Tommies Win In 13th Round Of Shootout
(FREDERICTON, NB) The St.Thomas Tommies scored in the 13th round of a shootout to claim a 1-0 win over the UNB REDS in the 2022-2023 Atlantic University Sport season opener for both teams.
Emma Wilson (Midhurst, ON) cut wide before slipping the puck from forehand to backhand to slip the puck by REDS goalie Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC) for the only goal of the night.
Tommies' goalie Caroline Pietroski (Etobicoke, ON) would stop the next shot, giving the Tommies an opening night win over the defending AUS champions.
"That's a tough one," said REDS head coach Sarah Hilworth. "I thought our players worked hard and did a ton of little things right. We ran into a great goalie and we need to find the positives from this and move forward."
Pietroski made a total of 49 saves.
Woodland stopped all 21 shots she faced in regulation and overtime play, and stopped 12 of 13 shooters in the shootout.
"It was definitely not the result we wanted tonight," said REDS forward Ashley Stratton (Mount Pearl, NL). "We came out strong and had opportunities. At the end of the day, we've got to bare down and finish our chances. Right now, we just have to regroup and be hungry for the next one."
UNB opened things with a two-on-one just minutes into the game and had another one in the second, forcing Pietroski to make a desperation save. That led to a scoring chance at the other side of the ice.
Much like regulation, overtime featured much of the same… chances that met strong goaltending.
"They basically returned their tea from last year," said Tommies head coach Peter Murphy. "I thought the girls did really well."
"I liked our compete level and ability to get pucks on the net," said Hilworth. "We just need to find a way to put it in the back of the net."
The REDS and Tommies are back in action Saturday.
UNB hosts Moncton, at 7:00pm, while the Tommies host UPEI.
RECAP BY: Billy Cole/STU Athletics
PHOTOS BY: SRM Photography/forSTU Athletics