GAME 7 Fifth Place: CIS women’s hockey championship
Courtesy StFX sports information

ANTIGONISH, N.S. (CIS) – The No. 6 ranked Montréal Carabins (1-2) edged the host and No. 5 seeded StFX X-Women 1-0 Sunday afternoon in the CIS women’s hockey fifth place game, securing a top five finish for them in their first ever national championship appearance. The X-Women (0-3) wrap up the four-day event in sixth place.

Championship website (including complete stats): http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wice

QSSF Rookie of the Year Kim Deschênes’ (Rouyn-Noranda, QC) goal at 15:10 of the first period was all the Carabins needed to hang onto the win, their first ever at a CIS national championship.  Deschênes scored shorthanded as she broke into the StFX zone on a 2-on-1 with teammate Fabienne Marcotte (Bécancour, QC). Bécancour passed the puck across the front of the net to Deschênes who made no mistake one-timing the puck past StFX goaltender Katie Harvieux (Digby, NS). Marie-Hélène Suc also picked up an assist on the goal.

Deschênes also had a good scoring chance early on in the first period as she nearly scored on a goal crease scramble.

One of the X-Women’s best first period chances came from defender Leah Boucher (Red Deer, AB)’s shot from the point while on the power play. The X-Women had three power play opportunities in the opening frame to the Carabins’ two extra man advantages.

First period action was dispersed evenly with shots on goal 8-7 in favour of StFX.

Montréal started the second period off strong with three shots on net within the first few minutes of play. StFX came back hard with a 2-on-1 chance as Brittney Perkins (North Gower, ON) and Abygail Laking (Cambridge, ON) had an opportunity to even up the score but Montreal defender Marie-Helene Suc (Quebec) poke checked the puck from Perkins before she could get the shot off.

During a power-play chance, StFX got several shots on Carabins netminder Catherine Herron (Chambly, QC). X-Women captain Suzanne Fenerty (Cole Harbour, NS) took a slap shot from the point and the puck tipped off of Nicole Hansom (Dartmouth, NS)’s skate, just missing the right post.

With the power-play over, StFX had trouble getting the puck out of their end as Montreal got several chances including a mishap by a StFX defender that caused the puck to be thrown out front to Montreal’s Caroline Martin-Guay (St-Jean-sur-Richileau, QC). Martin-Guay couldn’t get it past Harvieux however, who made the pad save.

The Carabins had another scoring chance when Marcotte threw a pass out front to Aline Desarzens (Lausanne, SW) who let a shot off but Harvieux made the glove save.

StFX was down a player during the last few minutes of the second period, giving Montréal a chance to double their lead. Dêschenes took a shot, then pounced on her own rebound, but Harvieux came up big again with two back-to-back saves, ending the second period 1-0 still in favour of the Carabins.

Montréal held a distinct shot advantage over the X-Women in the second period, closing out at 15-4. 

StFX’s Janita Sullivan (Antigonish) got an early third period chance when a pass from the corner went to the front of the net, landing right on her stick but Herron no intention of letting the puck past her, making the pad save.

Determined to score the equalizer in front of a hometown crowd, StFX played a significant portion of the third period in Montréal’s end, and finished the period with more then twice as many shots on goal as the Carabins at 9-4 but none that counted.

X-Women captain Fenerty had a chance to set up forward Catie Gavin (Antigonish, NS), throwing the puck out front as Gavin attempted to bang in the bouncing puck to no avail.

The Carabins’ Jessica Gagné had the best scoring chance of the period for Montréal as she got the puck at the right side of the net, inside the crease and attempted to flip it gently into the net, but Harvieux slid to the right just in time to make the save.

Although the X-Women fought for the equalizer to close out the remainder of the third period, they couldn’t pull the trigger and Herron hold solid for the 1-0 shutout victory, making history earned the first win in Carabins history at the CIS championship. Herron recorded 26 total saves in the Montréal net while Harvieux finished with 25 stoppers.

With the win the Carabins (1-2) take fifth spot overall in the six-team championship while the X-Women (0-3) settle for sixth spot.

SCORING SUMMARY 

Montreal 1, StFX 0

FIRST PERIOD

SCORING:
1. MTL Kim Deschênes (1) (Fabienne Marcotte, Marie-Hélène Suc), 15:10, SH

PENALTIES:
Stéphanie Daneau (MTL) hooking, 00:18; Stéphanie Daneau (MTL) interference, 7:48; Abygail Laking (StFX) slashing, 12:22; Jessica Gagné (MTL) roughing, 14:55; Carolyn Campbell (StFX) checking, 18:32.

SECOND PERIOD

SCORING:
No scoring.

PENALTIES:
Jessica Gagné (MTL) interference, 5:53; Suzanne Fenerty (StFX) holding, 11:12; Carolyn
Campbell (StFX) tripping, 13:13; Sidney Ritchie (StFX) high sticking, 17:33.

THIRD PERIOD

SCORING:
No scoring.

PENALTIES:
Jessica Shanahan (StFX) tripping, 1:59; Marie-Hélène Suc (MTL) holding the stick, 9:56; Carolyn Campbell (StFX) checking, 18:45; Marie- Hélène Suc (MTL) tripping, 18:56.
 
GOALS (by period)
MTL: 1-0-0: 1
StFX: 0-0-0: 0

SHOTS ON GOAL (by period)
MTL: 7-15-4: 26
StFX: 8-4-9: 21

POWER PLAY:
MTL: 0-7
StFX: 0-5

GOALTENDERS
MTL: Catherine Herron (W, 1-2, 21 shots, 21 saves, 60:00)
StFX: Katie Harvieux (L, 0-2, 26 shots, 25 saves, 58:56)

BLACKBERRY PLAYERS OF THE GAME:
MTL: Stéphanie Daneau
StFX: Laura Grant

REFEREE: Katie Gullett

LINESMEN: Deanna Esch, Amy Facey

ATTENDANCE: 493

SEEDINGS, POOLS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS (All times LOCAL: Atlantic Time)

Pool A
1. McGill
4. Saint Mary’s
6. Montreal

Pool B
2. Wilfrid Laurier
3. Alberta
5. StFX

Thursday, March 11
16:00 Pool A #1: No. 1 McGill 3, No. 6 Montreal 1
19:30 Pool B #1: No. 3 Alberta 1, No. 2 Laurier 0

Friday, March 12
16:00 Pool A #2: No. 4 Saint Mary’s 4, No. 6 Montreal 2
19:30 Pool B #2: No. 2 Laurier 3, No. 5 StFX 2

Saturday, March 13
16:00 Pool A #3: No. 1 McGill 7, No. 4 Saint Mary’s 2
19:30 Pool B #3: No. 5 StFX 0 vs. No. 3 Alberta 2 

Sunday, March 14
11:00 5th Place: No. 6 Montreal 1 vs No. 5 StFX 0
14:00 Bronze: No. 4 Saint Mary’s vs No. 2 Laurier (SSN Canada) 
18:00 Final: No. 1 McGill vs No. 3 Alberta (SSN Canada)