(FREDERICTON, NB) In a tense battle of the hill Saturday night, the UNB REDS suffered a shootout loss to the St. Thomas Tommies, 1-0, at the Grant-Harvey Centre.
Lauren Smith and Claire Nimegeers scored in the shootout for the Tommies, while Katie Sweeney turned aside all 24 shots she faced and stopped both UNB shootout attempts, securing her fourth shutout of the season.
Cassie McCallum (Rothesay, NB) made 22 saves in the loss for the REDS.
The game kicked off with a lot of intensity from both sides.
Despite some late chances, including a close call from Marisa Valla (St. Catharines, ON) hitting the post with just 2 seconds remaining, the first period ended with a scoreless tie.
The second period saw both teams ramping up the intensity, with back-and-forth action and numerous scoring opportunities.
Ella Chambers came close to breaking the deadlock for the Tommies, but a stellar save from McCallum kept the game at 0-0 heading into the final frame.
As the third period unfolded, both teams pressed for the game-winning goal.
Tommies captain Ekaterina Pelowich had a prime scoring chance late in the period, but McCallum came up big once again with a crucial save to keep UNB in the game.
With regulation time ending in a scoreless stalemate, the teams headed into overtime in search of a victor.
Despite a spirited overtime period, neither team could find the back of the net, leading to a shootout to decide the winner.
Smith scored first for the Tommies, while UNB's Katelyn Scott (Almonte, ON) and Payton Hargreaves (Whitby, ON) failed to convert their chances.
Although Tommies captain Ekaterina Pelowich missed her shot, Nimegeers stepped up to seal the deal for the Tommies and their first victory against UNB this season.
With the win, the Tommies capped off their season on a high note, finishing in 4th place in the Atlantic University Sport standings and earning home-ice advantage in the playoffs against the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues.
Meanwhile, UNB will wrap up regular season play on Tuesday when they host STFX with first place in the AUS standings on the line. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00pm
RECAP BY: Martin Carvajal/STU Athletics
PHOTOS BY: SRM Photography/for STU Athletics