WOMEN'S HOCKEY ROUNDUP: Ridgebacks pick up 4-0 road win over Ryerson
Laurier 3 @ Brock 4 (SO)
ST. CATHARINES, Ont. - The Brock University women's hockey team (4-10-1 OUA) knocked off the No. 2 ranked Laurier Golden Hawks (13-2-1 OUA) 4-3 in shootout Thursday night at the Seymour-Hannah Centre.
Brock rookie netminder Jenna Sosnoski (New Dundee, Ont.) was outstanding recording a career-high 52 saves, the third most in a single game in Brock women's hockey history.
"I felt good tonight and was able to see almost everything," said Sosnoski. "I got a couple bounces go my way. It was just one of those games. It felt great to beat a top team like Laurier. Every point we earn is so crucial at this stage of the season so I am happy we were able to pull out the win."
Brock opened the scoring 12:55 into the first period as Katie Howlett(Burlington, Ont.) recorded her third goal of the season on the power play. Just two minutes later, the Golden Hawks tied the game 1-1 as Tammy Freiburger beat Sosnoski for her eighth goal of the season.
After a scoreless second period, the Badgers would take a 2-1 lead 3:22 into the third period as Ally Graham (Thamesford, Ont.) and Leigh Vanderveen (NOTL, Ont.) set up Jessica Fickel (Fort Erie, Ont.) for her eighth goal of the season and 40th of her career. Brock would take a 3-1 lead at 12:11 as Vanderveen added a power play marker. Laura Neu (Ayr, Ont.) and Graham added the assists.
In the final five minutes of the third period, Laurier would answer twice with goals from Jessica Prevette at 15:46 and Freiburger, her second of the game at 17:19, tying the game 3-3 to send it to overtime.
After a scoreless overtime it went to a shootout. In the shootout, Sosnoski was spectacular stopping all six Laurier shooters. The Badgers sixth shooter was Howlett who beat Laurier starter Kayla Brown for the game winner.
The Badgers next action is January 12th at 3:15pm when they host the Waterloo Warriors at the Seymour-Hannah Centre.
Source: Brock Sports Info
UOIT 4 @ Ryerson 0
TORONTO - A slow start was the difference on Thursday night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens as the Ryerson Rams fell to the UOIT Ridgebacks, 4-0.
The Ridgebacks (9-7-1) came out firing on Rams starter Emma Crawley (Herring Cove, NS), who faced 12 shots in the first period of play. Down a man not five minutes into the game, UOIT took advantage of an unlikely opportunity, with Jaclyn Gibson catching the Ryerson defence off guard and scoring her eighth goal of the season shorthanded.
Five minutes later it was Gillian Morgan scoring her second of the season and before the end of the period, Zoe Battie scored on the powerplay to make it 3-0 after one period.
Interim head coach for Ryerson, Pierre Alain, attributes the three goal first period as the difference in the game.
“It seems like we played good in the second and third but we struggled with the first period, that’s exactly what happened tonight,” said Alain.
A much more determined Ryerson (5-11-0) squad came out for the second period, firing 11 shots on Ridgebacks starter Tori Campbell. The best opportunity for Ryerson to get back in the game was mid-way through the period when rookie Clare Sabine (Sweaburg, Ont.) was hauled down on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot. Unfortunately for Sabine, Campbell stood tall in net.
With 6.8 seconds remaining before the second intermission, a turnover led to a breakaway goal by Mikaeli Cavell on Alex Armstrong (Toronto) who came in at the start of the second to relieve Crawley.
Campbell recorded her second shutout of the season, making 26 saves for the win. Crawley suffered the loss by allowing three goals on 12 shots. Armstrong made nine saves in relief.
Ryerson is back on the ice Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. when they face downtown rivals, the Toronto Varsity Blues. The Varsity Blues recently found themselves at No. 10 in the CIS Top 10 rankings and the last time these two teams met was the season opener on Oct. 3, 2013 when Toronto beat Ryerson, 5-0.
Alain says that things will be different this time around.
“We’re not the same team. We’re looking forward to that game, we’ll be ready.”
Source: Ryerson Sports Info
