Gagnon, Birkby, Aubin, Gareau and Reedman all score in Gees win
After a brilliant 3-2 win against the McGill Martlets, the University of Ottawa’s women’s hockey team was back on the ice to play against the Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec’s (RSEQ) last-place team, the Bishop’s Gaiters.
The Gee-Gees had beaten this opponent earlier this season by a score of 5-2 in Lennoxville, QC.
The Garnet and Grey imposed their momentum out of the gate on Friday night when rookie Arianne Gagnon scored her second goal of the season only 16 seconds into the game. Alice Filion and Kiah Vail were credited with the assists.
‘’I think that we were ready for this game and [that] quick goal right at the beginning of the game was helped us impose our momentum,” said Gagnon, after the match.
The Gees were quick to add on to their lead, 39 seconds later, forward Katherine Birkby jumped on a loose puck that Gaiters goaltender Charley Wing believed she had frozen and shot it directly into the back of Bishop’s net to give Ottawa a 2-0 lead.
In the second period, Ottawa head coach Chelsea Grills’ players continued to dominate the Gaiters with Arianne Aubin and Sophie Gareau both scoring a goal.
The Gaiters were able to cut down the Gees lead in half with a goal late in the second period and one early in the third period. But Gee-Gees rookie Kathleen Reedman cut the Gaters legs from under them when she scored a clutch powerplay goal with a little bit more than ten minutes left to go in the third period to give Ottawa a 5-2 lead.
According to Gee-Gees assistant coach Greg Bowles, his team was able to keep the momentum throughout the game.
“I thought that we came out, especially in the second period with a lot more tempo and a lot more pace and deserved, you know, the outcome that we got,” said Bowles, in his post-game interview.
Gaiters players, Jessica Bélanger and Angélique Paré each scored a goal.
The Garnet and Grey will look to avenge an early-season loss to the Carabins of the University of Montreal when they face them on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Minto Sports Complex.
