Gees overcome defensive mistakes, down Ravens with powerful offence
The Carleton Ravens women’s hockey team proved to be no match for the potent offensive attack of their cross-town rival Gee-Gees, in spite of the Gees’ multiple mistakes.
With the last place Ravens hosting the first place Gee-Gees fresh off a shutout victory over a top-ranked McGill team, expectations were anything but high for Carleton. Despite their hangups, the Ravens got off to a good start in the early goings on their home ice.
The Gee-Gees committed several defensive turnovers early, particularly one that led to a Carleton breakaway. Although the breakaway didn’t result in a goal, the Gee-Gees defence couldn’t clear the zone and the Ravens scored to take a 1-0 lead.
However, the strong start for the Ravens would be short-lived. The overpowering Gees produced two quick goals from sophomore forward Shanie Deschatelets and fourth-year forward Carol-Ann Upshall in the final two minutes of the period.
In the second period, the Gee-Gees got off to another slow start. The Ravens capitalized on two successive Ottawa penalties, giving Carleton the two-player advantage and an easy game-tying goal.
However the Gees rallied once more and went on to dominate the remainder of the period with relentless pressure. Vickie Lemire scored to give Ottawa a convincing 3-2 lead.
The Garnet and Grey women carried their momentum into the final period, effectively putting the game away with a two-on-one goal by Roxanne Rioux, pushing Ottawa’s lead to 4-2.
The Ravens managed to make things interesting in the last minute of the game with several desperation plays on the power-play, one of which led to a goal but it was too late.
While the Gee-Gees should be relieved with their victory, they committed frequent turnovers and took too many penalties. In the end it wasn’t a picture perfect win, but a win nonetheless.
The next night, the Gees had an impressive showing against the newly top-ranked Montréal Carabins.
For the majority of the game, the Gee-Gees hung with the powerful Carabins. Through the second period it was knotted at 1-1 until Montréal lit up the scoreboard in the third period taking a 4-1 win.
The Gees are back in action on Nov. 15 where they look to exact revenge on the Carabins before traveling to Montréal the next night to take on Concordia.
