Rams earn two important points in shootout win over Warriors

TORONTO - Kayla Karbonik's (St. Andrew's, Man.) classic shootout move led the Ryerson Rams (10-8-0) to their third win in a row Wednesday night against the Waterloo Warriors (8-6-4). 

The first year was first up in the shootout and made no mistake with the fake shot on Warriors goalie Rebecca Bouwhuis' blocker side, only to put the puck neatly past the netminder's left pad. 

Since Ryerson came into the game just one point below Waterloo in the standings, it was almost expected that the teams would be scoreless after two. With a shot count at 18-13 in favour of the Rams, and lots of opportunities at both ends of the ice, it had been anyone's game from the start.

"It felt like a chess match out there," said Rams head coach Lisa Haley. "There wasn't a lot of room for either team, so I wasn't surprised by the score."

To start off the third period, Warriors defenceman Kaitlyn McDonell, wide open in the slot, wristed her sixth goal of the season past Alex Armstrong's (Toronto) left shoulder. But Emma Rutherford (Kanata, Ont.) was quick to sneak her eighth of the season by Bouwhuis, with help from linemates Karbonik and Melissa Wronzberg (Thornhill, Ont.).

After a goalless overtime period, the Rams' second shootout in a row was needed. Karbonik would be the lone scorer.

"It was very nerve wracking," said the Manitoba-native on starting the shootout. "I didn't know [the goal] was going in but I knew the move, and it works pretty consistently."

Ryerson and Waterloo are now in a three-way tie with the York Lions for the seventh slot in the standings.

The Rams are set to host the Laurier Golden Hawks (10-4-3) on Friday Jan. 23 for a "Think Pink" fundraiser game in support of breast cancer awareness. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.