Antigonish, NS – The StFX X-Women finished the season on a winning note, defeating the Mount Allison Mounties 7-3 on Sunday afternoon at the Charles V. Keating Centre in the final AUS regular season game.
The X-Women were powered by a three goal, three assist performance by third year forward Sarah Bujold (Riverview, NB) who captured Subway player of the game and first star honors. Bujold finished the AUS season with 43 points (24 goals, 19 assists) to capture the AUS scoring title. She currently leads the country in total points.
The line of Bujold, Kara Power (New Glasgow, NS) and Daley Oddy (Cranbrook, BC) were in on all seven X-Women goals. Power with two goals and three assists, and Oddy with one goal and three assists, were the game's second and third stars, respectively.
Red hot as of late, the X-Women got out to a 2-0 lead over the Mounties after the first period. Kara Power scored at 8:58 from Bujold and Oddy while on a 5-on-3 power play.
Bujold tallied her first of the day at 13:16 off a nice passing play from Santana Gravelle (Lumsden, SK) and Power.
Shots favored the X-Women by a 15-4 margin in the opening period.
Bujold increased the X lead quickly in the second frame as her shot on Mounties netminder Lindsay Wray (Courtice, ON) squeaked through the pads. Oddy made a nice pass out front for the set-up.
The natural hat trick came just three minutes later as Bujold broke in alone and fired an unassisted marker past Wray.
The 4-0 lead held after 40 minutes as the X-Women outshot the Mounties 6-4 in the second period.
Mount Allison finally broke the shutout at 4:05 of the third period as Kelly Matarazzo (Winnipeg, MB) banged the puck into the X net after a flurry in front of goaltender Ariana Orasanin (Ancaster, ON). Kelsey MacDougall (Pennfield, NB) assisted on the play.
At the 9:24 mark, the Mounties were awarded a penalty shot after Gabrielle Vautour (Hampton, NB) was brought down in front of the StFX net. As she moved in on Orasanin, the goalie moved right and Vautour went left to fire it past for the second Mount A goal, closing the gap to 4-2.
The X-Women answered right back, however, as Power scored her second goal of the afternoon just 26 seconds later. Oddy and Bujold assisted on the goal generated by a scuffle in front of the Mounties net.
Lisa Downey (Stratford, ON) made it 6-2 for StFX at 13:12 as she scored off a nice backhand in the slot over Keri Martin (Brampton, ON) who had replaced Wray in the Mounties net. Power and Bujold had the helpers.
The final minute saw the two teams exchange goals for a six-goal third period. At 19:31, Mackenzie Lalonde (Stittsville, ON) skated around the back of the StFX net and scored on the short side, lifting the puck in over Orasanin's shoulder. Matarazzo and Kara Anthony (Toronto, ON) assisted.
As the X-Women were shorthanded, Oddy capitalized on a turnover in neutral ice and skated in alone. Her first shot was saved, then Martin turned aside Power, but Oddy was on the doorstep to bang in the rebound. The goal came with 10 seconds left on the clock as the X-Women wrapped up the 7-3 victory.
Final shots were 31-14 for StFX as Orasanin picked up her 13th win of the AUS season.
Wray, with 14 saves, was tagged with the loss for Mount A. Martin had 10 saves on the afternoon.
The Mounties finish the AUS season with a 4-19-1 record in seventh place and out of AUS playoff contention.
The X-Women (16-8-0) in third place will play the sixth place Dalhousie Tigers (7-16-1) in the Subway AUS best-of-three quarter-final series. Game 1 is scheduled for Thursday, February 16th at 7:00 pm at StFX. Game 2 will go Saturday in Halifax. Game 3, if necessary, will be back at StFX on February 20th.
UPEI and Moncton will play in the other quarter-final series with the two winners advancing to the semifinal to play either Saint Mary's or St. Thomas.
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