(HALIFAX, NS) The Saint Mary's Huskies extended their perfect season with a 3-1 win over the visiting University of New Brunswick Reds in AUS women's hockey action on Friday.
While the opening minutes were full of missed passes and turnovers, the Huskies quickly tightened their game to control zone entries and opened the scoring eight minutes in.
Laura Howarth (Grand Falls-Windsor, NL) picked up a chip from Eve Leblanc (Petit-Rocher, NB) just outside the defensive zone and rushed down the left wing before putting a shot high blocker side on goalie Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC).
On a five on three power play, the Reds evened the score 1-1 with a low shot from Jenna MacLean (Wilcox, SK) in the high slot. It was tipped by both Sage McElroy-Scott (Morden, MB) and finally Frederike Cyr (Candiac, QC) before going five-hole on goalie Rebecca Clark (Keswick, ON).
Late in the period, Saint Mary's scored twice in quick succession. First, it was Brooke Murphy (Balla Philip, NB). Less than a minute later, Kaitlin Howarth (Thunder Bay, ON) won a puck battle down low and walked in front of the net. With lots of time to pick a spot, Howarth wired a shot high blocker side to put the Huskies up 3-1.
A series of penalties late in the second period slowed an otherwise fast paced game.
In the third period, UNB had several chances. Lillian George (Garden Village, ON) snuck behind the Huskies' defence, but pushed the net off its bearings before the puck crossed the line.
With eight minutes remaining, Cyr wrapped around the net and passed to Ashley Stratton (Mount Pearl, NL), but Clark made a nice save on the latter's shot. With four minutes left, Hannah Green (Richmond, BC) drove to the net and the rebound from her shot went high and bounced in front of the Huskies' wide-open net, but the Reds couldn't corral it.
UNB pulled Woodland for the final minutes of the game, but still couldn't find the back of the net with the extra attacker, and the home team came away with a 3-1 victory.
Kaitlin Howarth from Saint Mary's was named the Subway Player of the Game
The Huskies are now 5-0 on the season, while the Reds fall to 3-2-0.
Up next, the Huskies host St. Thomas Saturday and UNB travels to Antigonish to play the X-Women.
RECAP BY: Sarah Moore/for SMU Communications
PHOTOS BY: Mona Ghiz/for SMU Communications