Tommies edge X-Women 2-1

ANTIGONISH, NS - The St. Thomas Tommies needed 39 saves from goalie and first star on the night Katie Sweeney to gut out a tough 2-1 victory over the STFX X-Women on Saturday night at the Charles V Keating Centre. The win is the third in a row for St. Thomas.

The X-Women tested Sweeney early with three quick shots in the first 30 seconds of the game, but it was the visitors who opened the scoring, with Alexie Palchinski sliding in a backhand off a pass from Amber Daley six minutes before the first intermission. 

The teams traded shots early in the second period of the fast-paced game, and third star Nadia Lavoie made it 2-0 for the visitors 10 minutes in, wiring a shot after a faceoff win from Trinity Webber. 

STFX defender Lainey Joyce put STFX on the board three minutes later, skating from her own blueline and putting a shot through the pads of Sweeney, with an assist from Grace Gonyer.

St. Thomas had a flurry of chances late in the second, but X netminder Bianca Zak kept the lead at one heading into the second intermission. 

The X-Women held tough during a St. Thomas powerplay early in the third, and Toby Graham rang one off the post in the seventh minute.

STFX continued putting pucks to the net, with Tommies defender MJ English clearing one off the line midway through the period. More saves from Sweeney led to STFX pulling Zak in favour of the extra attacker for the final two minutes, but the Tommies held on for the win.

The X-Women outshot the Tommies 40-22 in the game.

STFX forward Claire Carruthers picked up Gabriel Pizza Player of the Game and second star honors.   

The X-Women are next in action on Wednesday, November 19 when they travel to Halifax to visit the Dalhousie Tigers.

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Recap courtesy Matt Draper