Team BC won a close 3-2 game against Ontario Blue in overtime to reach the Semifinals of the 2015 U18 Women’s National Championship.

 

Leona Sim (North Vancouver, BC) opened the scoring for BC, scoring on a quick shot from the high slot to give Team BC a 1-0 lead seven (7) minutes into the game.

 

Ontario Blue answered before the period ended, with Coralie Larose getting a deflection past Alex Gulstene (North Vancouver, BC).

 

With the game tied at 1-1 into the second period, Sim again gave Team BC the lead, scoring another power play goal to close the period with a 2-1 lead.

 

BC looked to hold on to their lead, but Ontario Blue’s Meaghan Hector scored on a power play halfway through the third period to tie the game at two (2). Both teams searched for a goal late in the period, but had to settle for overtime.

 

Ontario Blue was on their heels to start overtime, due to Avery Mitchell taking a body checking penalty with just seven (7) seconds left in the third period. Team BC looked to take advantage of the power play, and Kirsten Martin (Rosedale, BC) scored 53 seconds into the extra frame to get the 3-2 win.

 

Martin was awarded Player of the Game honours for her overtime heroics. Shay-Lee McConnell (Port Alberni, BC) picked up two (2) assists in the win, while Amy Potomak (Aldergrove, BC) and Abby Cook (Kelowna, BC) also contributed assists.

 

Team BC went 3/6 on the power play, and held Ontario Blue to 1/5. Gulstene recorded 23 saves in the win, while her Ontario Blue counterpart Carmen Lasis saved 28 of 31 shots.

 

With the win, Team BC finishes second in Group “B”, advancing to the Semifinals. They will face the winners of Group “A” at 4:30PM Pacific Time on Saturday, November 7, 2015. Follow along on Twitter at @BCHockey_Female, or using the BC Hockey mobile app on Apple or Android devices. All games will also be available online through Hockey Canada’s tournament website.

 

For more information on the 2015 National Women’s Under-18 Championship, please visit www.hockeycanada.ca/nwu18c and follow along via social media at www.facebook.com/womensu18 and www.twitter.com/hc_nwu18.

 

BC Hockey’s Female High Performance Program was established to identify and train athletes and team personnel for possible participation at Provincial, National and International events. For more information about BC Hockey, please visit the BC Hockey website at www.bchockey.net or email info@bchockey.net.