Rookie Davidson nets dividends as No.1-ranked hockey Martlets trump No.3 Carabins
MONTREAL – Freshman Gabrielle Davidson of Pte. Claire, Que., tallied twice and Logan Murray of Calgary collected four assists as No.1-ranked McGill edged the No.3-Montreal Carabins 4-3 in a match-up of two of the nation's top women's hockey teams at McConnell Arena, Friday.
It was McGill's first league game since Nov. 30 and the result extended their win streak to an even dozen in regular-season play as the Martlets improved to 12-0 and remained the only undefeated team in the CIS. More importantly, they moved into sole position of first-place in the RSEQ conference, two points ahead of the Carabins, who fell to 11-3-0
Davidson converted a pass from Murray and struck for a shorthanded goal at 5:02 of the first period. She also gave the Martlets a 2-1 lead midway through the middle stanza, only 70 seconds after Montreal native Maude Gelinas had tied the score for the Carabins.
Melodie Daoust of Valleyfield, Que., then struck for her CIS-leading 15th marker, on the power-play, at 15:27, to put the Martlets ahead 3-1 after two. The 5-foot-6 sophomore also leads the nation in points with 36 in only 12 contests
Undaunted, the Carabins bounced back early in the third period, when Demmie Charlebois, a rookie from Longueuil, Que., connected at 1:35, But, as they have done so many times this season, the Martlets dampened the comeback when Katia Clement-Heydra of St. Bruno, Que., made it 4-2 with what proved to be the game-winner, her 11th goal of the season at 3:19.
Montreal refused to fold, however, as Kim Deschenes of St. Quentin, N.B., scored unassisted with her 11th goal at 11:43 to make it a one-goal game and nail-biting time for both side.
The Martlets had a 30-27 edge in shots, despite a 15-10 disadvantage in the final frame. They went 1-for-4 on the power-play and killed off all three shorthanded situations.
McGill netminder Taylor Salisbury of Surrey, B.C., held down the fort with 13 saves in the final stanza to finish with 24 in the contest and improve her unblemished record to 9-0. She leads the league in wins, shutouts (3), goals-against average (1.33) and save percentage (.938).
Carabins goalie Elodie Rousseau-Sirois made 26 saves a took the loss, dropping to 7-3.
McGill will host third-place Ottawa (3-6-3) on Saturday at 3 p.m., and a victory will clinch a playoff berth for the 17th consecutive season. The Carabins play host to Concordia (2-10-1) on Sunday at 2 p.m.
MARTLET MURMURS: McGill improved to 24-1-0 lifetime against the Carabins… Clement-Heydra finished the game with three points and now has an 11-16-27 record in 12 contests… Sniper Leslie Oles was kept off the scoresheet for the first time this season, ending her point-scoring streak at nine games and her goal-scoring streak at four. She ranks second among conference points leaders and sixth in the nation with a 15-12-27 record in 19 games…Team captain Darragh Hamilton was back in the lineup for the second straight outing (including last week's exhibition win over Connecticut) after missing a half-dozen non-conference affairs over the holiday break with a leg injury.
SCORING SUMMARY
Montreal 3 at McGill 4
(Friday, January 18, 2013 - McConnell Arena @ McGill)
GOALS BY PERIOD:
Montreal 0 1 2 - 3
McGill 1 2 1 - 4
1st Period-
1, McGill, Gabrielle Davidson 8 (Murray), 5:02 (SH).
Penalties-Daoust Mcg (bodychecking), 3:12; Legault Mtl (hooking), 7:57; Aubert-Lehoux Mtl (holding), 8:42; Ton-That Mcg (interference), 15:18.
2nd Period-
2, Montreal, Maude Gelinas 3 7:46.
3, McGill, Gabrielle Davidson 9 (Clement-Heydra, Murray), 8:56.
4, McGill, Melodie Daoust 15 (Clement-Heydra, Murray), 15:27 (PP).
Penalties-Barker Mtl (tripping), 4:04; Mantha Mtl (interference), 14:13.
3rd Period-
5, Montreal, Demmie Charlebois 4 (Baudrit, Mantha), 1:35.
6, McGill, Katia Clement-Heydra 11 (Murray), 3:19.
7, Montreal, Kim Deschenes 11 11:43.
Penalties-Moffatt Mcg (tripping), 9:34.
Shots on Goal-
Montreal 5-7-15-27.
McGill 11-9-10-30.
Power Play Opportunities-
Montreal 0 / 3;
McGill 1 / 4.
Goalies-
Montreal, Elodie Rousseau-Sirois (L, 7-3-0; 30 shots-26 saves, 59:07).
McGill, Taylor Salisbury (W, 9-0-0, 27 shots-24 saves, 60:00).
Attendance: 118
Start: 7:00 PM
End: 8:58 PM
Length: 1:58
Referees-Melanie Bordeleau.
Linesmen-Vanessa Morin, Johanna Tauriainen.
THREE STARS:
1. MCG - 15 Gabrielle Davidson
2. MCG - 16 Logan Murray
3. MCG - 19 Katia Clement-Heydra
