Bellavance strikes in shootout, Trojans shade Queens

Red Deer, AB - In a game where sixty minutes of regulation time and two overtime periods couldn't solve a winner, the SAIT Trojans shaded the Red Deer College Queens 2-1 in a shootout at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. 

The game was highlighted by strong defensive play and solid goaltending. After 40 minutes, both Karlee Fetch and Elisha Oswald were unbeatable. Queens' goaltender Fetch stopped 13 shots and Trojans' netminder Elisha Oswald stopped 16 over two periods. 

When it looked like the scoreless game could go to overtime, Sydnee Decorby beat Oswald to give the Queens a 1-0 edge with 5:07 remaining. Jenessa Fournier and Catherine Longchamps had the helpers. As time was ticking down, Oswald went to the bench for an extra Trojans' skater and Karmen Mooney found the back of the net to knot the contest 1-1 with 21 seconds left. 

"We wanted to keep pucks to the outside but SAIT did a good job of driving those pucks in," says Queens Head Coach Kelly Coulter. "We wanted to execute better on that but credit to SAIT - they were able to tie it up late. It is something that we need to get better at."

Five minutes of four-on-four overtime and five minutes of three-on-three didn't produce a winner so the game headed to a shootout. 

After the first shooter, Kelsey Patterson, scored blocker side on Fetch, Queens' forward Jessi-Lynn Sumaling evened it up with a tally of her own. The first-year from Winnipeg went wide on Oswald and tucked it in low on the glove side. The next two shooters from each team were thwarted by the goaltenders. Then in round four, Scotia Bellavance of the Trojans scored which put pressure on the RDC shooter. Oswald turned the final shot aside and the SAIT Trojans picked up the road decision.

Catherine Longchamps was named the Queens Player-of-the-Game, with one assist and a strong defensive effort. Scotia Bellavance received the honour for the Trojans, scoring the shootout winner. 

Both groups of penalty killers were perfect. The RDC Queens stopped all five of the Trojans' advantages and SAIT halted all six of RDC's power plays. 

On Saturday in Calgary, the SAIT Trojans (4-11-0-0) will face-off against the third place RDC Queens (5-8-2-0) at 7:00 p.m.