X-Women top Mounties 5-2, advance to AUS semifinals

(ANTIGONISH, N.S.) – The StFX X-Women are on to the Subway AUS Women's Hockey semifinals after a 5-2 victory over the Mount Allison Mounties Friday evening in Game 2 playoff action at the Charles V. Keating Centre.

The X-Women win the best 2-of-3 quarter-final series 2-0.

Special teams played a big role in the game as the X-Women scored two power play goals and one shorthanded goal, while both Mounties goals also came on the man-advantage.

It was the visiting Mounties who got on the board first as Samantha Bujold (Rothesay, N.B.) scored power play goal just 1:41 into the game. Her screen shot beat Sojung Shin (Seoul, Korea) just 12 seconds into the Mounties power play as Mackenzie Lalonde (Ottawa, Ont.) and Jennifer Dillon (Summerside, P.E.I.) assisted.

The X-Women then came back down the ice and had several shots on goal but were turned aside by Mounties netminder Keri Martin (Brampton, Ont.).

The continued StFX pressure on the Mount Allison goal did pay off as Martin made a save but the puck popped out and Connor Garagan (Fredericton, N.B.) deposited the rebound at 5:03. Lisa Downey (Stratford, Ont.) had a helper on the goal.

Mount Allison had a great chance when the puck took a weird bounce off the boards behind Shin and came right out in front as Shin was unaware of where it was, but Amanda Volcko (Halifax, N.S.) couldn't connect and put it in.

The X-Women gained a 2-1 lead when defenceman Heather Tillsley's (Aurora, Ont.) shot from the point went through traffic and beat Martin low on the glove side at the 14:24 mark. Kara Power (New Glasgow, N.S.) assisted.

Mounties forward Kara Anthony (Toronto, Ont.) nearly tied it up with two minutes left in the period as she broke down the side in alone on Shin but shot it high.

The X-Women outshot the Mounties 12-5 in the opening frame.

The second period brought on no scoring as both goaltenders played well, making key saves for their teams in a fast paced second period.

Downey had a good scoring chance midway through period for X as she brought down the right side but was stopped by Martin on the shot.

StFX had several good scoring chances while on the power play, but Martin held her ground.

For the Mounties, Heather Richards (St. Anthony, N.L.) connected with Volcko out front but Shin made the save, keeping the StFX one-goal lead intact.

The X-Women pressured late in the period but couldn't capitalize. The 2-1 lead held through 40 minutes as shots favored StFX 13-5 in the middle frame.

In the third period it was special teams play that made the difference in the game.

Volcko had a great chance to score the equalizer one minute into the period but Shin made a sliding save across the crease from her shot in the slot.

The X-Women scored their first of two power play goals in the period at 4:01 as Nicole Corcoran (Bloomfield, P.E.I.) finished off a nice passing play from Taylor Dale (Oromocto, N.B.) and Sarah Bujold (Riverview, N.B.) to give the X-Women a 3-1 lead.

Mount Allison came right back with their own power play goal just 53 seconds later however as Anthony scored from Emily van Diepen (Morell, P.E.I.) and Volcko.

StFX re-gained their two-goal advantage at 8:07 when Power passed across the slot to an open Dale who made no mistake deposited the puck high into the back of the open Mount Allison net while on the power play. Tillsley also assisted on the play.

StFX then went right back on the power play but the Mounties fought it off.

Volcko and Anthony had a nice 2-on-1 scoring opportunity with eight minutes left to play, but Anthony's shot was wide of the StFX goal.

Subway player of the game Kara Power put a damper on a possible Mounties comeback when she pounced on a turnover in the Mounties zone while shorthanded and scored unassisted at 12:53.

The Mounties called a timeout after the shorthanded goal to regroup and despite having consecutive power play opportunities, they couldn't score and time ran out.

Final shots were 37-18 in favor of the X-Women as Shin made 16 saves in the StFX net.

Martin took the loss for the Mounties, turning aside 32 pucks and Kara Anthony received player of the game honours for the visitors.

With the quarterfinal series win, the X-Women will advance to face the first-place Saint Mary's Huskies in the best-of-three semi-final series. Game dates and times will be announced on the weekend.