Courtesy Matt Draper, STFX Sports Information
Antigonish, NS - The U SPORTS No. 8 ranked STFX X-Women gave the hometown crowd something to cheer about with a 4-2 win over the visiting Dalhousie Tigers at the Charles V. Keating Centre on Wednesday night.
It didn't take long for the X-Women to get on the board. At the 54 second mark, a rebound off the back boards from Lauren Dabrowski (Tiny, ON) landed in front of the Dalhousie net and Landyn Pitts (Antigonish, NS) slotted it home. Maggy Burbidge (Falmouth, NS) had the other assist.
The trio teamed up again at the 8:34 marker to give STFX a two-goal lead. Dabrowski passed the puck from the point to Burbidge who fired a shot from the faceoff dot. The shot hit a body in front but Pitts was able to bang in her second of the night.
Dalhousie didn't quit though and cut the lead in half at 11:54. Abby Wamboldt (Hammonds Plains, NS) knocked home a loose puck off her own rebound at the side of the X net. Autumn Moors (Ottawa, ON) and Keana Oshowy (Woodbridge, ON) had the assists.
Shots at the end of the period were 15-6 in favour of X as they held the 2-1 lead.
Dalhousie found themselves down two players with just over five minutes gone in the second period. Lea MacLeod (Dartmouth, NS) hit the crossbar early in the power play but X wasn't able to capitalize.
The score remained unchanged until the 14:49 marker of the second. Kamdyn Switzer (Stittsvile, ON) blocked a Dalhousie clearing attempt and passed the puck over to Tyra Meropoulis (Edson, AB) who wired a shot past Dalhousie goalie Maggie Baxter (Mahone Bay, NS). Hannah MacDonald (Wetaskawin, AB) had the other helper.
Shots at the end of the second were 28-15 in favour of X as they were up 3-1.
Dalhousie cut the lead to one with less than two minutes gone in the third. Wamboldt intercepted a pass, skated in, and put a far side backhand shot past X goalie Jamie Johnson (Victoria, BC).
The Tigers were on the right side of an extended power play with just over eight minutes played in the third but X-Women penalty kill was up to the task and kept the door shut.
Dalhousie called a time out with 1:22 left to play but weren't able to tie the game. Abby Lewis (Kanata, ON) potted an empty netter off an assist from Dabrowski, giving STFX the 4-2 win.
Shots at the end of the game were 40-24 in favour of the X-Women. Johnson had 22 saves on the night in the X net, while Baxter had 37 for the Tigers.
Wamboldt's two goals were good enough to earn the third star of the game, while STFX defense Dabrowski was second star with three assists. Pitts earned first star and Subway Player of the Game honours after scoring two on the night.
Pitts said the team was pleased with the win, adding it will get some momentum going as they look to close out the first part of the season.
"They're fun girls to work with," Pitts said of her linemates. "I think a lot of it goes to hard work. As long as you're moving your feet and working hard, things start to come to you."
The X Women return to home ice on Saturday afternoon to take on St. Thomas, puck drop if 3:00 pm in their final game of the first half of the season.
Dalhousie's next game is also against St. Thomas on Friday night, November 26th in Halifax.
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