Canadiennes Hockey: Les Canadiennes Extinguish The Inferno

Three Quick Third Period Goals Vaults Montreal Into First Place

SportsJordan Stoopler — Published January 31, 2016 | Updated January 31, 2016 at 6:34pm

Montreal scored three goals within the first three minutes of the third period to break away from the Inferno and secure an important victory as part of the team’s sixth annual “Pink in the Rink” night in support of breast cancer awareness.

“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves tonight,” said Canadiennes head coach Dany Brunet. “We were a bit stressed after the second period and were holding our sticks tight. We told ourselves that we could do great things if we worked together and it ended up working out in our favor.”

The Canadiennes players wore pink jerseys during the first period, which were later auctioned off along with other memorabilia. 60 per cent of the proceeds from the game and the auction will be donated to the Wellness Initiative of the Cedars Breast Clinic at the McGill University Health Centre.

“The game meant a lot to me,” said Poulin. “There are so many amazing [breast cancer] survivors. We played for them tonight as a team.”

The Canadiennes were only up 1-0 before the goal-fest began in the third. Montreal’s Noemie Marin began with her second goal of the season 34 seconds into the final period. She took a pass from Caroline Ouellette and took a shot that trickled through the pads of Inferno goaltender Delayne Brian.

Marin was ecstatic about finally scoring in what has been a trying season for the forward.

“I was pretty happy when I scored,” said Marin. “Every game, I try to prepare the same way. I have gotten my chances but today the puck went in. I scored at the right time.”

Although the Inferno did get one back courtesy of Elana Lovell, the Canadiennes responded with two goals of their own. Ouellette scored her second goal of the game—she had scored on the power play to give her club a 1-0 lead in the second period—36 seconds later.

League scoring leader Marie-Philip Poulin also scored to increase her squad’s lead to 4-1. Calgary would answer back with a goal by Louise Warren late in the period but it was all too late for the Inferno, as Poulin all but ended the game with an empty net goal in the final minute of play.

“We were fired up tonight,” said Ouellette. “We were happy with how we were playing. I think overall, we played very well as a team and we moved the puck well. It enabled us to create some nice chances and score some nice goals.”

“[The Canadiennes] had their chances and they finished on them,” said the Calgary Inferno captain Brianne Jenner. “We had a lot of chances as well but were not able to find the back of the net. We did get the momentum back when we got those two goals in the third. In a game like that, where you have two great teams and good hockey, it just becomes a momentum kind of game.”

The victory catapults the Canadiennes into a tie for first place atop the league standings with Calgary, although the Inferno have played two more games than Montreal. With three games remaining between the two teams down the stretch, the battle for the top spot looms.

“We want to host the playoffs here at our rink,” said Ouellette. “The rankings have been so close with Calgary and Brampton. We have to take it game by game. The group is united and wants to finish first.”

From the Inferno perspective, captain Jenner said a rivalry is developing with Montreal as the season comes to a close.

“It’s definitely our goal [to finish first],” said Jenner. “These are really big games coming up. There are not too many games left in the season. Montreal has been a big challenge for us.”

Both teams will meet again on Sunday afternoon in Montreal at the Etienne Desmarteau Arena.