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Huskies defeat X-Women 3-2 in shootout
Posted: Feb 02, 2025

Huskies defeat X-Women 3-2 in shootout

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Scoring Summary
1st - 11:39 - Ashlyn Garnett (StFX)
3rd - 00:21 - PP - Keyara Nelson (Saint Mary's)
3rd - 02:10 - Ava Shearer (Saint Mary's)
3rd - 19:58 - PP - Kamdyn Switzer (StFX)
5 - 00:00 - Charlotte Buffie (Saint Mary's)
Game Leaders
Saint Mary's
G: 3 Players (#16, #19, #TM) - 1
A: 3 Players (#2, #8, #22) - 1
Sh: Avery Cant - 5
Sv: Ridleigh Hansen - 30
StFX
G: 2 Players (#27, #91) - 1
A: 4 Players (#3, #5, #18, #44) - 1
Sh: Alexis Perry - 6
Sv: Bianca Zak - 30
Team Stats
Full stats

ANTIGONISH, NS – Saint Mary's forward Kara MacLean scored the shootout winner, lifting the Huskies to a 3-2 win over the STFX X-Women in Atlantic University Sport women's hockey action on Sunday afternoon at the Charles V. Keating Arena in Antigonish, NS.

The X-Women opened the scoring midway through the first period, as forward Ashlynn Garnett (Dartmouth, NS) caught the Huskies on a change and fired a high shot over the shoulder of netminder Ridleigh Hansen (Red Deer, AB), putting STFX ahead 1-0, 11:39 into the first period.

The X-Women outshot the Huskies 13-8 in the first period, but Ridleigh Hansen was stellar, turning away 12 shots including robbing X-Women forward Tea Pearce (Calgary, AB) with a glove save, and the X-Women took a 1-0 lead into first intermission.

The second quarter saw the Huskies turn the page and dominate the STFX zone, firing off 13 shots to STFX's four, but X-Women netminder Bianca Zak (Stonewall, MB) turned all the Huskies attempts away.

The Huskies began the third period on the powerplay, and it took just 21 seconds for the visitors to equalize, as Ashley Penney (Lawrencetown, NS) threw the puck on goal, where it was corralled by forward Keyara Nelson (Belleville, ON) who stuffed a shot past Zak for a powerplay goal tying the game at 1-1. 

Saint Mary's continued their strong play as Hansen turned away a X-Women chance and the Huskies were able to spark a quick counter-attack, with forward Ava Shearer (Windsor, NS) skating down the left wing before cutting in and sniping a high shot past Zak, giving the Huskies a 2-1 lead, 2:02 into the third period.

The X-Women pushed for an equalizer, but Hansen remained solid, turning away several quality scoring chances. With less than 30 seconds remaining in regulation, the X-Women went on the powerplay, and after pulling Zak, took advantage of a six-on-four, as forward Ireland McCloskey (Barrie, ON) played a pass through to a charging Kamdyn Switzer (Stittsville, ON), who scored a buzzer-beating goal with just two seconds remaining in regulation, tying the game at 2-2 and sending it to overtime.

Overtime was a back-and-forth affair, as both teams generated quality scoring opportunities, but the goaltenders continued to shine, with Hansen and Zak both making outstanding saves. Overtime solved nothing, and the two teams headed into a shootout to decide the winner.

In the first round of the shootout, Ireland McCloskey was denied by Ridleigh Hansen, before Huskies forward Charlotte Buffie (Winnipeg, MB) deked by Zak and scored to give Saint Mary's the advantage.

Hansen then stopped X-Women forward Alexis Perry (Brooklin, ON), setting up Huskies forward Kara MacLean (Antigonish, NS) to once again be the hero against her hometown team. MacLean calmly skated in and made a double-deke move to beat Zak, giving the Huskies the 3-2 shootout win.

MacLean was named the games first star with the shootout winning goal - the second time this season that MacLean has scored the shootout winner over the X-Women. X-Women forward Kamdyn Switzer was named second star, while Ava Shearer received the third star recognition.

Both teams ended the night with 32 shots on goal, with both Hansen and Zak turning away 30 shots, but Hansen's two saves in the shootout ultimately were the difference maker.

The Huskies win improves their record to 10-8-4-2 on the campaign, giving them an inside track on the sixth and final AUS playoff spot with just four games remaining. The Huskies will be back on home ice on Friday, Feb. 7, hosting the St. Thomas Tommies (14-7-2-1) at 7 p.m. at the Dauphinee Centre. GET TICKETS

The X-Women loss earns them a single point, but drops their record to 17-2-1-4 on the campaign, as they remain at the top of the AUS standings. STFX will hit the road, visiting the UPEI Panthers (10-10-2-2) on Friday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. at MacLauchlan Arena in Charlottetown, PEI. 

Recap by Allan April / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Bryan Kennedy / STFX Athletics