Women’s Hockey Back in Action

Lady Bees Let Exhibition Go in Shootout

SportsLaura Beeston — Published January 4, 2011

Skating off the holiday cobwebs, the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team faced the Queen’s University Gaels last night in exhibition play at Ed Meagher Arena, losing narrowly in a shootout after three tough periods and a five-minute overtime.

“It was more a get-back-in-shape game than anything else, so no matter how it went on the ice, it’s just good that we got out there before our [league] game this weekend. I mean, you can practice all you want, but you need a game to get that feeling back,” said right-winger Keely Covo.

Covo gave her team a 1-0 lead with five minutes remaining in the first period. The Stinger forward skated into the slot and tipped a pass from Concordia centre Catherine Rancourt between goaltender Karissa Savage’s pads.

The Gaels struck back when Queens’ left wing Megan McHaffie scored the equalizer with just two minutes left in the period.

Each team took to the ice with increased intensity as the game wore on. Almost immediately, Queen’s came back strong in the second, breaking the tie in the period’s opening minute. Gaels’ assistant captain Kelsey Thomson worked around three Stingers rearguards, collecting a pass from right wing Brittany McHaffie—twin sister of Megan—and roofing a shot.

Seventeen minutes later, the Stingers responded with a top shelf goal of their own, as left winger Emilie Bocchia connected on a dish from Stinger centre Moira Frier and tied it up 2-2 heading into the final period.

“It was more a get-back-in-shape game than anything else,”

—Keely Covo
Stingers Right Winger

Showing off an undeniable hustle in their first game in nearly a month, the Stingers’ crisp passing and movement along the boards kept the game neck-and-neck and the spectators on the edge of their seats with many close calls. The Lady Bees failed to capitalize, however, and found the net only once on their nine power play opportunities—including eight through the last two periods.

Stingers goaltender Audrey Doyon-Lessard delivered a solid performance in stopping all but two of the shots she faced, but after a no-score, five-minute overtime, the game was finally decided by Gaels’ centre Becky Conroy during the shootout, spoiling her strong effort.

“We didn’t do a lot of good things out there today, but I know that we’re going to get some good work done this week and get ready to play when we get back into the league this weekend,” said head coach Les Lawton after the match.

“It’s going to be a tough go of it [for the rest of the season], as all the teams are really tight. I don’t know if we have any [New Years] resolutions, but there’s some hope that we can work hard enough and make the step forward for our program this year.”

The next women’s hockey game takes place on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 2:30 p.m. versus McGill in their first league game of the semester.

This article originally appeared in Volume 31, Issue 17, published January 4, 2011.