Nelson’s hat trick lifts Panther over Tigers in overtime

HALIFAX, NS—The UPEI Panthers women's hockey team beat the Dalhousie Tigers 4-3 in overtime on October 22nd, at the Halifax Forum.  

McKinley Nelson (Calgary, AB) started off her hot night early in the first period as she managed to find the back of the net for the Panthers. It didn't take long for Dalhousie to respond, as Abby Wamboldt (Hammonds Plains, NS) scored off an assist by Katie Cameron (Riverview, NS) midway through the first. Isabella Weist (Torbay, NL) was also in on the play.  

The second period was shaping up to be a stalemate until Nelson managed to score her second goal of the night with less than a minute to go. Midway through the third period Nelson completed the hat-trick to give the Panthers a two-goal lead.  

The Tigers kept their focus though and Gabrielle Noordijk (Oakville, ON) scored to make it a 3-2 game. Cameron picked up her second assist of the game and Olivia Eustace (Riverview, NB) was also in on the play. Dalhousie's persistence paid off when Weist tied the game up with less than three minutes remaining to send the game to overtime.  

It was looking like we might be headed for a shootout until Avery Penner, (Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON) scored to give the Panthers the win, off assists by Ruby Loughton (Toronto, ON) and Nelson.  

Tiah Scichilone (Saint John, NB), Emily Homes (Miramachi, NB), Mireille Martin (Moncton, NB), Ashley McCutcheon (Kitchener, ON), and Rachel Richards (New Dominion, PE) picked up assists for the Panthers as they helped set Nelson up all night long.  

Nelson's spectacular game earned her the Subway player of the game honours for the Panthers. 

UPEI moves to 4-1 with a win while Dalhousie moves to 3-3.  

Both teams will have to start game planning for their next opponent, as UPEI heads to Antigonish to play StFX tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. and Dalhousie hosts cross-town rivals Saint Mary's this Wednesday, October 26, at 7:00 p.m.

RECAP BY: Joe Thomson, Dalhousie Sports Information / PHOTOS BY: Nick Pearce