Huskies women’s sweep Dinos

“You don’t ever want to have that happen or see it in the game. We weren’t too concerned about what was going to happen and how we were going to return to the play, but we just wanted to make sure the player was taken care of, and their team needed to do what they needed to, to get back on the ice,” said Steve Kook, head coach of the Huskies. “It was really unfortunate to start off with.”

Reuther was injured after she lost an edge and barrelled into the boards behind the Huskies net early in the first period. She went down hard and did not move as trainers from both teams tended to her on the ice. After a 25-minute delay in action, Reuther was taken off the ice on a backboard by local paramedics. There was no update on Reuther’s condition after the game.

Both teams went back to their dressing rooms during the delay. It was a difficult scene at Merlis Belsher Place and the injury was on the minds of both teams as they returned to action.

The Dinos appeared to have lost their energy, which wasn’t surprising, considering the circumstances to start the game.

Just 1:54 into the return to action, Abby Shirley scored on the power play when she pounced on a rebound. Just three minutes later, Kendra Zuchotzki scored her first as a Huskie, also on the advantage.

“It felt amazing,” said Zuchotzki. “I knew my goal was coming and I was just waiting for the right moment. It came on the power play, and I was able to be in the right spot and luckily I got it in.”

The Huskies continued finding the back of the net when Sophie Lalor scored her third of the season. That goal chased Dinos starting goaltender, Dayna Owen. The fifth-year netminder was visibly upset about the injury, as she waited on the ice much of the time that Reuther was being tended to. Gabby Durante came in for Owens, who played on Friday night.

Midway through the period, Shirley notched her second of the game to give the Huskies a 4-0 lead after the opening frame.

“Abby is such a skilled player and does such a good job of finding holes. It paid off for her tonight. I am glad that the goals are finally starting to go in for her this year,” said Kook.

Huskies’ captain, Bailee Bourassa scored her first of the season just eight seconds into the second period, giving the home team a solid lead that was never in doubt.

“It felt good to get the monkey off my back and I didn’t know what the goal would look like, but I know it needed to happen this weekend. It was a relief,” said Bourassa.

The Dinos got on the board midway through the period on a goal by Alli Borrow, who beat Isabella Pozzi in a foot race for the puck and flipped a quick wrist shot past Huskies’ goaltender Camryn Drever’s glove. It was the lone goal the Huskies would give up to the Dinos.

The scoring was not over for the Huskies as Zuchotzki scored her second of the night on the power play.

“Kenny (Kendra) had a good game. She is one of few in this league who can shoot like that and that’s why she’s in that position on the power play,” said Kook on Zuchotzki. “Before, her first instinct was to pass and part of her success on the power play was her shooting the puck. That’s what she needs to do. When you have a shot like that, why pass it anywhere else.”

The Huskies’ added another power-play goal by Sophie Lalor in the third period. Kennedy Brown would add the team’s fifth power-play marker of the night with 25 seconds left in the game.

Coming into this game, the Huskies were one-for-37 on the power play, just clicking at a 2.7 per cent success rate.

Going five-for-six on the advantage was a key to the team’s success on Saturday against the Dinos.

“I am so pumped about that. We were making jokes about our power play on how we couldn’t pop one. We finally got the monkey off the back,” said Bourassa.

Drever earned her fourth win on the season, stopping 25 saves. She has a 1.32 Goals Against Average (GAA) and .944 save percentage through six games, putting her in the top five in the conference.

“I didn’t think we did real good job in the defensive zone, but Camryn was solid and stopped like eight breakaways,” said Kook on Drever. “Cam was a star for us, and the players recognized that and gave her player of the game.”

The Huskies picked up crucial points this weekend, who sit in fourth place with 12 points. They will face the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds next weekend at home. Both teams have the same point total, but the TBirds have a better record.

“Those wins are huge, especially when we have these two massive weekends coming up,” said Bourassa. “We have the top two teams coming up in the next two weekends before going into the Christmas break.”

by Katie Brickman-Young

Huskies women’s sweep Dinos

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