Huskies top Mounties 2-0

 (Halifax, NS) The Saint Mary's Huskies women's hockey team hosted the Mount Allison Mounties at the Dauphinee Centre for this year's edition of their Bell Let's Talk game. A dominant game for the Huskies nonetheless was close on the scoreboard saw the Huskies come away with a 2-0 win.

Saint Mary's opened the scoring early, with their first shot of the game. From behind the net, Taylor Keeping's (Hackett's Cove, NS) centering pass went straight through to the high slot.

Caleigh Meraw (Red Deer, AB) stepped up and put a snapshot into the back of the net to make it 1-0 Huskies just over a minute into the game.

The Mounties had almost a full two minutes of a five on three advantage, but an aggressive penalty kill by the Huskies kept the puck out of danger.

During the rest of the period, Mount A's defense collapsed very low in their zone, leaving the Huskies' defense unprotected at the points. Saint Mary's peppered shots on net, but Mounties goalie Bianca Zak (Stonewall, MB) was solid, stopping 15 of the Huskies' 16 shots as the period ended 1-0. The Mounties had six shots on net in the first period.

In the second period, Saint Mary's worked the cycle, continuing to get lots of zone time. On the power play halfway through the period, Shae Demale (Calgary, AB) took a shot from the point. The rebound went to Brooke Murphy (Balla Philip, NB) on the far side of the net. She had a wide-open net and took a minute to be sure of her aim before putting the puck in. Keeping also assisted on the goal.

Some undisciplined play by the Huskies saw the Mounties go on the man advantage several more times. Struggling on their zone entries, they were once scoreless.

Shots in the second period went 15-5 in favor of Saint Mary's, as they went into the third period with a two-goal lead.

In the third period, the Huskies turned up the intensity, hemming the Mounties in their zone for nearly the entire time. They held Mount Allison to only one shot, while putting 20 on net the other way. With Zac keeping the game close, it ended 2-0 for Saint Mary's.

The Subway Player of the Game, with the game winning goal, was the Huskies' Caleigh Meraw, while Bianca Zac (Stonewall, MB), who faced 51 shots in the game, and Brooke Murphy were honorable mentions.

The Huskies play next when they host the St. Thomas Tommies on February 2nd, while the Mounties are visited by the UPEI Panthers on Sunday.

Sarah Moore, SMU Communications

Photo Nick Pearce