Panthers Claw Back, Defeat Tommies in Overtime

Panthers Claw Back, Defeat Tommies in Overtime
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The University of Prince Edward Island Panthers defeated the St. Thomas University Tommies 3-2 in overtime on Subway Game Night Saturday evening at the Grant-Harvey Centre.
 
Olivia Stock (Waterdown, ON) of the Tommies opened the scoring with her first goal of the season just minutes into the first period. Stock walked in and scored on the Panthers goalie after intercepting an erred UPEI breakout pass. The Panthers would answer, making it a 1-1 game at the midway point in the period when Jazebey Hrynyk (Atmore, AB) went short side on Tommies goalie Caroline Pietroski (Etobicoke, ON). .
 
The Tommies would end the first with a breakaway chance from Claire Nimegeers (Wilcox, SK) followed by a shot from the point and lose puck in front that almost lead to a second goal in the period for the Tommies.
 
The second period was scoreless but featured a sharp performance from Pietroski in net. She stopped two breakaway chances in the period which accounted for two of her 37 saves in the game. The Tommies took four of their eight penalties in the second period and managed to go four for four on the penalty kill despite great chances and traffic out front from the Panthers. 
 
Following a pair of cross-crease sliding saves from Pietroski, the Tommies scored a short-handed goal to put them ahead of the Panthers 2-1. Amy Dvernichuk (Regina, SK) cut inside and put the puck past the Panthers goalie with just under three minutes left in the third period. 
After the Panthers pulled their goalie, Ashley McCutcheon (Kitchener, ON) came in clutch, scoring out front to even the game at 2-2. With just seconds left in the game McCutcheon's goal forced a five minute three-on-three overtime period.
 
McCutcheon, the Subway Player of the Game, would end the game on a four on three overtime powerplay. McCutcheon took a cross-ice pass from Rachel Richards (New Dominion, PE) which left a wide-open net for the game winning goal. 
 
Tommies' head coach Peter Murphy said they did a good job for the first minute and a half of the final penalty kill but a few missed clearing attempts and lack of puck carrier pressure, ultimately led to the Panthers game winning goal in overtime. 
 
Murphy said that as a team they will, "take the positives out of tonight and move that into tomorrow's game."
 
STU will look to bounce back on Saturday against the St. Francis Xavier X-Women at the Grant-Harvey Centre, the puck drops at 7:00pm. The UPEI Panthers will head to Moncton Saturday for a 2:00pm puck drop against the Université de Moncton. 
 
Recap by: Oliver Pearson
Photos by: SRM Photography / STU Athletics