Panthers defeat Huskies 1-0 in Charlottetown

CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI - The UPEI Panthers secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Saint Mary's Huskies in an evenly matched contest Saturday night, with veteran goaltender Sarah Forsythe delivering a sensational performance.

Forsythe was flawless between the pipes, turning aside all 30 shots she faced to earn the shutout.

In a game dominated by defence and special teams, Carly Thompson provided the game's only goal early in the third period. Her heroics came at 3:36 of the final frame when she capitalized on an odd-player rush. Thompson picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone, skated into the offensive end, and fired a wrist shot past Huskies goaltender Ridleigh Hansen, who finished the game with 22 saves.

Both teams had their chances to break the deadlock earlier, especially on the power play, but neither could convert. The Panthers (2-3-1) went 0-for-9 with the player advantage, while the Huskies were equally stymied, going 0-for-8.

The Huskies (3-2-1) came close to breaking through in the first period with a dangerous two-on-one chance, but Forsythe was up to the task, making a brilliant glove save on Avery Cant's wrist shot from the left circle.

Despite the struggles on the power play, both squads impressed with the penalty kill, particularly during the second period, when each team had a brief five-on-three opportunity. However, defensive play and stellar goaltending kept the game scoreless through 40 minutes, setting the stage for Thompson's game-winner in the third period.

With the win, the Panthers look to build on this momentum as they head to Antigonish next Friday to take on the St. FX X-Women, while the Huskies battle it out with the Dalhousie Tigers on Friday night at the Halifax Forum.

Recap by Thomas Becker / UPEI Panthers Athletics
Photos by Janessa Vanden Broek / UPEI Panthers Athletics