The X-Women hockey team opened pre-season exhibition play with a pair of victories over the Dalhousie Tigers in home-and-home games this weekend. Saturday evening in Halifax, the X-Women defeated the Tigers 2-1, then followed up with a 4-0 shutout on Sunday in Antigonish.
In Saturday's game the X-Women had a pair of second period goals off the sticks of Kara Power and Schyler Campbell. Taylor Dale assisted on Power's goal at 4:03 then Campbell notched a power play marker three minutes later from Alex Normore.
The X-Women outshot the Tigers in the opening two period by margins of 13-3 and 10-8.
The Tigers came back in the third period and fired off 14 shots to StFX's 8, though only one resulted in a goal. Megan Ross tallied at 9:11 with helpers from Marita Alfieri & Victoria MacIntosh as StFX was able to hold onto the lead and the win.
Sojung Shin earned the win in the StFX goal with 24 saves on the night. Jessica Severeyns took the loss for the Tigers, turning aside 29 pucks as the X-Women outshot the Tigers 31-25.
On Sunday afternoon at the StFX Keating Centre, Pascale Daigle had 23 saves for the shutout win as the X-Women handed the Tigers their second loss in as many days, winning 4-0.
Freshman forward Jenna MacDonald scored two third period goals to lead the StFX scoring attack.
After a scoreless first period, Connor Garagan opened the scoring in the game for StFX at the 11:23 mark as she tipped a Jenna Downey shot from the point. Kara Power also picked up an assist on the play.
Lisa Downey then gave the X-Women a 2-0 lead at 14:25 of the second period, picking up a pass from Heather Tillsley on a rush up ice. Nicole Halladay also assisted as the X-Women outshot the Tigers 24-18 after 40 minutes of play.
MacDonald's first goal came at 9:22 of the final period, from Normore and Daley Oddy after a scrum around the Tigers net. She then followed up with a power play marker at 17:39, also from Normore and Oddy, netting a rebound.
Final shots in the game were 35-23 in favor of StFX.
The wins marked the first ones for X-Women head coach Ben Berthiaume, in his first season behind the bench.
Next on the schedule for StFX is more exhibition action when they travel to Moncton, NB for the Aigles Bleues Invitational tournament on Oct. 3-5. The X-Women will face-off against the Quebec U18 team, along with AUS opponents UdeM and UPEI.