February 13, 2014
WOMEN'S HOCKEY ROUNDUP: Toronto opens playoffs with a triple overtime win
Wednesday, February 12
UOIT 1 @ Laurier 3
WATERLOO, Ont. (February 12, 2014) - The No. 4 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks women's hockey team defeated the UOIT Ridgebacks 3-1 on Wednesday night at the Waterloo Recreation Complex to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three quarter-final series.
Third year forward Danelle Im of Toronto, scored the game-winning goal for the Hawks, her second career playoff tally, as Laurier moved to within one game of advancing to the OUA Semifinals.
"We came out really strong and played our game," said team captain Laura Brooker of Fergus, Ont., after the contest. "We knew they would come out hard so we didn't take them lightly."
Brooker and fellow linemate Megan Howe of Stratford, Ont., also found the back of the net for the Golden Hawks in the win while rookie netminder Amanda Smith of Burlington, Ont., stopped 20 shots in her first career playoff game.
"She's pretty amazing in net," added Brooker when asked about her young goalie's play. "She doesn't give up on the puck very easily. It makes you want to block the shots for your goalie and so everyone's putting out an extra effort."
UOIT captain Jill Morillo of Whitby, Ont., responded with the Ridgebacks lone goal while Tori Campbell of Lethbridge, Alta., made 26 saves in a losing effort.
In a series that looks to be a mismatch on paper with the Golden Hawks having won all 19 career meetings with the Ridgebacks, Laurier showed why as they came out and peppered Campbell with 14 shots in the opening frame. However, the Hawks could not beat her until a Brooker slapshot from the top of the circle went top corner with less than four minutes to go in the period to give the purple and gold a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Midway through the second, the Hawks stretched the lead to 2-0 when Im banged home a loose puck after a turnover by the Ridgebacks in front of their own net.
Despite the game being only the third playoff game in program history, the Ridgebacks showed some resiliency late in the period led by Morillo. The fifth year forward danced around the Hawks defence and roofed a shot past Smith to pull her team back to within a goal heading to the third period.
In the final frame, Laurier locked the game down, allowing UOIT to only get five shots on goal. Howe would put the game out of reach with nine minutes remaining when she deflected a Candice Styles (Orangeville, Ont.) point shot and Laurier skated off with the series lead.
The two teams will now head to Oshawa for Game 2 on Saturday, February 15. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Campus Ice Centre and the game can be seen live on Ridgebacks Live.
Source: Laurier Sports Info
Western 1 @ Toronto 2 (3OT)
Second-year forward Alie Brind'Amour-McClure scored both goals as the No. 7 University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team defeated the Western Mustangs 2-1 in triple overtime in Game 1 of an OUA quarter-final series on Wednesday night (Feb. 12) at Varsity Arena.
The Blues and Mustangs head to London for Game 2 on Saturday, February 15 at 3:30 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, is back at Varsity Arena on Sunday (Feb. 16) at 4 p.m.
Brind'Amour-McClure netted the game-winner 4:12 into the third overtime period. The Waterdown, Ont., native was going for a change, dumped it in and the puck took a weird bounce and went into the back of the net.
The win marks Toronto's first OUA playoff victory since Feb. 23, 2008 when the Blues took Game 2 of a semi-final series versus the Guelph Gryphons. U of T did win one post-season contest as they defeated the UBC Thunderbirds in a shootout at last year's national championship at Varsity Arena.
The Blues found themselves down early as Katelyn Gosling buried a Jessica Sorensen rebound on the powerplay just 2:37 into the game.
Western maintained that lead until late in the third frame. With 2:55 remaining in the third, Alie Brind'Amour-McClure tipped in a shot from her sister, Courtney, to even the score and force overtime.
Both teams exchanged chances in the extra frames, with Western outshooting Toronto 11-9. The Mustangs best chance came in the dying seconds of the first overtime period when Nicole Kesteris robbed Ally Galloway on a point shot tip and then an open-net rebound.
