Antigonish, NS - A trio of power play goals lead the way for the UPEI Panthers as they defeated the StFX X-Women 4-3 at the Charles V. Keating Centre Friday night.
StFX got the game going early with Ella VandeSompel (London, ON) firing home a wrister from the point off a feed from Ellie Brown (Kemptville, ON) at the 2:56 marker of the first period.
The X-Women went up by two goals at late in the first when Kamdyn Switzer (Stittsville, ON) found the top shelf with a shot on a three-on-one off a nice feed from Lea MacLeod (Dartmouth, NS).
Shots at the end of the opening period were 10-7 in favour of X.
UPEI made the most of a two person power play advantage early in the second period when Taylor Gillis (Summerside, PE) knocked home a second chance goal at 3:04 with Katelynn Nice (St. John, NB) getting the helper.
Just 31 seconds later the Panthers knotted the game 2-2 as Sydney Lyndon (Stittsville, ON) found twine off a wrist shot from the high slot while X was still down a skater. Lexie Murphy (Kensington, PE) and Jolena Gillard (Deer Lake, NL) assisted on the play.
It was Gillard who gave UPEI their first lead of the night at the 12:37 mark when she rushed in and fired a far side shot from the faceoff dot.
Shots at the end of the second period were 16-15 in favour of UPEI as they held a 3-2 lead.
STFX found themselves in penalty trouble again early in the third, with two skaters sent to the sin bin in the first two minutes of play. UPEI again capitalized as Murphy potted what would be the game winner 1:36 into the final period, knocking in a shot by Ally Clements (Murray River, PE). Lyndon had the other assist.
The X-Women pulled to within one goal when Hannah MacDonald (Wetaskiwin AB) wired a shot past UPEI goalie Shaylin McFarlane (Miramichi, NB) at 8:37 while on the power play. Josie Chisholm (Antigonish, NS) had the assist.
STFX pressured for the equalizer for the remainder of the third period but McFarlane held her own in the Panthers net. The X-Women's best chance came when captain Emerson Elliott (Aurora, ON) rang one off the cross bar late in the period.
With more penalty woes coming the X-Women's way late in the period they were unable to pull their netminder in favour of an extra attacker and the Panthers skated to their second victory of the AUS season.
STFX's MacDonald was the third star of the game while Lyndon from UPEI received the second star. First star and Subway Player of the Game went to Panthers forward Lexie Murphy.
McFarlane had 21 saves on the night while X goalie Jamie Johnson (Victoria, BC) had 20 saves in the losing effort. Shots at the end of the game were 24 apiece.
With the win UPEI's record improves to 2-0-2, while the X-Women (2-1-0) picked up their first loss of the season.
The X-Women are back on home ice Saturday night when they host the UNB Reds (3-0-0). Puck drop is 7 p.m.
The Panthers are off until next Friday, October 22nd when they will host Dalhousie.
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Courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Sports Information