The Concordia women’s hockey team played their first home game of the year on Sunday; in a contest that could have easily had a different outcome, the Stingers shutout the Universite du Quebec a Trois Rivieres Patriotes by a score of 2-0.
The Stingers looked strong at the start of the game, easily cruising through the neutral zone and facing little opposition bringing the puck into the UQTR zone, it was a similar case on the defensive end where UQTR had difficulty finding clear room to shoot at the net.
Two minutes after killing-off a high-sticking penalty, the Stingers found themselves on the power play as a UQTR player also went off for high-sticking. Forward Kendra Macdonald was the best player on the man-advantage for Concordia, getting a couple of clear shots in close but to no avail.
Eventually the Stingers’ hard work would pay-off as team co-captain Lisa-Marie Breton took a pass from first-year forward Dominique Rancour at the side of the net and lifted it over the pad of a sprawled-out goalie to give Concordia a 1-0 lead at the midway point of the period.
A penalty called at the end of the first period had the Stingers on the defensive heading into the second. While UQTR was able to get an early jump by pressing hard and keeping the puck in the Stingers’ end of the ice, they were still unable to get any quality shots on net.
From there the Stingers got back to controlling the offensive tempo of the game, taking advantage of a shaky UQTR defence. Forwards Leanne Martell, Marie-Claude Allard, and Michelle Fauteux all provided Concordia with near goals from close-range but were unable to finish their chances.
However, the momentum of the game shifted after Fauteux took a penalty with just over three minutes remaining in the period. Once again, UQTR pressed hard, this time coming within inches of scoring as a scramble in front of the Stinger net left the puck sitting close to an open right side before being cleared by centre Anik Gringon L’Anglais. Seconds later a Quebec forward busted in on a breakaway, leaving goalie Lori Posluns as the only thing standing in the way of a tie game. Posluns stood her ground by making what looked like a routine pad save, keeping Concordia in the lead at the end of the period.
UQTR continued to apply pressure at the beginning of the third period, looking destined to tie the game, if not more.
It didn’t last long though, as the Stingers finally got the insurance marker that they had been looking for when Breton scored her second goal of the game, this time on the power play.
After being set-up by defenseman and co-captain Suzanne Kaye, Breton blasted the shot from just inside the blue-line, leaving the goaltender little time to react and giving her team a 2-0 lead.
Despite the win, head coach Les Lawton was critical of the way his team played. “We looked out of sync today,” said Lawton, “we should have been able wear them down better in the third.”
Breton shared similar sentiments. “We could have done better out there.We have to do a better job of pressuring them.”
The Stingers looked strong at the start of the game, easily cruising through the neutral zone and facing little opposition bringing the puck into the UQTR zone, it was a similar case on the defensive end where UQTR had difficulty finding clear room to shoot at the net.
Two minutes after killing-off a high-sticking penalty, the Stingers found themselves on the power play as a UQTR player also went off for high-sticking. Forward Kendra Macdonald was the best player on the man-advantage for Concordia, getting a couple of clear shots in close but to no avail.
Eventually the Stingers’ hard work would pay-off as team co-captain Lisa-Marie Breton took a pass from first-year forward Dominique Rancour at the side of the net and lifted it over the pad of a sprawled-out goalie to give Concordia a 1-0 lead at the midway point of the period.
A penalty called at the end of the first period had the Stingers on the defensive heading into the second. While UQTR was able to get an early jump by pressing hard and keeping the puck in the Stingers’ end of the ice, they were still unable to get any quality shots on net.
From there the Stingers got back to controlling the offensive tempo of the game, taking advantage of a shaky UQTR defence. Forwards Leanne Martell, Marie-Claude Allard, and Michelle Fauteux all provided Concordia with near goals from close-range but were unable to finish their chances.
However, the momentum of the game shifted after Fauteux took a penalty with just over three minutes remaining in the period. Once again, UQTR pressed hard, this time coming within inches of scoring as a scramble in front of the Stinger net left the puck sitting close to an open right side before being cleared by centre Anik Gringon L’Anglais. Seconds later a Quebec forward busted in on a breakaway, leaving goalie Lori Posluns as the only thing standing in the way of a tie game. Posluns stood her ground by making what looked like a routine pad save, keeping Concordia in the lead at the end of the period.
UQTR continued to apply pressure at the beginning of the third period, looking destined to tie the game, if not more.
It didn’t last long though, as the Stingers finally got the insurance marker that they had been looking for when Breton scored her second goal of the game, this time on the power play.
After being set-up by defenseman and co-captain Suzanne Kaye, Breton blasted the shot from just inside the blue-line, leaving the goaltender little time to react and giving her team a 2-0 lead.
Despite the win, head coach Les Lawton was critical of the way his team played. “We looked out of sync today,” said Lawton, “we should have been able wear them down better in the third.”
Breton shared similar sentiments. “We could have done better out there.We have to do a better job of pressuring them.”
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