The St. Thomas Tommies defeated the Dalhousie Tigers 3-0 Friday night at the Halifax Forum.
The Tigers sat three points behind the Tommies heading into the game.
Minutes into the opening period, Tahlia Mallaley (Charlo, NB) put the puck on goal, but Grace Beer (Oakville, ON) steered it away for the Tigers.
Olivia Eustace (Riverview, NB) had a chance with about 12 minutes left in the period in the slot. Katie Sweeney (Tecumseh, ON) made the pad save.
Moments later, Natasha Falk (Brandon, MB) had another chance for the Tigers, bringing it to the front of the net. Sweeney made another save.
Later in the period, Sydni Bird (Winnipeg, MB) hit the crossbar from a wrist shot from the point.
The Tigers continued to generate chances as Falk passed it to Isabella Weist (Torbay, NL). Weist put the puck on goal, and Sweeney made the save. The puck was still loose, with Weist taking a few stabs at it, but Sweeney stood strong.
Natalie MacKay (Salmon River, NS) received a pass into the slot in the final minute of the period. MacKay took the shot, but Beer saved it. The puck went to the point where the Tommies took another shot. Beer made the second save, bringing the period to a close tied 0-0.
In the first minute of the second period, Peyton Van Volsen (Brooklin, ON) fired the puck on goal from the point. Beer made a nice glove save.
Emma Penner (Niagara on the Lake, ON) brought the puck into the Tommies zone on a 2-on-1. Penner shot the puck on her backhand, and Sweeney steered it away.
Gabrielle Noordijk (Oakville, ON) shot the puck on goal, and it got tipped. Sweeney made the toe save.
Sweeney then made another save off a deflected shot from Eustace with just above 17 minutes left of the period.
Van Volsen had a look on goal from the point with just below 12 minutes left of the period. Beer handled the shot easily.
With under seven minutes left of the period, Abby Wamboldt (Hammonds Plains, NS) walked by the Tommies defender with a sweet move. She moved the puck to her backhand, and Sweeney stretched out to make the pad save
MacKay put the puck on goal on the Tommies powerplay with just above four minutes left of the period. It was deflected, with Beer making a save.
Payton Jacobs (Richmond, ON) found the puck in the high slot and let it go with a wrist shot. It hit the crossbar and found the back of the net, giving the Tommies a 1-0 lead with just above two minutes left.
The period came to a close with the Tommies up 1-0. The Tigers led in shots 25-19.
Three minutes into the third period, MacKay walked through the Dal defender and pulled the puck from the forehand to the backhand. MacKay had a great chance, but Beer made a spectacular save with her left pad.
Moments later, the puck fluttered in the air. The Tigers scrambled for the puck and got a shot on goal. Sweeney steered the puck away.
Brooklyn Paisley (Shawinigan Lake, BC) then shot the puck from the right wing, and Eustace found the rebound but hit the post.
With about 11 minutes left of the game, Kennedy Whelan (Alliston, ON) shot the puck on goal. Sweeney made the save but left the rebound. The Tommies were able to clear the puck safely.
The Tommies went on the powerplay. From the point, Jacey Dane (Aurora, ON) had a clean look on goal as Beer made the pad save.
Dane made a cross-ice pass on the powerplay to Ekaterina Pelowich (Stouffville, ON), who buried it in the back of the net. The Tommies went up 2-0 with under 10 minutes left of the game.
Pelowich, the player of the game, scored the empty netter for her second goal of the night to seal the game.
Sweeney made 36 saves in the win.
Beer made 25 saves in the loss.
The Tigers take on the Mount Allison Mounties tomorrow night at the Halifax Forum at 7pm.
The Tommies head to StFX tomorrow to play the first-seeded X-Women.