Queen’s suffers second straight overtime loss

Gaels will play for fifth place despite furious third-period charge

Calgary scored just 2:25 into Saturday's game
Image by: Terence Wong
Calgary scored just 2:25 into Saturday's game

TORONTO – A second straight overtime loss ended Queen’s push for a national medal.

The Gaels lost 5-4 to the Calgary Dinos at the CIS women’s hockey national championships, despite a furious third-period charge. Queen’s will play in the fifth-place game tomorrow at noon against the UBC Thunderbirds.

After trailing 4-1 with 11 minutes left in regulation, the Gaels stormed back to tie the game at 4-4, before a power play goal in overtime from Dinos forward Iya Gavrilova gave Calgary the win.

Goaltender Karissa Savage made 37 saves for Queen’s, one day after stopping 39 shots in a 2-1 loss to the St. FX X-Women.

Despite falling behind early, the Gaels kept battling for a win the entirety of the game, even when it looked out of reach.

“As long as there’s time in the clock and breath in their lungs, they stay to it and don’t quit,” said Gaels head coach Matt Holmberg. “I’m proud of the way they stayed positive.”

The Gaels were dominated by Calgary before the late comeback – the result of some uncharacteristically poor play.

Queen’s fell behind just 2:25 into the game, when Gavrilova netted her first of two goals.

Gaels centre Morgan McHaffie evened the score up three minutes later, but Calgary took over for the rest of the first and second periods.

Dinos forward Hayley Wickenheiser unleashed a shot from the point that was tipped past Savage to give Calgary a 2-1 lead after one period.

The Gaels struggled mightily in the second, finding themselves hemmed deep in their zone by the Dinos’ cycle play.

Calgary took advantage of Queen’s sloppy puck possession to score two goals in a span of 33 seconds, breaking open the game.

“Calgary’s a great team,” Holmberg said. “If you don’t make that first good D-to-D pass, or that pass up to the forward, they’ll make you pay for it.”

Gaels forward Courtenay Jacklin sparked the comeback run by scoring with just under 11 minutes left in the game. Five minutes later, McHaffie’s second tally brought Queen’s within one.

Forward Chantal Morais potted the equalizer with 12 seconds left and the Gaels’ net empty. The goal was Queen’s first power-play marker of the tournament.

Gavrilova broke the tie for good 2:37 into overtime, rifling a power play shot through Savage to end the game.

Calgary advanced to tomorrow’s gold medal game with the win, where they’ll play the Montreal Carabins. The Toronto Varsity Blues will face St. FX for bronze.

This story was updated at 10:47 p.m.

Tags

Dinos, Gaels, Holmberg, Wickenheiser, women's hockey

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