Kesteris posted 30 saves in the victory, while Kelly Campbell made 33 saves for the Mustangs
Source: Toronto Sports Info
UOIT 1 @ Laurier 3
WATERLOO, Ont. (February 12, 2014) - The No. 4 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks women's hockey team defeated the UOIT Ridgebacks 3-1 on Wednesday night at the Waterloo Recreation Complex to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three quarter-final series.
Third year forward Danelle Im of Toronto, scored the game-winning goal for the Hawks, her second career playoff tally, as Laurier moved to within one game of advancing to the OUA Semifinals.
"We came out really strong and played our game," said team captain Laura Brooker of Fergus, Ont., after the contest. "We knew they would come out hard so we didn't take them lightly."
Brooker and fellow linemate Megan Howe of Stratford, Ont., also found the back of the net for the Golden Hawks in the win while rookie netminder Amanda Smith of Burlington, Ont., stopped 20 shots in her first career playoff game.
"She's pretty amazing in net," added Brooker when asked about her young goalie's play. "She doesn't give up on the puck very easily. It makes you want to block the shots for your goalie and so everyone's putting out an extra effort."
UOIT captain Jill Morillo of Whitby, Ont., responded with the Ridgebacks lone goal while Tori Campbell of Lethbridge, Alta., made 26 saves in a losing effort.
In a series that looks to be a mismatch on paper with the Golden Hawks having won all 19 career meetings with the Ridgebacks, Laurier showed why as they came out and peppered Campbell with 14 shots in the opening frame. However, the Hawks could not beat her until a Brooker slapshot from the top of the circle went top corner with less than four minutes to go in the period to give the purple and gold a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Midway through the second, the Hawks stretched the lead to 2-0 when Im banged home a loose puck after a turnover by the Ridgebacks in front of their own net.
Despite the game being only the third playoff game in program history, the Ridgebacks showed some resiliency late in the period led by Morillo. The fifth year forward danced around the Hawks defence and roofed a shot past Smith to pull her team back to within a goal heading to the third period.
In the final frame, Laurier locked the game down, allowing UOIT to only get five shots on goal. Howe would put the game out of reach with nine minutes remaining when she deflected a Candice Styles (Orangeville, Ont.) point shot and Laurier skated off with the series lead.
The two teams will now head to Oshawa for Game 2 on Saturday, February 15. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Campus Ice Centre and the game can be seen live on Ridgebacks Live.
Source: Laurier Sports Info
Western 1 @ Toronto 2 (3OT)
Second-year forward Alie Brind'Amour-McClure scored both goals as the No. 7 University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team defeated the Western Mustangs 2-1 in triple overtime in Game 1 of an OUA quarter-final series on Wednesday night (Feb. 12) at Varsity Arena.
The Blues and Mustangs head to London for Game 2 on Saturday, February 15 at 3:30 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, is back at Varsity Arena on Sunday (Feb. 16) at 4 p.m.
Brind'Amour-McClure netted the game-winner 4:12 into the third overtime period. The Waterdown, Ont., native was going for a change, dumped it in and the puck took a weird bounce and went into the back of the net.
The win marks Toronto's first OUA playoff victory since Feb. 23, 2008 when the Blues took Game 2 of a semi-final series versus the Guelph Gryphons. U of T did win one post-season contest as they defeated the UBC Thunderbirds in a shootout at last year's national championship at Varsity Arena.
The Blues found themselves down early as Katelyn Gosling buried a Jessica Sorensen rebound on the powerplay just 2:37 into the game.
Western maintained that lead until late in the third frame. With 2:55 remaining in the third, Alie Brind'Amour-McClure tipped in a shot from her sister, Courtney, to even the score and force overtime.
Both teams exchanged chances in the extra frames, with Western outshooting Toronto 11-9. The Mustangs best chance came in the dying seconds of the first overtime period when Nicole Kesteris robbed Ally Galloway on a point shot tip and then an open-net rebound.
Kesteris posted 30 saves in the victory, while Kelly Campbell made 33 saves for the Mustangs
Source: Toronto Sports Info
