On the strength of three second period goals, the CIS #9 ranked StFX X-Women (14-1) skated to a 4-1 win over the Dalhousie Tigers (5-9) in AUS hockey action Friday night at the Keating Centre in Antigonish.
More than 200 fans watched the league leaders start 2015 with a victory.
"I think we were a little nervous coming back for our first [regular season] game after Christmas, but we loosened up and got better as the game went on," X-Women forward Connor Garagan (Fredericton, NB), one of her team's goal scorers, said after the game.
At the 2:27 mark of the second period, fifth-year senior defender Jenna Downey (Stratford, ON) opened the scoring for the X-Women. Seconds after leaving the penalty box, she picked up the puck near centre ice and skated in alone on Tiger goaltender Jeanne Morin (Les Gets, FRA). After making a deke, Downey roofed a backhander over her left shoulder. The goal was unassisted.
The X-Women doubled their advantage just more than four minutes later. At 6:34, Connor Garagan beat Morin top shelf on the glove side. Linemates Lisa Downey (Stratford, ON) and Jenna MacDonald (Osgoode, ON) notched assists.
At 14:47, Nicole Halladay (Smith Falls, ON) scored unassisted on a deflected point shot.
The X-Women outshot the Tigers 21 to 10 in the second period.
The teams played to a scoreless first period.
"We need to start getting more shots and generate more offense," X-Women sophomore defender Jaelei Meyer (Carlyle, SK) said during the opening intermission.
In the third period, the Tigers cut the lead to 3-1 on a power play goal from team leading scorer Elizabeth MacArthur (Truro, NS), who banged in her own rebound behind Sojung Shin (Seoul, Korea) from the lip of the crease. Lisa MacLean (Inverness, NS) tallied the assist.
At 18:21, Alex Normore (Bedford, NS) of the X-Women wrapped up the scoring on a two-on-one when she deposited a rebound off a Kara Power slap shot.
The three stars of the game were MacDonald, Power and Victoria MacIntosh (Hammonds Plains, NS) of the Tigers.
Shin made 18 saves for the win while Morin turned aside 33 shots in the loss.
The Tigers return to action Sunday, Jan. 11, when they face their cross-town rival Saint Mary's Huskies in Halifax.
On the same day, the X-Women will hit the ice versus the visiting Mount Allison Mounties at the Keating Centre.
Puck drop for both games is 2 p.m.
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