X-Women take overtime win over Mounties

ANTIGONISH, NS - Kamdyn Switzer's (Stittsville, ON) overtime goal sealed a hard fought 3-2 win for the STFX X-Women hockey team over the Mount Allison Mounties on Sunday afternoon at the Charles V. Keating Centre in Antigonish.

Switzer scored seven seconds into the extra period, going in alone off a pass from Maggy Burbidge (Falmouth, NS) and firing a wrist shot top-shelf for her second goal of the game.

The X-Women controlled the play through the first 20 minutes, generating 21 shots on the Mounties net, while conceding only three. Mount Allison goalie Skye MacDonald (Torbrook, NS), the game's second star, made some difficult saves in the period, including one on a breakaway.

Switzer, who received first star and player of the game honours for her efforts, got the X-Women on the scoreboard in the first four minutes of the period, going high with a shot off a two-on-one with the assist coming from Ireland McCloskey (Barrie, ON), who was named third star of the game.

Mount Allison came out of the intermission on fire and took it to the X-Women early while generating some quality chances. The Mounties were also able to kill off a penalty, thanks to more strong play from MacDonald. With momentum in their favour, the Mounties tied the game about midway through the period, with Tallon Stephenson (Lloydminster, AB) collecting a pass from Oceane Asham (Portage La Prairie, MB) in close and firing one far side. Myah Stanfield (Calgary, AB) had the other assist.

Mount Allison continued to apply pressure, and at the end of an extended powerplay, Stephenson picked up an Asham rebound from in close and buried the go-ahead goal with under two minutes to play in the second stanza. After 40 minutes, the X-Women continued to lead in shots, 35-17.

It was the X-Women who struck first in the final period, with Kameryn Lahey (Catalone, ON) depositing a shot low after picking up a rebounding puck off the stick of Mackenzie Lothian (Alliston, ON) at the 3:25 marker. The teams battled for the rest of the period but nothing was solved in regulation time, setting the table for Switzer's overtime winner.

Amaya Giraudier (Assiniboia, SK) made 18 saves while picking up her fifth win of the year for the X-Women, while MacDonald had an impressive 49 stops while being tagged with the loss.

The X-Women next hit the ice on Friday, November 3, when they will host Saint Mary's at 7 p.m. The Mounties are also at home next Friday, when they will take on the Dalhousie Tigers, also at 7 p.m.

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Recap courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Athletics