Antigonish, NS – On the strength of Ariana Orasanin's (Ancaster, ON) first career regular season shutout, the StFX X-Women (7-5) skated to a 4-0 victory over the visiting Mount Allison Mounties (3-9) in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) hockey action Saturday afternoon at the Keating Centre.
Subway player of the game Daley Oddy (Cranbrook, BC) led the X-Women offense with a pair of goals, including one on the power play, as part of a three-point effort.
At 9:28 of the first period, freshman forward Kate Gotaas (Sherwood Park, AB) opened the scoring for StFX. Nicole Halladay (Smiths Falls, ON) notched the lone assist on the power-play marker.
Just 38 seconds into the second period, the X-Women doubled their advantage with the special teams' goal from Oddy, who took a feed from line-mate Sarah Bujold (Riverview, NB), off the rush, before roofing a wrist shot over Mounties' goaltender Keri Martin (Brampton, ON). Senior defender Heather Tillsley (Aurora, ON) chipped in the other assist.
During their next time on the ice, Oddy and Bujold, along with line-mate Kara Power (New Glasgow, NS), were buzzing around the Mount Allison goal but they couldn't extend the X-Women lead.
On the second of strong back-to-back shifts from the trio of Connor Garagan (Fredericton, NB), Lisa Downy (Stratford, ON) and Alley Goodreau (Airdrie, AB), StFX thought they had extended their league, off a goal-mouth scramble, but the referee ruled the play had been blown down prior to the puck going into the net.
Early in the second half of the middle frame, the Mounties tried to slice the deficit in half, on the power play, but Orasanin made a couple key stops, including one on Kara Anthony (Toronto, ON), from in close.
With the teams playing four-a-side, Oddy took a feed deep in the slot, but Martin robbed the X-Women forward with a sparkling glove save.
On an abbreviated power play, Power got a scoring chance at the side of the net, but Martin was able to smother the puck.
Off an X-Women turnover, Rosie Heffernan (Oakville, ON) took a lead pass and broke in alone, but Orasanin made the stop to preserve the shutout.
At 17:25, Power made it 3-0, after taking a long pass from Oddy, with Halladay collecting her second assist of the contest.
In the third period, Gabrielle Vautour (Hampton, NB), who was the trailer on a Mounties' rush, unleashed a hard shot, but Orasanin made the save.
A few minutes later, the X-Women goaltender denied Vautour with a blocker save.
At 12:51, Oddy wrapped up the scoring with a highlight-reel goal; she glided into the Mounties' zone, from her off wing, before cutting across the lip of the crease and depositing a forehand behind Martin.
Power and Tillsley, both with their second points of the game, recorded the assists.
Orasanin made 21 saves for the win, while Martin turned aside 47 shots, in the loss.
Oddy was named first star, while Halladay and Power collected second and third-star nods, respectively.
The Mounties will return to action Sunday, Nov. 20, when they host the U Sports third-ranked St. Thomas Tommies in Sackville, NB, in a 2 p.m. start.
The X-Women will be back on the ice Wednesday, Nov. 23, when they host the rival and U Sports second-ranked Saint Mary's Huskies.
Puck-drop is set for 7 p.m.
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