Antigonish, NS - On the power of three unanswered goals in the second period, the visiting UPEI Panthers (1-0) opened the AUS regular season with a win over the defending conference champion StFX X-Women (0-1) Friday night at the Charles V. Keating Centre.
With her first career regular-season marker, freshman forward Emily Power (Airdrie, AB) started the scoring for the X-Women, with 1:45 remaining in the first period. Her hard wrist shot from just inside the blue line handcuffed Panther goaltender Marie-Soleil Deschenes (Ile-Perrot, QC), before going over her shoulder and bouncing into the net.
Sarah Johnson (Moncton, NB) and Heather Tillsley (Aurora, ON) notched assists on the season-starting goal for the blue and white.
In the second period, after a sustained fore-check in the X-Women zone, the Panthers were awarded with the equalizer, when Cornelia Geib (Calgary, AB) poked a rebound behind StFX goaltender Sojung Shin (Seoul, Korea). Ashtyn Bartlett (Durham Bridge, NB) and Emma Martin (Winsloe, PEI) garnered the UPEI assists.
Just seconds after coming out of the penalty box, Panther captain Samantha Sweet (O'Leary, PEI) gave her team its first lead, when she blocked an X-Women pass inside the blue line before racing to the other end for an unassisted goal. She ripped a low, stick side shot behind Shin, at the 14:34 mark.
Less than two minutes later, at 16:12, the visitors doubled their advantage on a goal from Lindsay Johnston (Bowmanville, ON). After centering the puck from the side boards, she darted to the net and retrieved a rebound that she deposited top shelf over Shin.
In a scoreless third period, the X-Women came up empty on two power-play opportunities as they attempted to carve into the two-goal deficit.
Sweet garnered Subway player of the game and first-star honours, while Power and Deschenes were named second and third stars, respectively.
Deschenes made 21 saves for the win, while Shin turned aside 11 shots in the loss.
The Panthers return to action Sunday, Oct. 18, when they host the Mount Allison Mounties in Charlottetown at 6 p.m.
The X-Women are back on the ice tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 17), when they visit Sackville, NB, to face the Mounties. Puck drop is set for 6:15 p.m.