ANTIGONISH, N.S. (CIS) – A hat trick by Saint Mary’s forward Lauren McCusker ( Newmarket, ON) and a three-goal second period effort helped lift the No. 4 seeded Saint Mary’s Huskies over the No. 6 Montreal Carabins by a 4-2 score in Game 3 round robin action Friday afternoon at the StFX Keating Centre.

 

Championship website (including complete stats): http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wice

 

McCusker scored her first goal and gave the Huskies a 1-0 lead in the first period, then the Halifax-based team exploded for three more goals, two of them scored by McCusker and the other by Danielle MacDougall (Sherwood Park, AB), in just over a five minute time frame in the second period to open a 4-0 lead. Jessica Gagné (Sherbrooke, QC) and Kim Dêschenes (Saint-Quentin, NB) scored markers for the Carabins who were unable to close the gap for the remainder of the game.

 

McCusker’s first period goal came at the 6:23 minute mark after the Huskies were pressuring Carabins goaltender Catherine Herron (Chambly, QC) in front of net. She followed up on a rebound after Kori Cheverie (New Glasgow, NS)’s shot. Kyla Thurston (Ajax, ON) was also credited with an assist on the play.

 

Montreal did spend significant time in the Huskies end and had two power play opportunities in the first period but were unable to solve Huskies netminder Jillian MacIsaac (Timberlea, NS). They outshot the Huskies 8-6 in the opening 20 minutes of play.

 

Saint Mary’s had a power play opportunity five and a half minutes into the second period and registered a couple shots on goal. They continued their pressure after the penalty had expired and forward Danielle MacDougall followed up on her own rebound to fire puck between the legs of Herron to score Saint Mary’s second goal of the game. Sarah Maynard (Cole Harbour, NS) was in on the helper as the goal was scored at the 7:50 minute mark.

 

Just two and a half minutes later the Huskies struck again as McCusker scored her second marker of the game on the power play. Maynard was close to scoring off a Cheverie deflection but Herron made a nice glove save. Just seconds later McCusker jumped on a loose rebound and fired the puck into the back of the net, giving the Huskies a 3-0 lead. Cheverie and Thurston assisted on the play.

 

Saint Mary’s fourth goal of the game came at 13:10. Thurston had a breakaway chance down ice and was stopped by Herron who stretched the left pad over and had the puck jammed under her pad, but McCusker followed up and pushed the puck loose and over the line for the Huskies, wrapping up her natural hat trick.

 

QSSF Rookie of the Year Kim Deschênes had a great breakaway chance for Montreal as she brought the puck up ice and deked Saint Mary’s goaltender Jillian MacIsaac (Timberlea, NS), appearing to have her beaten, but the puck bounced under her and out of the net.

 

The Carabins were able to capitalize before the period was over, however as Gagné scored on the backhand off a nice passing play by Deschênes and Amanda Lalande (Montréal) in front of the net while on the man advantage.

 

The Huskies finished off the second period with a 13-7 shot advantage.

 

Deschênes was close to scoring an early third period goal but MacIsaac got the pad out for the save.

 

She made no mistake four minutes later, however, as she took a nice pass just outside the blue line from linemate Lalande and broke in alone to deek MacIsaac and push the puck in the net at 5:25.

 

Montreal continued to pressure the Saint Mary’s net, looking to get back into the game and close the gap but MacIsaac and the Huskies held on for the victory and the 4-2 win.

 

McCusker was named Player of the Game for the Huskies for her four point effort while Deschênes earned the nod for the Carabins.

 

With the loss the Carabins now have an 0-2 record in championship play and will play in the fifth place game on Sunday morning at 11:00 am (AST). The Huskies are 1-0 and will face the No. 1 seed McGill Martlets Saturday afternoon at 4:00 pm (AST) with the winner advancing to the gold medal match on Sunday at 6:00 pm (AST).

 

SCORING SUMMARY

 

Montreal 2, Saint Mary’s 4

 

FIRST PERIOD SCORING:

1. SMU Lauren McCusker (1) (Kori Cheverie, Kyla Thurston), 6:23

 

PENALTIES:

Amanda Lalande (MTL) slashing, 3:12; Jocelyn Campbell (SMU) holding, 7:38; Rebecca Mosher (SMU) interference, 8:57; Melissa Young (SMU) holding, 13:41; Amy Dawson (SMU) holding the stick, 18:47.

 

SECOND PERIOD SCORING:

2. SMU Danielle MacDougall (1) (Sarah Maynard), 7:50
3. SMU Lauren McCusker (1) (Kori Cheverie, Kyla Thurston), 10:31, PP
4. SMU Lauren McCusker (2) (Kyla Thurston, Kori Cheverie), 13:10
5. MTL Jessica Gagné (1) (Kim Deschênes, Amanda Lalande), 17:31, PP

 

PENALTIES:

Caroline Martin-Guay (MTL) holding, 1:29; Kim Deschênes ( MTL) high sticking, 5:21; Édith Aubert-Lehoux (MTL) holding, 9:49; Jenna Currie (SMU) roughing, 16:51.

 

THIRD PERIOD SCORING:

6. MTL Kim Deschênes (1) (Amanda Lalande), 5:25.

PENALTIES:

Melissa Young (SMU) slashing, 3:33; Audrey Fortin (MTL) holding, 11:14; Camille Balanche (MTL) tripping, 16:56.

 

GOALS (by period)
MTL: 0-1-1: 2
SMU: 1-3-0: 4

 

SHOTS ON GOAL (by period)
MTL: 8-7-12: 27
SMU: 6-13-6: 25

 

POWER PLAY:
MTL: 2-5
SMU: 1-6

 

GOALTENDERS
MTL: Catherine Herron (L, 0-2, 25 shots, 21 saves, 59:02)
SMU: Jillian MacIsaac (W, 1-0, 27 shots, 25 saves, 60:00)

 

BLACKBERRY PLAYERS OF THE GAME:
MTL: Kim Deschênes
SMU: Lauren McCusker

 

REFEREE: Sylena Mutsaers

 

LINESMEN: Amy Facey, Deanna Esch

 

ATTENDANCE: 519

 

SEEDINGS, POOLS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS (All times LOCAL: Atlantic Time)

 

Pool A
1. McGill
4. Saint Mary’s
6. Montreal

 

Pool B
2. Wilfrid Laurier
3. Alberta
5. StFX

 

Thursday, March 11
Pool A #1: No. 1 McGill, 2 vs No. 6 Montreal, 1 (OT)
Pool B #1: No. 2 Laurier, 0 vs. No. 3 Alberta, 1

 

Friday, March 12
16:00 Pool A #2: No. 4 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 6 Montreal (SSN Canada)
19:30 Pool B #2: No. 5 StFX vs. No. 3 Laurier (SSN Canada)

 

Saturday, March 13
16:00 Pool A #3: No. 4 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 1 McGill (SSN Canada)
19:30 Pool B #3: No. 5 StFX vs. No. 2 Alberta (SSN Canada)

 

Sunday, March 14
11:00 5th Place: No. 6 Montreal vs TBD (SSN Canada)
14:00 Bronze (SSN Canada)
18:00 Final (SSN Canada)

 

- CIS -

 

This page last modified Sunday, 07-Nov-2010 16:43:34 AST