Martin's two goals leads Ooks to road win in game 1.

The Lakeland College Apex Automation Rustlers and NAIT Ooks faced off in game 1 of the best-of-five ACAC league final at the Russ Robertson Arena. Both teams were coming off best of three semi-final wins that went the distance to a deciding game three. The Ooks would draw first blood in the series with a 3-1 road victory. 

The first period had both teams create quality scoring chances early on Kaitlyn Slator for the Ooks and Mackenzie Dojahn for the Rustlers. The Rustlers would take a penalty at the 2:26 mark as Ella Wingert was called for a tripping minor. The Ooks would capitalize on the advantage just three seconds into the power play as Bre Martin would capitalize in front of Dojahn. Assist would go to Halle Graham to give the Ooks a 1-0 lead. The Ooks would double their lead eight minutes later at 10:53 of the first period. Michaella Kibblewhite would capitalize on a rebound to beat Dojahn for a 2-0 lead. The Rustlers would take two more penalties in the period to Kaylee Hill and Hailey Carothers. Carothers' penalty would be called with 0:45 left in the period as the Ooks would start the period with a power play in the second period. The Ooks would outshoot 12-6 in the first period.

The second period was a more open pace for both teams. The Ooks would capitalize on the Carothers penalty from late in period one. Bre Martin would capitalize from the high slot to increase the lead to 3-0. Assists would go to Cassidy Shandro and Halle Graham. The Rustlers would get two power play opportunities in the second period but were unable to cash in. The Ooks had one power play opportunity in the second period. Shots on goal were 9-8 for Lakeland and 20-15 for NAIT over the two periods of play.

The third period saw an early penalty to Hannah Prinsen assessed and the Rustlers cut the lead to two goals. Darby Robertson would get the first Rustlers goal of the game, and assists would go to Keyra Buziak and Alyssa Shaw. This goal would come at the 2:10 mark of the third period to make the lead 3-1. The Rustlers would take a penalty with 7:08 left that they would kill off to gain some momentum in the third period. The Ooks would take a minor penalty from Grace Morton with 4:06 left but the Rustlers were not able to cut the lead to one. Final shots on goal were 30-28 for NAIT in the game as the Rustlers outshot the Ooks 13-10 in the period. Players of the game were given to Keyra Buziak for Lakeland and Bre Martin for NAIT. Game two of the best-of-five series goes on Saturday, March 9th at 6:00 pm in Edmonton.