Antigonish, NS - The U SPORTS No. 7 ranked STFX X-Women came out flying in their first game back in AUS competition in over two months with a convincing 7-1 victory over the UPEI Panthers.

Abby Lewis (Kanata, ON) got the home crowd at the Charles V Keating Centre cheering early, with a power play marker 2:55 into the first period. Lauren Dabrowski (Tiny, ON) won the draw to the right of UPEI goalie Camille Scherger (Lloydminster, AB) and Tyra Meropoulis (Edson AB) fired a shot on goal. After a scramble in front of the UPEI net, Lewis knocked it home.

Just over a minute later, Lewis gave X a two-goal lead. After some dangling in the Panthers end, Meropoulis passed the puck off to Kamdyn Switzer (Stittsville, ON) who backhanded a pass over to an open Lewis for the score.

The X Women increased their lead to three with just over 10 minutes gone in the first. Anna MacCara (Trenton, NS) picked up a rebound from defender Josie Chisholm (Antigonish, NS) and beat the UPEI goalie for the third time in the period.

STFX notched another goal late in the first period, with Emerson Elliott (Aurora, ON) tipping home another shot from Chisholm. The period ended with the shots 15-7 in favour of the X-Women.

The second period saw some more back and forth action, with both teams pushing for a goal. After some extended action in the UPEI end, Dabrowski rifled a point shot into the top corner to extend the X lead to five. Defender Ashley Monds (Elizabethtown, ON) had the assist.

UPEI didn't get on the scoreboard until 19:13 of the second, with Tiah Scichilone (Saint. John, NB) knocking one in off a rebound. Mireille Martin (Moncton, NB) and Jolena Gillard (Deer Lake, NL) had the assists. Shots at the end of the second were 26-26 in favour of the X Women who were up 5-1 after 40 minutes of play.

The X Women snuffed out hope for a Panthers comeback with 2:46 gone in the final stanza, with their second power play goal of the game. Hannah MacDonald (Wetaskawin, AB) took a wrister from the point that made its way to the back of the net, with Maggy Burbidge (Falmouth, NS) getting the assist.

Burbidge rounded out the StFX scoring with almost seven minutes gone in the third. Elliott picked off an errant UPEI pass in the X zone before hitting Burbidge with a pass on an odd player rush, with Burbidge hitting the far side top corner.

Shots at the end of the third were 39-28 in favour of the X-Women. STFX goalie Jamie Johnson (Victoria, BC) made 27 saves for her fifth win in the net this season, while Scherger had 22 saves on the night before being replaced by Sasha Weekes (Hunter River, PE) who made 10 stops in relief.

Burbidge earned third star of the game, with Lewis taking second, and Chisholm getting the first star. After the game, Chisholm said she was happy to return to regular season action.

"Definitely buzzing is the word I'd use to describe it," said Chisholm. "Our team seems to have picked up right where we left off and right now, the vibe in there is we are buzzing. I'm very excited to be back and I can't wait to see how the rest of these five games go and then into playoffs."

As for how they managed to stay ready to play, Chisholm said the team practices remained competitive. "Having that competition in practices makes games a hell of a lot easier," she said.

The X Women return to the ice on Monday to take on Saint Mary's in Halifax, the game rescheduled from Friday night. They don't return to home ice until March 5, when they will host Mount Allison. UPEI will take on Dalhousie on Sunday evening.

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Courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Sports Information

Josie Chisholm picks up Subway Player of the Game in the X-Women's 7-1 win over UPEI tonight! #goxgo #subwayfuel pic.twitter.com/knjLxbM40K

— StFX Athletics (@StFXAthletics) February 20, 2022