ANTIGONISH, NS - The STFX X-Women hockey team opened their 2023-24 regular season with a 5-0 win over the Mount Allison Mounties on Friday night at the Charles V Keating Centre.
X-Women player of the game Kamdyn Switzer (Stittsville, ON) lead the way with two goals and an assist, while STFX netminder Amaya Giraudier (Assiniboia, SK) made 16 saves while picking up the shutout win.
The teams went back and forth early in the first period, with the STFX penalty kill staving off a player advantage before Switzer put them on the board with a powerplay goal with 8:27 gone. Switzer went top shelf with a shot from the faceoff circle off passes from Terryn Mozes (Kanata, ON), who earned second star of the game honours, and Bree MacPherson (Antigonish, NS).
Mount Allison goaltender Hanna Pagdato (Winnipeg, MB) came up big making a breakaway save while her team was on the power play with about four minutes to go in the period, which ended with STFX leading in shots 12-4.
The X-Women began play in the second period on the powerplay and made it count with Kya Moss (Port Moody, BC) finding the back of the net with a clapper from the point at the 1:25 minute mark. Vivian Hinch (Vancouver, BC) and Ellie Brown (Kemptville, ON) assisted on the play.
Switzer added her second of the night with about four minutes left in the second period, pouncing on a loose puck in front of the Mount Allison net and snapping it home. Mozes and Landyn Pitts (Antigonish, NS) had the assists.
The second period ended with STFX leading in shots, 24-10.
STFX got on the board early in the third period, with Pitts lifting one in off a pass from the game's third star Maggy Burbidge (Falmouth, NS) while on the power play. They added to their lead with about 12 minutes gone in the period, when rookie Kameryn Lahey (Catalone, NS) scored off a scramble in front of the net.
Pagdato made 34 stops while picking up the loss. Shots at the end of the game were 39-16 in favour of the X-Women.
The X-Women next hit the ice on Tuesday evening when they will host the Dalhousie Tigers. Mount Allison will host Monton on October 14.
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Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics