Woodland And Reds Shutout X-Women

(ANTIGONISH, NS) The visiting UNB Reds skated to a 2-0 victory over the St FX X-Women on Saturday evening in Antigonish.

The X-Women started with the majority of the play in the Reds zone, but Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC) kept X at bay before her teammates settled into the game.

Hanna Matchett (Nanton, AB) opened the scoring at the 7:54, with UNB's first shot on net.  Jenna MacLean (Wilcox, SK) picked up the puck behind Woodland and sent a pass to the stick of Tamina Kehler (Chilliwack, BC). Kehler made a good cross-ice pass to Matchett who fired a hard shot on net which handcuffed X netminder Cassidy McEwan (Lloydminster, AB).  The puck trickled over her shoulder and into the back of the net.

The X-Women had a great opportunity to tie the game at the start of the second period, with a short five-on-three advantage and then almost a full two-minute power-play.

St FX controlled the face-off and purposefully entered the zone. Lindsay Donovan (Miramachi, NB) made a nice pass to Tyra Meropoulis (Edson, AB), whose wrist shot was well saved by Woodland. X outshot the Reds 18-12 in the frame but Woodland stood tall.

Woodland was named the Subway Player of the Game.

Luck was not on St FX's side, as their quality play was not rewarded with a goal. The Reds added an insurance marker at 7:38 of the third period. X's attempted breakout was thwarted by a bad bounce off a station and the puck found itself on the stick of Amanda Desrochers (St Francis Xavier, MB) whose shot on net somehow trickled in. The two-goal lead was well-protected by the excellent Woodland in the UNB net.

The X-Women next face UPEI, on Sunday, in Charlottetown.

The Reds will travel to Moncton to face the Aigles-Bleues, next Friday evening.

RECAP BY: St FX Athletics

PHOTOS BY: Rachel Drummond/for St FX Athletics