No. 7 Saints Edge McGill 2-1 in Annual Exhibition Game

Photo by: 

Tara Freeman

Senior captain Tara Akstull scored the game-winning goal against McGill on Saturday.

Oct. 3: The No. 7 St. Lawrence University women's hockey team scored a 2-1 victory over McGill University in the teams' annual exhibition contest at Appleton Arena.  Senior captain Tara Akstull scored the game-winning goal, while three first-year students picked up assists in the victory.

St. Lawrence managed to outshoot McGill by a 27-21 margin despite finishing 0-for-5 on the power play.  The Martlets were 1-of-7 with the extra skater and earned 14 of their shots on the power play.

"It is certainly to our benefit to play a team of McGill's caliber early in the season," said St. Lawrence head coach Chris Wells.  "They were able to put us in game situations that will make us better as we get deeper into the season."

Neither team was able to get on the scoreboard in the opening period of Saturday's game, though St. Lawrence finished with an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal in the frame.  McGill goalie Taylor Salisbury stopped great bids by sophomore Alley Bero and first-year student Michelle Ng to keep the game scoreless through 20 minutes.  On the other end of the ice, senior goalie Maxie Weisz played for the first time since January 26, 2008 as she missed all of last year due to injury.  The Severna Park, MD native was sharp in her return, making four saves in the first period.

Both teams would make goaltending changes in the second period, as senior assistant captain Brittony Chartier took over to start the stanza while Andrea Weckman replaced Salisbury midway through the frame.  With McGill skating on a power play after Weckman entered the game, the Martlets turned the puck over to first-year student Brooke Fernandez at the home team's blueline.  Fernandez found classmate Kelly Sabatine, who fired a perfect pass right on Bero's tape at center ice and the Akwesasne, NY native did the rest.  Bero beat her defender in a foot-race then slipped the puck between Weckman's pads for a short-handed goal at 10:17 of the second period.  Both Sabatine and Fernandez earned assists on the play.

St. Lawrence would continue to produce offensive chances and extended their lead to 2-0 at 17:40 of the second when Akstull scored a goal with the two teams skating 4-on-4.  Fernandez again started the play for St. Lawrence, as her slap shot left a long rebound which Ng was able to control near in the slot.  The Milton, MA native poked the puck behind Weckman to Akstull, who was waiting by the far post to bury a shot and put her team ahead 2-0 after two periods.

The two teams played a very even third period that saw McGill outshoot St. Lawrence 9-8.  The Martlets had four power play chances in the final stanza and finally capitalized on one at 14:35 of the third.  Lisa Zane's slap shot from Chartier's right deflected over the goalie's glove to a waiting Vanessa Davidson, who finished the play to cut the Martlets' deficit in half at 2-1.

Though McGill would go right back on the power play only 17 seconds after scoring its first goal, the Saints' penalty killing unit and Chartier would buckle down and keep their one goal lead intact.  Despite pulling Weckman for the extra attacker, the visitors were unable to earn the tying goal as St. Lawrence escaped the exhibition tilt with a 2-1 victory.

Chartier finished with a game-high 16 saves, while Weckman made 11 stops and Salisbury 14 for McGill. 

The Saints may be without junior standout Karell Emard when they open the 2009-10 regular season at Appleton Arena.  The forward left Saturday's game only four minutes into the first period with an injury and her status is uncertain for next weekend.

The Scarlet and Brown will open with the University of Connecticut on Friday, October 9.  The puck is set to drop at 7:00pm.