By Troy Langstaff
This time it was the UPEI Panthers who shut out the Dalhousie Tigers 2-0 on Sunday night at the Civic Arena. Jolena Gillard (Deer Lake, NL) opened the scoring midway through the first period and Wasyn Rice (Invermere, BC) iced the game with an empty net goal from her own end with 16 seconds left.
Both teams were playing in the second half of a back-to-back, but the Tigers looked like the fresher team. Dalhousie had some good offensive zone time and forced a few turnovers resulting in good chances by Nicole Soon (Richmond, BC), Emma Bishop (Bedford, NS), and Brooklyn Paisley (Shawnigan Lake, BC).
Panther's goalie Sasha Weekes (Hunter River, PE) survived the barrage and a bad pass at the UPEI blue line resulted in a two on one for Gillard and Mireille Martin (Moncton, NB). Gillard skated the puck down the left side and fired a shot short side on Taylor Beam (Brooklin, ON) to open the scoring 13:07 into the period.
Gillard almost added another near the end of the frame on a breakaway but Beam turned her aside to keep the score 1-0. Dalhousie led in shots 12-8 at the first intermission.
In the second period a stretch pass from Isabella Weist (Torbay, NL) to Kennedy Whelan (Alliston, ON) would have resulted in an odd-man rush but the play was called for offside. Just past the halfway mark of the period the physicality turned up when Paisley was penalized 5 minutes and a game misconduct for boarding. This happened just seconds after Whelan was called for tripping giving UPEI a two-man advantage for almost a full two minutes.
Beam made some crucial saves followed by important shot blocks by Mackenzie Drake (Dartmouth, NS), Emma Penner (Niagara on the Lake, ON) and, Bishop.
Dalhousie successfully killed off both penalties and were almost rewarded with a goal. Ariana Pinchuk (Sherwood Park, AB) fed the puck to Tigers captain Autumn Moors (Ottawa, ON) in the slot, but they couldn't find the back of the net.
The third period started with the Panthers still leading but midway through the frame Dalhousie had their best chance of the game. A three on one ended with Olivia Eustace (Riverview, NB) just tipping the puck wide.
As the clock winded down to one minute left the Tigers pulled Beam for an extra attacker but couldn't capitalize. With 16 seconds left Rice fired the puck the length of the ice to add the insurance marker. The Panthers won 2-0 even though being outshot 31-19.
Jolena Gillard was the player of the game.
UPEI plays next on Wednesday when they host Moncton.
Dalhousie is also in action on Wednesday when they head across town to visit the first place Saint Mary's Huskies.