The Queens hand the Trojans their second consecutive loss
Red Deer, October 28 - After the SAIT Trojans came back to tie it up at two late in the third, the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens found the back of the net with two minutes left to play to defeat the Trojans 3-2.
The Queens were really showing why their team were the champions last year in the ACAC by dominating the first period.
Defence Kassy Gaudette assisted by her defence partner Kiera Mulder after some great fore checking by the Queens, forcing the Trojans to turn it over. This was when Gaudette skated into the open slot and as she was checked and fell to the ice, she released a shot which would be placed past the Trojans goaltender, Kaylin Schellenberg. The Queens would lead the Trojans 1-0 after the first period and would also outshoot SAIT 13-5.
It was all Red Deer in the second period. The Queens kept putting shots on net in the middle frame. They would outshoot the Trojans 28-9 after the second period. But the team from Red Deer still only led the Calgary-based team 1-0. Schellenberg was really shining for her team and keeping them in this game making 27 saves so far with 20 minutes still to play.
Within the first three minutes of the third, the Queens would extend their lead to 2-0 after veteran forward Avery Lajeunnesse would jump on a rebound from a shot from defence Kyla Hansel. Hansel would pick up the from the blue line would drive into the slot beating a Trojans defender with a slick move before getting a shot off. Schellenberg could not corral the rebound and Lajeunnesse would one time it home for the insurance goal the Queens needed.
But this did not get the Trojans down. They pushed to at least end the shutout bid for the Queens.
Japan-native Aila Wik would drive the boards beating her defender and would get a shot on net, but the Queens goaltender stood stall and was able to keep her shutout intact.
Moments later, Trojans captain Pyper Alexander drove the puck down the boards and around the net where forward Kiara Stewart put it on net. This caused a rebound which Saskatchewan-native Reauna Blight jumped on the rebound and put it home. This would cut the Queens lead down to one in the last ten minutes of the third period.
After a face-off in her own end, forward Kiara Stewart led a two on one rush where she would wrist it underneath Madison Fox, Queens goaltender, to tie it up at 2-2.
With less then two minutes to play, the Queens battled for their third of the game. It all started in their own end. The puck was behind the Trojans net where Lajeunnesse would wrap it around and slide it over to second-year Jailyn Bablitz. She would snap it up and over Schellenberg's glove for the 3-2 lead and would ultimately be the game-winning goal.
With an outstanding performance in net, Schellenberg was named the player of the game for the Trojans and after her game-winning goal, Bablitz was honoured with this award for the Queens.
The Trojans next regular season game will be in Olds to take on the Broncos on November 17th. For the Queens, they will take on the NAIT Ooks next Saturday in a home and home series.