Gees women’s hockey loses in shootout. Ninth-ranked squad falls just short of upsetting #2 Carabins
The Gee-Gees women’s hockey team was two minutes from victory over the second-ranked Université de Montreal Carabins, that was until they squandered a chance to begin the new year on a two-game win streak.
Riding a 5-4 victory at Concordia on Jan. 10, the Gee-Gees returned to Montreal on Sunday to face off against the Carabins in a game that began slowly with no scoring in its first two periods.
Despite the scoreless opening two periods, the high-powered Carabins dominated the shot column 28-11 over the Gee-Gees. As they so often have, the Gees depended on the outstanding play of their goaltender, Marie Lévesque-Ryan to keep them competitive.
The third period began and Montreal’s mounting scoring chances finally materialized—and quickly—as they broke the scoreless standstill with a go-ahead goal by Catherine Dubois in the period’s opening minute.
The offensive woes that plagued the Gees for most of the game continued into the third, as they failed again to generate many scoring chances, only producing five shots on goal throughout the final period.
However, they made each shot count, to say the least, scoring twice in the frame—on the power play by Roxanne Rioux and then by Melodie Bouchard at even strength to take the 2-1 lead with three minutes remaining in regulation.
An upset victory in sight, the Gees desperately attempted to ward off the Carabins’ last-ditch scoring efforts, but Montreal’s Dubois would again prove to be a thorn in Ottawa’s side, beating Lévesque-Ryan with her second goal to tie it up with 1:42 remaining.
Tied at 2-2 the teams headed to overtime, which resulted in another scoreless period of play. This game—unsurprisingly—would have to be resolved in a shootout.
Dubois continued to frustrate the Gee-Gee cause, contributing one of the Carabins’ two scores against Ottawa’s one in the shootout. Montreal would claim the 3-2 victory over Ottawa.
The fourth-place Gee-Gees return home on Jan. 23 looking to shake off the heartbreaking loss, and prepare for a pivotal matchup against third-place McGill with a great opportunity to advance in the standings.
