Huskies extend streak to 5-0 with win over UNB

(Halifax, NS) The Saint Mary's Huskies extended their perfect season with a 3-1 win over the visiting University of New Brunswick Reds in AUS women's hockey action at the Dauphinee Centre in Halifax.

While the opening minutes were full of missed passes and turnovers, the Huskies quickly tightened their game to control zone entries and they opened the scoring eight minutes in.

Laura Howarth (Grandfalls-Windsor, NL) picked up a chip from Eve Leblanc (Petit-Rocher, NB) just outside their defensive zone and rushed all the way down the left wing before putting a shot high blocker side on goalie Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC).

On a five on three power play, the Reds evened the scoring at 1-1 with a low shot from Jenna MacLean (Wilcox, SK) in the high slot. It was tipped by both Sage McElroy-Scott (Morden, MB) and finally Frederike Cyr (Candiac, QC) before going five-hole on goalie Rebecca Clark (Keswick, ON).

Late in the period, Saint Mary's scored twice in quick succession. First, it was Brooke Murphy (Balla Philip, NB), assisted by Siobhan Birch (Mississauga, ON) and Taylor Keeping (Hackett's Cove, NS), who put the puck into the back of the net after a flurry of bodies in the crease.

Less than a minute later, Kaitlin Howarth (Thunder Bay, ON) won a puck battle down low and walked in front of the net. With lots of time to pick a spot, Howarth wired a shot high blocker side for an unassisted goal that put the Huskies up 3-1 heading into the second period.

A series of penalties late in the second period slowed down, on an otherwise fast paced game. The Huskies led in shots in the second frame 10 to UNB's five, getting to pucks just a step ahead of the visiting team, but the score stayed the same.

In the third, UNB had several dangerous chances. Lillian George (Garden Village, ON) snuck behind the Huskies' defence and got past Clark, but pushed the net off its bearings before the puck crossed the line.

With eight minutes remaining, Cyr wrapped around the net and passed to Ashley Stratton (Mount Pearl, NL), but Clark made a nice save on the latter's shot. With four minutes left, Hannah Green (Richmond, BC) drove to the net and the rebound from her shot went high and bounced in front of the Huskies' wide-open net, but the Reds couldn't control the rebound.

UNB pulled their goalie for the final minutes of the game, but still couldn't find the back of the net with the extra attacker as the home team came away with a 3-1 victory.

Kaitlin Howarth from Saint Mary's was named the Subway Player of the Game

The Huskies are now 5-0-0 on the season, while the Reds fall to 3-2-0.

Up next the Huskies host St. Thomas Saturday and UNB travels to Antigonish to play the X-Women.

Sarah Moore, SMU

Photo Mona Ghiz