X-Women defeat defending champion Panthers 3-2, join Huskies in final

(SACKVILLE, N.B.) - The match-up for final game of the 2013 the Subway AUS women's hockey championship is set. The StFX X-Women rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the defending AUS champion UPEI Panther by a score of 3-2 to join the Saint Mary's Huskies in Sunday's championship final.

UPEI stormed out to a 2-0 lead, with Kiana Strand opening the scoring just 2:21 into the game with a power-play goal.

The Panthers then extended their lead to 2-0 when Samantha Sweet took advantage of a giveaway inside the X-Women zone and made no mistake on a high shot past Kristy Garrow.

Before the first period was over, the X-Women's top-ranked power-play capitalized on an opportunity when Jenna Pitts blasted a hard shot through a crowd in front of the net, squeaking it through UPEI goalie Kristy Dobson to cut the deficit in half after 20 minutes.

AUS player of the year Alex Normore tied the game in the second period, when she used a hard slapshot of her own, racing down the left wing and finding the back of the net with 5:20 to play in the second frame.

The game remained tied 2-2 throughout the third period, but needing a win by two goals to qualify for the final, UPEI pulled Dobson for the extra attacker while on the power-play advantage. The Panthers pressed for the final minute, but Daniela Falconio eventually ended the game with an empty-net goal with 2.0 seconds remaining to officially send StFX to the championship game.

Normore was named StFX's Subway player of the game.

Shots favoured the X-Women 28-15, including a second period which saw StFX outshoot UPEI 11-3.

Dobson was named UPEI's Subway player of the game, making several acrobatic saves, while Kristy Garrow made 13 saves in the win for StFX.

The X-Women and Huskies will now tangle in the championship game of the 2013 Subway AUS women's hockey championship Sunday afternoon at 4pm at the Tantramar Civic Centre.

All six games in the tournament thus far have been exciting, down-to-the-wire finishes, and tomorrow's final matchup promises a ton of excitement for all in attendance.

All games of the 2013 Subway AUS women's hockey championship are available via webcast at www.AUStv.ca.

Source: Wray Perkin, Mount Allison Sports Information
Photo courtesy of Tom Reid Photography (http://www.tomreidphotography.com/)