Tigers take down X-Women 5-2

Halifax, NS – The Dalhousie Tigers defeated the STFX X-Women 5-2 Wednesday night at the Halifax Forum.

The X-Women came to town with a four-game winning streak, but it was the Tigers who struck first in the game.

Two minutes in, Natasha Falk (Brandon, MB) deked around two STFX defenders and undressed the STFX goalie to score the first goal of the game for Dalhousie.

Brooklyn Paisley (Shawnigan Lake, BC) nearly added to the lead with a breakaway of her own, but Brooklyn Oakes (Richmond Hill, ON) preserved the one goal deficit.

Despite Oakes' effort, the scoring did not stop for Dalhousie.

Abby Walmboldt (Hammonds Plains, NS) dragged in two STFX defenders, and then found a trailing Emma Bishop (Bedford, NS) who's slot shot was saved by Oakes, but came out to the stick of Emma Penner (Niagara on the Lake, ON) who knocked in the rebound to make it a 2-0 game.

With just under five minutes left in the first period the X-Women went to the power play, but the Dalhousie penalty kill stood up to the task to keep their 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

Not even a minute into the period the Tigers went to the powerplay for the first time of the night, but it was short-lived due to a penalty, but that did not matter as on four on four, Alix Yallowega (Winnipeg, MB) sniped the puck through a screen and into the back of the net.

As the Tigers' penalty expired, Paisley picked STFX defender's pocket, and went in all alone with the goalie, and buried it for a 4-0 Dalhousie lead four minutes into the second period of play.

The Tigers exited the middle period with a comfortable four goal cushion.

The Tigers immediately took a penalty after being up a man, and Anna MacCara (Trenton, NS) managed to light the lamp for the X-Women, finding a rebound in a chaotic front of the net, and breaking Grace Beer's (Oakville, ON) shutout.

Maggy Burbidge (Falmouth, NS) picked the pocket of a defender, but Beer bounced back from the goal allowed to make a huge save, and on the other side, the Tigers were rewarded with a powerplay, and they turned that into a five on three shortly after.

Despite the difference in numbers Dalhousie was unable to extend their lead.

With five and a half minutes left STFX went on the powerplay again, but Beer made a key save, sprawling to keep the rebound out, and a few plays later, the second year goalie fought through screens to keep the puck out.

STFX was able to light the lamp again, this time with a point shot from Ella VandeSompel (London, ON) that made it past screens and Beer.

The Tigers immediately answered off the puck drop with Kennedy Whelan (Alliston, ON) pouncing on a rebound, and sweeping the momentum away from the X-Women.

When the buzzer rang, Dalhousie locked up the 5-2 victory. Beer stopped 28 shots and took home player of the game.

Dalhousie will play again Friday, travelling to Moncton, and STFX will come back to Halifax on Sunday to face Saint Mary's.

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Recap courtesy Ethan Hunt, Dalhousie Athletics