The CIS ranked No. 5 X-Women improved their lead atop the AUS conference to 19-1-0 after a 2-1 win over UPEI Sunday afternoon at the StFX Keating Centre. They are riding a 14-game winning streak in conference action.
Fourth year forward Aby Laking scored the go-ahead goal for StFX 45 seconds into the third period. Her wrist shot beat Panthers goaltender Marie Deschenes on the blocker side, netting the top corner. Player of the game Jenna Downey and freshman Schyler Campbell picked up the assists on the game-winning play.
X-Women captain Downey also assisted on StFX’s first goal. After finding themselves down 1-0 after the first period of play, Downey blasted a shot from the point while on the power play and forward Brittney Perkins tipped it in. The goal came late in the second frame at 18:18.
Lyndsay Oakes had opened the scoring in the game for UPEI with a first period goal at 16:02. Kiana Strand assisted on the 2-on-1 play as Oakes beat X netminder Kristy Garrow.
Garrow held the Panthers off the board for the remainder of the game, however, and the home team X-Women held on for the win.
Shots were slanted 33-13 in favor of the X-Women as Garrow picked up her league-leading ninth win of the season. Deschenes was tagged with the loss as she had 31 saves.
On Saturday evening the X-Women travelled to Halifax and played an exhibition game with the Saint Mary’s Huskies in an effort to pick up some game action after forfeited matches by Dalhousie left voids in the AUS second half schedule. The X-Women beat the Huskies 2-1.
After a scoreless first period, Campbell scored for StFX 11:44 into the second, from Taylor Dale. Erin Brophy gave StFX a 2-0 lead with a third period goal at 13:43. Sara Kaljuvee assisted.
The Huskies lone goal came at 16:45 of the third period from Maggie Poliseno while on the power play. Jenelle Rogers picked up the helper.
Garrow and Katie Greenway shared time in the StFX net for the win as the X-Women outshot the Huskies 22-18.
With a 19-1-0 record in AUS league play, the X-Women sit comfortably in first place atop the conference with 38 points, 11 ahead of second place St. Thomas (13-7-1). They resume play on Sunday, February 3rd when they host the sixth place Mount Allison Mounties (5-9-4). Puck drop is 2:00 pm at the StFX Keating Centre.