Tommies defeat Huskies 3-2 in shootout

HALIFAX, NS - The St. Thomas Tommies defeated the Saint Mary's Huskies 3-2 in a shootout on Saturday afternoon, in an action-packed game that was part of Huskies homecoming weekend.

The first few minutes of the first period saw both teams looking to take control of the game. It was Tommies Lauren Smith (Truro, NS) who would score first, as she stripped the puck off a Huskies defender, sending her shot high over the glove of Huskies netminder Sophie Scully (Ottawa, ON) to take the lead 1-0.

A few minutes later, Huskies defender Maddy McCleary (Swift Current, SK) caused a turnover that was picked up by Huskies forward Jillian Duggan (Halifax, NS), who sent a hard backhand shot onto the Tommies net, but Katie Sweeney (Tecumseh, ON) made a pad save to keep the game 1-0.

With under five minutes left in the period, on a faceoff in the Tommies zone, Huskies forward Kara MacLean (Antigonish, NS) won the faceoff back to McCleary, who fired a slap shot from the point over Sweeney's shoulder to tie the game at 1-1.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

Maddy McCleary scores the one-timer off the faceoff, tying the game at 1-1 in the first period.

�� M. McCleary (1)
�� J. Duggan
�� K. MacLean pic.twitter.com/A0mTjyhe86

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) October 14, 2023

As the first period came to a close, both teams were pouring on the pressure, but neither team would take the lead as they headed into the first intermission tied 1-1 with seven shots each.

In the first few minutes of play of the second period, Tommies forward Ekaterina Pelowich (Stouffville, ON) looked to give her team the lead on a breakaway opportunity, but Huskies netminder Scully was there to make the save.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

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Sophie Scully continues her outstanding play, saving a breakaway off the face mask to keep the game tied at 1-1. pic.twitter.com/J6rMD1Dpyz

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) October 14, 2023

The Huskies kept pressuring, with forward Keyara Nelson (Belleville, ON) walking across the Tommies goal and making a pass to Duggan, who fired a one-timer into the chest of Tommies goalie Sweeney.

Midway through the second period, the Huskies ramped up the pressure on the Tommies with a flurry of chances. The Tommies would answer with a series of breakaways by Pelowich and Natalie Mackay (Salmon River, NS), however, Scully stayed steady, denying the Tommies chances and keeping the game tied 1-1.

In the final minutes of the second period, the Huskies would head onto the powerplay. With two seconds left in the period, Huskies forward Kara MacLean sent the puck into the slot where, after a scramble, Miranda Hatt (Regina, SK) would find the back of the net, giving the Huskies the lead 2-1.

HUSKIES HIGHLIGHTS ��

Miranda Hatt beats the buzzer, giving the Huskies a 2-1 lead heading into the second intermission!

�� M. Hatt (1)
�� A. Barter
�� K. MacLean pic.twitter.com/EaUTroHQPQ

— Saint Mary's Huskies (@SMUHuskies) October 14, 2023

The Huskies took the 2-1 lead into the second intermission, with both teams having recorded 17 shots.

The Huskies came out strong in the initial minutes of the third period, controlling the play in the Tommies zone and throwing pucks onto the net, looking to solidify their lead.

As the minutes wound down to the halfway mark of the third period, Gillian Lapierre (Port Coquitlam, BC), led the Huskies offense into the Tommies zone, made a cross-ice pass to Duggan in the slot, who put it on the net, but Sweeney made the blocker save.

With 11 minutes left in the third period, the Huskies went onto the penalty kill. The Tommies poured on the pressure, and off of scrum in front of the net, Tommies forward Laura Brown (Scarborough, ON) put the puck in the back of the net to tie the game 2-2.

Minutes later, the Huskies went onto the powerplay, looking to find the go-ahead goal, Huskies defense Maddy Corbett (Sydney, NS) would make a cross-zone pass to Charlotte Buffie (Winnipeg, MB) down low, who, looking to score, was denied by the glove of Sweeney.  

With under three minutes left in the third period, the Huskies went on to their second penalty kill. Huskies netminder Scully faced an onslaught of shots and traffic, but the Huskies defense would successfully kill off the penalty.

As the buzzer went in the third period with the game tied 2-2, the teams headed into a five-minute three-on-three overtime period.

The first few minutes of overtime saw both teams trade excellent opportunities, with Tommies forward Amy Dvnerichuk (Regina, SK) picking off a pass in the Huskies zone, but Huskies goalie Scully continued her rock-solid performance to keep the game tied.

With neither team capitalizing on opportunities in overtime, the teams headed into a shootout.

Huskies forward Kara Maclean went first and was able to tuck it behind Sweeney's pad for the goal. Tommies forward Nadia Lavoie looked to respond but was denied by Scully.

Miranda Hatt had a chance to win it for the Huskies, but was denied by Sweeney, and Scully followed it up by making a great save on Trinity Webber (Brampton, ON).

That would bring up Charlotte Buffie, who had a chance to win it in a shootout for the second straight game, but was denied by Sweeney. 

Tommies first year forward Lauren Smith scored on her chance, while Huskies fifth shooter Avery Cant was denied.

The Tommies went right back to Lauren Smith, and once again she made no mistake, firing it past Scully to solidify the visitor's victory.

Tommies forward Lauren Smith was named Player of the Game, scoring a goal and the shootout winner on the afternoon.

Sophie Scully was solid in goal for the Huskies, making 26 saves, while Katie Sweeney was excellent in goal for the Tommies, stopping 25 shots for the overtime win.

The Tommies win gives them a 2-1-0-0 record on the season. St. Thomas will be back in action Saturday night as they host the Dalhousie Tigers in Fredericton, NB.

The Huskies loss drops their record to 2-0-0-1 on the season. Saint Mary's will be back in action next Saturday night as they visit the UNB REDS in Fredericton, NB.

Recap by Alyson Duffy / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics
Photos by Eduardo Ibarra / Saint Mary's Huskies Athletics