Ooks eke out shootout win in Olds

OLDS, AB (Jan. 12, 2023) - Darby Robertson was the difference maker in the fourth round of a shootout, giving the NAIT Ooks a 1-0 win over the Olds College Broncos at the Town of Olds Sportsplex on Thursday.

The goaltenders got their just due postgame, as NAIT's Kaitlyn Slator (22 saves) and Olds College's Cienna Kinghorn (34 saves) were named their team's respective Players of the Game.

The opening period was fairly even on both sides, with the Broncos (2-4-3) holding a 9-8 edge in shots.

The ice gradually started to tilt toward NAIT (7-1-0) early in the second period as they took a 21-15 edge in shots through 40 minutes, though the best chance of the period came from Olds College's Hailey Hoogkamp, who hit the post on a partial breakaway.

NAIT continued to apply pressure and control the flow of the game in the third period, but the Broncos withstood the attack, which included getting out of a brief 5-on-3 unscathed as 60 minutes solved nothing.

Late in the opening overtime, ACAC leading scorer Michaella Kibblewhite found herself with an open lane to get to Kinghorn, only to have the puck taken off her stick in the slot to produce yet another stalemate.

The Broncos had the best chance of the second overtime while withstanding a 5-on-3 of 1:46, as Jesse Jack found sister Sydney Jack with a cross-ice pass, but Sydney Jack couldn't quite get the puck on target.

Cheyanna Harden set the table with a goal to open the shootout for the Ooks, with Slator stepping up to consolidate the early one-goal edge. However, Kinghorn immediately stepped up in her own net to stop Kibblewhite. Ali Macaulay then scored to draw the Broncos level before Kinghorn stared down Bre Martin's potential game-winning attempt. From there, an Avery Kendall miss set the stage for Robertson, who beat Kinghorn five-hole to secure the extra point for NAIT.

NAIT and Olds College will complete the home-and-home in Edmonton tomorrow night, with puck drop set for 7 p.m.