Mounties clinch spot in AUS final series with 3-2 double OT win over X-Women

(ANTIGONISH, N.S) - The Mount Allison Mounties are moving on to the AUS championship final series after defeating the top-seeded and defending AUS champion StFX X-Women 3-2 in double overtime at the Charles V. Keating Centre Saturday evening in game three of the Subway AUS semifinals.

Fourth-year Mounties forward Lindsay James was the overtime hero, firing a bullet to the top corner over X-Women goaltender Sojung Shin's glove hand 1:25 into the second overtime period. Danielle Bourgeois assisted on the game winner.

After winning Game 2 by a score of 3-1 Thursday evening in Sackville, N.B. to force the third and deciding game, the Mounties upset the CIS No. 9-ranked X-Women in their own barn in dramatic fashion to clinch their spot in the AUS best 2-of-3 final series.

The fifth-seeded Mounties will meet the third-seeded Moncton Aigles Bleues who knocked off second-ranked Saint Mary's 2-1 in the other semifinal series.

Mount Allison got out to a 1-0 lead with under three minutes to play in the first period as Samantha Bujold beat Shin five-hole on a 2-on-1 rush up ice with Kara Anthony.

The X-Women didn't waste much time in tying the game as Schyler Campbell netted their first goal 32 seconds into the second period. After making a save on a Daniela Falconio shot, Mounties netminder Kate O'Brien couldn't corral the rebound and Campbell fired the puck in. Megan Innes also picked up an assist on the play.

The 1-1 deadlock held for the remainder of the second period.

Erin Brophy thought she has netted the go-ahead goal for the X-Women early into the third period but the goal was waved off by the officials, ruling the puck had been kicked in.

The Mounties took a 2-1 lead in the game with an Emily vanDiepen goal at 4:32, scoring on a wrap-around low on the glove side of Shin. Anthony picked up her second assist of the night and Kelly Matarazzo also got credited with a helper.

The X-Women evened it again midway through the period as Kara Power popped in the rebound off a 2-on-1 rush with Brophy. Jenna Pitts also assisted on the goal.

The remainder of the period solved nothing and the teams headed to a 10-minute overtime period. Mount Allison had several key scoring chances late in the overtime frame but Shin held her ground.

James only needed 1:25 of the second overtime to net the game and series winner for the Mounties.

O'Brien posted 25 saves in the Mounties net as the visitors outshot the X-Women 31-27 in the game. Shin had 28 saves for the X-Women.

The teams played disciplined hockey with neither squad seeing a power-play opportunity in the game. The only minor penalties called came with coincidentals in the third period.

While the X-Women season ends in heartbreak, the Mounties season continues as they move on to compete for their first ever AUS conference title.

Source: StFX Sports Information