Aigles Bleues top Mounties in first game of finals

(MONCTON, N.B.) - A goal by defenceman Manon Lamarre following a high lob from the centre of the ice lifted the Moncton Aigles Bleues to a 2-1 win over the Mount Allison Mounties in the first game of the best 2-of-3 Subway AUS women's hockey championship final series, played Tuesday evening in front of 600 spectators at the J.-Louis-Lévesque Arena.

The fans jumped high as the goal came in the ninth minute of play of the third period. All goals were scored about 20 minutes apart. 

Lamarre was returning to her bench when she lifted the puck high in the air and took goaltender Kate O'Brien by surprise.

Karine Roy (from Marika Lacroix) gave the Aigles a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute of play in the first period.

The lead lasted about 20 minutes when Kara Anthony evened the chances for the visitors.

The Aigles were able to counter the Mounties in the last minute of play when they replaced their goaltender with a sixth attacker. The Mounties managed to score, but the clock had run out.

"It was a stressful game," said Moncton goaltender Gabrielle Forget. "The second period was harder for us, but we turned it around in the third. It was close, we did not stop working."

"We are very happy with the victory," added Aigles head coach Denis Ross. "The Mounties took advantage of our largesse in the neutral zone in the second, but we made adjustments in the third. My team was a bit nervous in the second. We had more chances in the third with a better focus. We will have to play our best hockey on Thursday to win." 

Subway Player of the Game, Moncton goaltender Gabrielle Forget, faced 19 shots (11 in the second), compared to 24 for Kate O'Brien (11 in the first period).

Game 2 will be played Thursday evening at 7 p.m. at the Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre, in Sackville, N.B.

Source: Moncton Sports Information