X-Women edge Panthers 2-1
On the strength of a two-goal effort from Emily Power (Airdrie, AB) and the first career regular season goaltending win by Ariana Orasanin (Ancaster, ON), the StFX X-Women (4-5) skated to a 2-1 victory over the visiting UPEI Panthers (6-4) in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) hockey action Sunday afternoon at the Keating Centre.
Antigonish, NS - On the strength of a two-goal effort from Emily Power (Airdrie, AB) and the first career regular season goaltending win by Ariana Orasanin (Ancaster, ON), the StFX X-Women (4-5) skated to a 2-1 victory over the visiting UPEI Panthers (6-4) in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) hockey action Sunday afternoon at the Keating Centre.
In a scoreless first period, the X-Women came out strongly, while keeping most of the puck possession in the Panther zone. UPEI goaltender Marie-Soleil Deschenes (Ile-Perot, QC) made several saves and defender Caroline Daoust (Ile-Bizard, QC) blocked shots to help thwart the StFX effort to open the scoring.
The top line of Sarah Bujold (Riverview, NB), Daley Oddy (Cranbrook, BC) and Kara Power (New Glasgow, NS) spearheaded the early StFX offensive attack, but they could not find the back of the net.
Early in the second period, the Panthers ramped up their offense, but Orasanin kept the visitors off the score sheet.
At 9:20, Power opened the scoring with a hard wrist shot, from just inside the Panther blue line, which found the far side of the net. Defender Emma Winters (Lower Sackville, NS) notched the lone assist.
In the third period, on the power play, Power doubled the X-Women edge, when her wrist shot beat Deschenes through a maze of players in front of the net. It was an unassisted tally, coming at 11:39.
With less than five minutes remaining, at the 15:38 mark, UPEI sliced the deficit in half, on a wrap-around goal from Lindsay Johnston (Bowmanville, ON). Veteran defender Bria Harding (Plaster Rock, NB) garnered an assist.
Emily Power earned Subway player of the game and first-star honours, while Orasanin and Johnston were named second and third stars, respectively.
Orasanin made 17 saves for the win, while Deschenes had 31 stops in the loss.
The X-Women will be back on the ice Wednesday, Nov. 16, when they travel to Halifax for a 7 p.m. start against the Dalhousie Tigers.
The Panthers will face-off against the host Saint Mary's Huskies Saturday, Nov. 19 in Halifax. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m.
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