AROUND OUA: Gaels stay undefeated in Napanee with OT school day game victory

SCOREBOARD

Brock 1 @ Queen's 2

York 0 @ Nipissing 3

Gaels stay undefeated in Napanee with OT school day game victory

GAME FLOW
In the opening period the Badgers picked up the early pressure testing Queen's goaltender Stephanie Pascal (Sudbury, Ont.) but she was able to hold her ground and keep the game scoreless. The Gaels found themselves in penalty trouble in the first and after killing off one attempt Queen's was able to strike while shorthanded. 
 
In a bizarre play forward Nadia Larocca (Mississauga, Ont.) was able to pick off a bad pass from Brock between their defence. Larocca broke in all alone and fired a shot above the crossbar. The puck hit the glass behind the net and popped out to the front of the net on the other side and Larocca was able to tap the puck into an open net.

The Badgers closed out the period with a penalty of their own but Queen's was unable to connect. The Gaels entered the second with a 1-0 lead.

In the second period penalties continued to play a major role in the game. Brock continued to pus their rough style of play as they hoped to even the score at 1-1. The Badgers got called for three straight penalties before the Gaels got called for one of their own to negate a potential minute plus five-on-three opportunity. 

Brock goaltender Jensen Murphy stood tall between the pipes for the Badgers and turned aside all 14 Gaels shots sent her way in the second.

The Badgers were finally able to break through in the third period as Amanda Leradi scored at 7:02 to tie the game at 1-1. Leradi picked up the puck in the slot and fired a wrist-shot high above the shoulder of Pascal for the goal.

After neither team was able to score to go ahead, the game went to overtime. In the final stages of the 4-on-4 extra frame, the Gaels sent the Napanee school kids home happy. Addi Halladay (North Augusta, Ont.) passed the puck off to Katrina Manoukarakis (Scarborough, Ont.) who put on a stick-handling display as she weaved through a Badger defender. Her backhand shot went off the pad of Murphy and right onto the stick of Halladay who made no mistake to seal the win.

FINAL SAY
"Brock is a team that is battling for playoffs and played us tight so I'm happy to get the two points, would have liked three but happy for two. The support we got today was tremendous. We really appreciate the local school boards and students coming out to support us and we hope to see them again in March." - Matt Holmberg, Head Coach.

BY THE NUMBERS
5th - Gaels currently hold the 5th spot in the OUA standings
3 - Wins for the Gaels in the three games in Napanee so far this season
12 - Goals for Halladay on the season

UP NEXT
The Gaels will close out the OUA regular season tomorrow night at 7pm as they welcome the Western Mustangs to the Strathcona Paper Centre in Napanee.

Source: Queen's Gaels

Lakers tame Lions in home finale

If there was a better way to finish the home portion of the Nipissing Lakers women's hockey season, it would be tough to draw it up.

In their final weekend of play and their final home game of the regular season, the Lakers got a great team effort, a first career shutout from veteran goalie Micaela Stutzki and a big 3-0 win over the York Lions.

The Lakers scored a goal in the first, two in the second and locked things down in the third, cruising to their 17th victory of the season.

In the first, the Lakers found the back of the net with Laura McKenzie broke in alone and made no mistake, putting the home team up 1-0.

The goal, which was unassisted, turned out to be the winner.

In the second, Nipissing sealed the win with a pair of goals.

First, Hunter Mosher deflected a shot to make it 2-0 Lakers.

Mosher's goal keep her hot streak going as she now has goals in three straight and five points in her past six games.

Zosia Davis and Natalie Graham picked up helpers on the second Lakers goal.

Brooklyn Irwin capped off the scoring when she tipped in a point shot from Stacey Henshaw to make it 3-0 and put the game out of reach.

Irwin was all over the puck Friday, getting a tonne of chances, including a penalty shot and was finally rewarded with the goal.

From there, the Lakers clamped down and Stutzki made key saves when she needed to, earning the win and her first OUA shutout in the process.

Stutzki finished with 17 saves.

The Lakers will now head to Guelph for a showdown with the first place Gryphons.

Depending on how Guelph does Friday night, the game could determine top spot in the OUA.

Either way, the Lakers will finish first or second and will open the playoffs Wednesday.

Location, time and opponent will be finalized this weekend.

Source: Nipissing Lakers