REDS comeback in third period to defeat Huskies 5-3 despite Demale hat-trick
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UNB (4-1-1, 4-1-1) | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
|
Saint Mary's (1-2-0, 1-2-0) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
A hat-trick by forward Shae Demale (Red Deer, AB) wasn't enough as the defending AUS champion UNB REDS came back to beat the Huskies 5-3 Saturday afternoon at the Dauphinee Centre in Halifax.
The game was part of Huskies homecoming weekend and played in front of 278 fans, including several Huskies women's hockey alumni.
The home side came out of the gates with more energy than the REDS. The opening two and a half minutes saw the Huskies with a couple of chances thwarted by UNB goalie Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC).
The Huskies kept pressing and broke through just 7:55 into the game. Reigning AUS MVP Shae Demale (Red Deer, AB) came off the bench carried the puck into the offensive zone, around the net, then passed out front. The initial shot from Ellen Laurence (Kentville, NS) was stopped by Woodland but Demale was positioned to the left side of the net and buried the rebound.
HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ����
— SMU Huskies (@SMUHuskies) October 15, 2022
Shae Demale delivers her second goal of the season to put the Huskies up 1-0 against @UNBAthletics
��S. Demale (2)
��E. Laurence
��K. MacLean
Tune in live: https://t.co/AyQVm7HatU pic.twitter.com/sR10Cb2Yys
UNB got their first good chance minutes later when Frederike Cyr (Candiac, QC) forced a turnover and shovelled the pass to Myah Bowal (Terrace, BC) who was all alone in tight to the net but a nice pad save by first year goalie Ridleigh Hansen (Red Deer, AB) kept the score 1-0 Huskies.
The REDS had another excellent opportunity late in the period when a SMU defender whiffed on a pass in the neutral zone. Reagan Minor (Dunnville, ON) scooped up the puck and a had a brief breakaway before she was caught by a pair of backchecking Huskies players.
Saint Mary's led in shots 10-6 at the intermission.
The start of the second period saw some powerplay time left on the clock for UNB and they almost capitalized when Jenna MacLean (Wilcox, SK) took a wrist shot from the point that got through traffic but rang off the crossbar.
Minutes later the home side was pressuring again and the shot from Eve LeBlanc (Petit-Rocher, NB) wasn't cleanly handled by Woodland and Demale slid home her second of the game to make it 2-0.
HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ����
— SMU Huskies (@SMUHuskies) October 15, 2022
Back-to-back goals for last seasons @AUS_SUA MVP! Shae Demale scores her second of the game to put the Huskies up 2-0 early in the second period against @UNBAthletics.
��S. Demale (3)
��E. LeBlanc
��K. MacLean
Tune in live: https://t.co/AyQVm7ZjI2 pic.twitter.com/qxKHBA2qey
UNB wouldn't let that deter them as just seconds after the Huskies scored, Lillian George (Garden Village First Nation, ON) entered the zone from the right side with just one player to beat and flicked a shot off the shoulder of Hansen that dropped behind her and trickled across the line to bring the REDS within one.
The REDS had a couple good chances to tie the game. One coming on a 2-on-0 rush, when Paige Grenier (Olds, AB) passed the puck across for Minor but Hansen got over with lots of time to make the save.
Before the midway mark of the period, Demale completed the hat-trick with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle that beat Woodland blocker side to give the Huskies the 3-1 lead.
HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ����
— SMU Huskies (@SMUHuskies) October 15, 2022
Shae Demale gets the hat-trick!
��S. Demale (4)
��K. MacLean
��E. Laurence pic.twitter.com/llvml6blRA
The middle frame saw more scoring just a couple minutes later when UNB capitalized with a powerplay marker. Grenier saw Tamina Kehler (Chilliwack, BC) across the ice and fed her a pass before Kehler sent a low shot past Hansen to make it 3-2.
UNB led in shots 17-15 after two periods.
The final frame was a very defensive one from the visiting REDS. They did a very good job of clogging the shooting lanes and blocking shots, and as the saying goes, good defense leads to good offense.
About seven minutes into the period Sydney Oitomen (Mississauga, ON) made a pass to Melanie Drost (Nepean, ON) who fired a perfect shot that went bar down to tie the game at three.
The next ten minutes of the period saw both teams trading chances, but it was the visiting side that scored to take their first lead of the game. George took a shot from the left side circle that bounced off the post then off the back of Hansen before crossing the line.
George completed the hat-trick and iced the game with an empty netter as the REDS completed the comeback winning 5-3. George earned Subway Player of the Game honours.
The REDS next challenge comes on Oct 22nd when they host the Huskies at 3 p.m. in Fredericton, NB.
The Huskies will head to Mount Allison to take on the Mounties, Sunday at 6 p.m.
Recap by Troy Langstaff / SMU Huskies Athletics
