes apart in the first period and added an early marker in the third period to walk away with the win.
Tammy Freiburger (Wingham) fired home her first of the OUA playoffs to open the scoring at the 10:02 mark of the first period. Six minutes later Laurier padded their lead as Laura Brooker (Fergus) notched her first of the post-season on the powerplay to give her Hawks a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Waterloo natives Haley Baxter and Caitlin Muirhead were credited with the assists on the Brooker goal.
Waterloo would cut into the Laurier lead 24 seconds into the second period as Marissa Redmond (Ajax) potted the Warriors first goal of the playoffs. Assists were given to Kelly MacLean (St. George) and Kaitlyn McDonell (Kincardine).
The second period would remain scoreless as Laurier held a slight 2-1 lead into the third but would find the all-important insurance marker and eventual game winner four minutes into the final frame as Robyn Degagne (North Bay) put one past Waterloo keeper Rebecca Bouwhuis (Orillia).
The never say die Warriors showed their fight in the final 15 minutes pouring on the pressure and would be rewarded with Bouwhuis out of the net at the 17:41 minute mark as a Sarah Endicott (Toronto) point shot would be batted home by Emma McMillan (Hastings). Down 3-2 with less than two minutes to go both teams would exchange penalties but the black and gold could not get one past Thunder who stood tall down the stretch for the win.
Thunder made 23 saves on 25 shots while Bouwhuis was as impressive stopping 24 of 27 shots faced. The Hawks will now await their next opponent depending on results of other playoff matches going on this weekend.
Source: Waterloo Sports Info
Windsor @ Queen's (Series tied 1-1)
KINGSTON, Ont. (February 16, 2013) - An offensively charged second period led the No. 7 Queen's Gaels to a 3-2 win over the Windsor Lancers in OUA playoff action at the Cataraqui Community Centre Saturday night.
Bree Polci (London, Ont.) opened the scoring for the Lancers with a powerplay goal at the 10:39 mark of the first period assisted by Erinn Noseworthy and Candace Kourounis (Markham, Ont.) putting Windsor up 1-0. The Gaels out shot the Lancers 14-13 in the first period, but were unable to get on the board.
Windsor carried their 1-0 lead into the second period. Kristin Smith (Toronto) evened the score with a goal for the Gaels at the 1:09 mark of the second period; Morgan McHaffie (Guelph, Ont.) and Alisha Sealey (Elora, Ont.) had assists. Katie Duncan (Kitchener, Ont.) added a powerplay goal for the Gaels at 9:07 with assists from Marlee Fisher (Kingston, Ont.) and Taryn Pilon (Peterborough, Ont.). Less than two minutes later, Sealey added another powerplay goal for Queen's with an assist from Chantal Morais (Guelph, Ont.) putting the Gaels up 3-1 to end the second period.
Kourounis added a second goal for the Lancers at the 5:31 mark of the third period bringing the Gaels' lead to just one goal. The Gaels were able to hold on to the 3-2 lead bringing the best of three game series to a 1-1 tie.
Karissa Savage (Calgary, Ont.) had 31 saves for Queen's, while Windsor's Karlyle Robinson (St. Catharine's, Ont.) stopped 22 shots. The Gaels were 2-6 on the power play, while the Lancers were 1-6.
The Gaels return to action Sunday, February 17, as they face the Lancers in their third game of the best of three series. Faceoff is set for 3 p.m. at the Kinsmen pad at the Cataraqui Community Centre. The winner will advance to the OUA semifinals.
Source: Queen's Sports Info
February 17
Windsor @ Queen's (Queen's wins series 2-1)
KINGSTON, Ont. (February 17, 2013) - The No. 7 Queen's Gaels closed out their best-of-three series against the Windsor Lancers on Sunday with a 7-1 win, advancing to the OUA semi-final with a two games to one series win. Morgan and Brittany McHaffie (Guelph, Ont.) combined for eight points in the win.
The Gaels scored five times in the second period, including three in less than a three minute span. Brittany McHaffie had a hat-trick while her sister Morgan McHaffie had a five point game with one goal and four assists.
The Lancers got the first scoring chance of the game when Candace Kourounis (Markham, Ont.) took the puck off the Gaels in the neutral zone and fired a slap-shot from the right face-off dot into the shoulder on Gaels starting net minder Karissa Savage (Calgary) who corralled the puck for the save.
Queen's got a few chances of their own early, Chelsey Verbeek (Beiseker, Alta.) broke in alone but couldn't slip the puck through the legs of Robinson. Brittany McHaffie circled the Lancer net a few minutes later and found Allie Biglieri (Toronto) in front who chipped the puck over Robinson but just wide.
It was Windsor that opened the scoring in the first period as Savage could not find the puck at the side of the goal and a scramble ensued, Caitlin Connell (Edmonton, Alta.) buried the puck as it bounced out in front the Gaels net for a 1-0 lead.
The Gaels closed out the first period with a powerplay after Brittany McHaffie was hauled down on a partial break, but the Gaels couldn't find the back of the net.
The Gaels offence came alive in period number two, only 31 seconds in Pilon and Morgan McHaffie broke in and got the puck in front of the Lancer goal. After a few shots, Brittany McHaffie came into the play at the side of the goal and forced the puck past Robinson to draw even. Morgan and Pilon drew the assists.
Next was Windsor who got a great chance of their own as they attempted to restore their lead when three Lancers broke in on one Gaels defender. With no passes being made, the Lancer shot was handled easily by Savage who deflected the puck over the net.
Courtenay Jacklin (Regina, Sask.) gave the Gaels their first lead of the game a few minutes later. Jacklin broke in on the right wing and wristed a shot on net that Robinson had trouble with. The Lancer goaltender was unable to get a good piece of the shot and the puck slipped by her and into the net. Verbeek added the assist for the Gaels.
With 3:26 remaining in the period a Katie Duncan (Waterloo, Ont.) shot top shelf over the glove of Robinson put the Gaels ahead by two. Morgan and Brittany McHaffie each scored before the period was out to put the Gaels ahead 5-1. Brittany got a great outlet pass from Morgan and faked to her left, stopped, then moved the puck back to the right for the goal. Morgan picked up a loose puck along the boards and potted her first of the game with a rocket over the shoulder of Robinson. The Gaels final three goals of the period came within a 2:57 span.
The Lancers made a goaltender change to start the third period as Kassandra Paone (Port Colborne, Ont.) entered the game for Robinson. The Gaels penalty kill unit was busy to start the final period, as Queen's found themselves shorthanded on two separate occasions in the early going. The Gaels managed to stave off the Lancer attack however, holding their 5-1 lead. Mary Coughlin (Amherstburg, Ont.) scored her first of the playoffs and Brittany McHaffie completed her hat-trick to close out the game giving the Gaels a 7-1 win.
Savage made 25 saves for the win, her second in as many days.
With the victory the Gaels move on to the OUA semi-final where they will take on No. 6 Guelph who finished as the second seed in the OUA. The Gryphons will host game one on Wednesday at 7:30PM and game two will be at the Cataraqui Centre in Kingston on Friday night at 7:30PM. Game three if necessary will be on Sunday at 2PM in Guelph.
Source: Queen's Sports Info
