Gold falls to U SPORTS to finish development camp

By Jason La Rose, Hockey Canada

CALGARY, Alta. – Maggie Knott (Smiths Falls, Ont./Mercyhurst University, CHA) opened the scoring in the first period, but Gold came up one goal short in a 2-1 loss to the U SPORTS all-stars in its finale Saturday at Canada’s National Women’s Development Team selection camp.

Despite the setback, Gold finished with three wins in four games at camp, blanking U SPORTS on Wednesday night before earning a pair of victories over Japan.

Gold outshot the university side 12-8 in the first period, and took the early lead when Knott came through the middle of the ice and snapped a shot past goaltender Tricia Deguire (Sherbrooke, Que./McGill University, RSEQ).

Krystin Lawrence (Tecumseh, Ont./University of Windsor, OUA) pulled U SPORTS even less than seven minutes later, finding a loose puck in the slot and popping the water bottle over the shoulder of Gold netminder Marlène Boissonnault (Dundee, N.B./Cornell University, ECAC). 

It was the first goal scored at camp by U SPORTS, which had suffered shutout losses to Japan and Gold in its first two games.

After a scoreless second period it was Caroll-Ann Gagné (Fermont, Que./Concordia University, RSEQ) who put U SPORTS ahead for good, blasting a point shot past a partially-screened Kassidy Sauvé (Whitby, Ont./Ohio State University, WCHA) 6:37 into the final frame.

Deguire did the rest, making eight of her 26 saves in the third period.

Boissonnault stopped 11 of 12 in the Gold net before giving way to Sauvé, who had eight saves. 

U SPORTS finishes its camp on Sunday morning (10 a.m. MT), taking on Japan.