By Ben Macintosh
UPEI Woman’s hockey team (photo credits: Janessa Hogan)
The UPEI men’s and women’s teams both suffered some close loses during a busy weekend for Panthers hockey.
The men’s team played three games in four days while the women faced two top AUS teams in STFX on Friday and UNB Sunday.
On Sunday afternoon the women’s team played UNB at home, losing 1-0 in a close game for a good cause.
UPEI lead the shot count all afternoon, but just under five minutes into the third period UNB’s Sage McElroy-Scott scored on a rebound. McElroy-Scott was named the player of the game as UNB held on to win 1-0.
UNB is on a four-game winning streak and are just three points behind UPEI for third place in the AUS standings.
“Playoffs are coming up, so to beat a team like UPEI, who are in the top-3 is huge for us, we want to go into playoffs hot, just like we played today,†said McElroy-Scott after the game.
The Panthers could not find a way past UNB’s goalie Kendra Woodland. Woodland saved all 34 shots she faced to earn the shutout.
UPEI goalie Camille Scherger also played well, saving 23 out of the 24 shots she faced.
The game was UPEI’s annual Pink In The Rink Game in support of breast cancer research.
Hockey UPEI VS ST.FX on Jan. 24
ST.FX was able to hold onto early goals in the first and second periods to beat UPEI 2-0 in Antigonish.
Lydia Schurman and Patti-Anne Tracey scored for the X-Women. Scherger made 32 saves for the Panthers in the loss.
Prior to Friday’s game UPEI was tied for first in the AUS, after this weekend UPEI is now two points behind Saint Mary’s and STFX.
After the two weekend loses the Women’s team is now 17-6-1. They will be back at home Jan. 29 at 7 P.M. to face the Université de Moncton.
UPEI vs Acadia on Jan. 24
The men’s team also was busy this weekend, playing three games in four days.
The Panthers lost 8-5 to Acadia on Friday. Penalties hurt UPEI as they had a total of 42 penalty minutes in the game and the Axemen went three for six on the powerplay.
After the first period, the Panthers found themselves down 5-1 but they managed to comeback and tie the game 5-5. Acadia’s three third period goals, two of which were the empty net, sealed the game.
Kameron Kielly, UPEI’s leader in points this season, added to his tally, scoring two of UPEI’s five goals. Simon Hofley made 37 saves in the loss.
UPEI VS Saint Mary’s Jan. 25
Saturday saw the Panthers let three leads slip away in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Saint Mary’s Huskies.
Kielly added to his points tally yet again with two goals and an assist in the game. Kyle Maksimovich also added two assists which brings him to 22 on the season.
With the win the Huskies now two points clear of Moncton for third in the AUS Standings.
UPEI VS Dalhousie Jan. 27
Monday the Panthers were in Halifax to take on the Dalhousie Tigers. UPEI again let leads slip away — losing 5-4 in overtime.
Kielly found himself on the scoresheet yet again with one goal and two assists in the game. He finished the weekend with 4 goals in three games
Dalhousie’s Zachary Taylor scored the winner 2:18 seconds into the overtime period. Connor Hicks saved 30 shots in the win.
The Men’s team has now lost six in a row and fall to 8-13-5.
Their next home game is on Feb. 5, at 7 P.M. and they will be facing the Université de Moncton.