Huskies top Tigers 5-3 in Exhibition
HALIFAX -- The Saint Mary's Huskies and Dalhousie Tigers wrote another chapter in their cross-town rivalry as the Huskies skated to a 5-3 win over the Tigers at the Dauphinee Centre on Saturday night.
The first period was a fairly energetic affair as both teams looked to establish themselves early in the game. The Huskies had a few solid chances that were turned aside by 2nd year netminder Kaelyn Budden (Halifax, NS). Despite outshooting the Tigers 9-5 in the opening frame, the Tigers led the game 1-0 after Olivia Eustace (Riverview, NB) deftly tipped a point shot past Ashley Imlach (Newtonville, ONT) to give the visitors the lead.
The Huskies began the middle frame with a high level of urgency – pressing down on the gas with a vengeance from the drop of the puck. Eventually, this persistence paid off when defenceman Lauren Papp (Brampton, ONT) uncorked a shot from the left point which beat Budden to knot things up at one. However, the tie wouldn't last long.
With a player in the box, the Huskies, who at this point for 0-for-3 on the power-play, surrendered a power-play goal as Katie Cameron (Riverview, NB) unloaded a wrister from the high slot that Imlach couldn't quite grab, resulting in the puck trickling over the line to give Dalhousie a 2-1 lead.
Late in the second period, a scary incident would occur when Dal's Nicole Soon (Richmond, BC) was checked by SMU's Caitlin Pejkovic (Sherwood Park, Alta) – causing Soon to be helped off the ice after laboring for several minutes. Pejkovic would be assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct.
The Tigers had 2:05 of powerplay time to start the third period and they made it count. Jaydon Stitt (Carleton Place, ONT) slapped one from inside the blueline which sailed over the shoulder of Ashley Forler (Kitchener, ONT) to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead early in the third.
With their fortunes looking bleak, the Huskies kicked things into overdrive. The comeback started when Shae Demale (Red Deer, Alta.) took a centering pass from Carly Baker (Aurora, ONT) and hammered it past Budden to pull SMU within one.
Just over three minutes later, the Huskies pulled even when Siobhan Birch (Mississauga, ONT) out waited Budden and slid it past her outstretched right pad to tie the game at three.
Another two minutes and change later, the Huskies would pull in front for the first time all game when Birch made a great drop-pass to rookie Maddy McCleary (Swift Current, SK) who rifled in her first AUS goal to make it 4-3. It would prove to be the game winner as Shae Demale would add her second of the game with only 1:14 remaining in regulation to solidify the Huskies win.
Drew McConnell, SMU Communications
Photo Nick Pearce (2019/20 season)