March 6, 2016

Kirkham scores in triple overtime to send Western to McCaw Cup final

LONDON, Ont. – Lyndsay Kirkham's triple overtime winner may not have been her first post-season goal in a Mustangs uniform, but it was definitely the biggest.

Western

Nipissing

Final

Western

Nipissing

LONDON, Ont. – Lyndsay Kirkham's triple overtime winner may not have been her first post-season goal in a Mustangs uniform, but it was definitely the biggest.

Her marker at 12:25 of the third overtime period gave Western a 1-0 win in game three of their OUA Semi-Final, helping the Mustangs take the series 2-1 over the Nipissing Lakers.

The win not only sends the Mustangs to their second consecutive McCaw Cup final, but also secures the defending national champions a spot in the CIS Women's Hockey Championship.

The Lindenwood University transfer ended the marathon contest in spectacular fashion, taking a pass near centre before making a move around a Lakers defender and moving to the backhand to beat netminder Jacqueline Rochefort and send the Thompson Arena crowd to their feet.

"We caught them on a bad change," said Kirkham. "Katelyn [Gosling] had her head up and hit me with a good pass and I was home free."

"That was a beautiful goal, I don't think I've ever seen an overtime goal that nice," said Mustangs head coach David Barrett.

While Kirkham's goal may get the headlines, it was definitely a defensive battle on Sunday, with both netminders proving why they're two of the top keepers in the OUA. Kelly Campbell recorded her third shutout in five playoff games this season, turning aside 46 shots in the win. Rochefort was just as good in the Nipissing net, making 39 saves.

The game was a physical battle and featured a back and forth tempo that kept both teams engaged both offensively and defensively. The game truly showcased how even this playoff series matchup was.

Sunday's matchup opened up with a good pace as both teams transitioned well through the neutral zone, but neither were able convert their momentum into a goal. Despite a few chances, both sides were kept off the scoreboard after 20 minutes.

The second period also saw both teams intent on building from the back out. It limited offensive chances but the long change allowed both teams several odd man rushes through quick stretch passes up the ice. The shots in the second period were 7-5 for Western.

With the scoreboard still set at zero both teams pressed for the game winner in the final 20 minutes of regulation. The Lakers fired 10 shots at Campbell, although none were able to beat the 2015 All-Canadian, while none of the six shots sent towards the Nipissing net got past Rochefort.

Overtime was more of the same, with neither team able to dominate the play while both netminders were able to shut down any scoring chances generated by their opposition.

The game persisted until just past the 12-minute mark of the third overtime period, when Kirkham was able to end the deadlock.

After taking a long pass from Gosling, Kirkham slipped a toe drag past her defender, juked left and tapped a backhand behind Rochefort. The puck fell on the goal line, and Kirkham swatted at it again as she went by to ensure the puck crossed the line.

"We stayed pretty loose," said Kirkham about her team's approach to the long game, "We knew at the end of the day that we were going to get one. "

Next up for the Mustangs is a showdown with the Guelph Gryphons for the McCaw Cup on Saturday afternoon. It's the second consecutive year that the two sides will battle for the provincial title, with the Mustangs taking last year's edition by a 2-0 score.

Game time for the OUA title game is set for 2 p.m. at the Gryphon Centre in Guelph. Fans can catch all the action live on OUA.tv