Cathartic Chartrand comes through in clutch as Martlets stretch streak to 97
MONTREAL - All-Canadian rearguard Cathy Chartrand of Lac Nominingue, Que., scored from a set faceoff play with only 45 seconds remaining as No.1-ranked McGill escaped with a 2-1 victory over Carleton in women's hockey at McConnell Arena, Saturday.
The result improved the Martlets record to 16-0 on the season and extended their win streak to 97 consecutive games against Quebec University Hockey League opponents. It also upped McGill's lifetime record against the Ravens to 56-0-1 overall.
Both teams battled through two scoreless periods before McGill finally broke the goose-egg just 91 seconds into the third period when freshman Katia Clement-Heydra of St. Bruno de Montarville, Que., converted passes from Leslie Oles and Alyssa Cecere. But instead of folding, the Ravens bounced back to score the equalizer at 3:15 of the period when Véronic Auger, a freshman from Lachine, Que., spoiled netminder Charline Labonté's bid for a shutout, connecting on her own rebound to the short side.
With 50 seconds to go and sudden-death overtime looming, McGill head coach Peter Smith called a time-out to plan a faceoff alignment in the Carleton zone. It only took five seconds for his plan to work.
Clement-Heydra won the draw cleanly to the back right corner of the faceoff circle, where the puck was picked up by Oles and fed across the slot to Chartrand who had rushed in from the point to tap in her seventh goal and conference-leading 22nd point of the season.
"The play worked exactly as we had drawn it up on the board," said Smith. "Everybody did what they were supposed to do. The centre won the draw and got the puck over to the wall winger (Oles) and she made a perfect pass to Cathy. You work on those things all the time and hope you get a chance to execute a play like that just once at a key moment in a game. It doesn't happen often but is extremely gratifying when it works out that way."
McGill outshot the Ravens 31-16, including an 11-4 edge in the middle period and a 12-5 margin in the final frame. Labonte registered 15 saves and improved her record to 13-0. The Olympic gold medalist and All-Canadian from Boisbriand, Que., continues to lead the nation in goals-against average (0.70), save percentage (.955 tied) and shutouts (5).
"We came out sluggish after a very tough, emotional game (a 3-1 exhibition loss) against the Montreal Stars (of the national Women's Hockey League) the previous night," said Smith. "We couldn't seem to get the puck on net in the first period and Carleton played us very well. But we got going in the second and had a strong third period."
The Martlets (16-0) have four games remaining before playoffs and will head across town on Feb. 11 for a match-up with their long-time rivals from Concordia, then return to McConnell Arena to play Ottawa on Feb. 12.
MARTLET MURMURS: Chartrand, a 5-foot-10 senior leads all CIS defenders in goals (tied with Dalhousie's Laura Shearer, who has played three more games), assists and points. Chartrand continues to add to her totals as McGill's all-time top-scoring defenceman with a 27-58-85 record in 67 regular-season games. In 150 career contests overall, she has a 66-122-188 record... Ann-Sophie Bettez of Sept-Iles, Que., and Carly Hill of Dorval, Que., both members of the Martlets, scored as Canada captured gold at the World University Winter Games in Turkey, Saturday, with a 4-2 victory over Finland. The McGill duo and three other members of the women's team are slated to land Sunday (Feb. 6) at 1:15 p.m. via Air Canada flight No. 875 at Trudeau International airport... Others returning on that flight include Kim Deschenes of the Montreal Carabins, plus Concordia player Erin Lally and head coach Les Lawton.
SCORING SUMMARY
Carleton 1 at McGill 2
(Saturday, February 5, 2011 - McConnell Arena)
1st Period-
(no scoring)
Penalties-
Hamilton Mcg (tripping),
6:19.
2nd Period-
(no scoring)
Penalties-
(none)
3rd Period-
1, McGill, Katia
Clement-Heydra 9 (Oles, Cecere), 1:09.
2, Carleton, Veronic Auger 3 (Marson, Gouge),
3:15.
3, McGill, Cathy Chartrand 7 (Oles,
Clement-Heydra), 19:15.
Penalties-
Plourde Car (tripping),
8:41;
Cecere Mcg (cross checking), 14:29.
GOALS BY PERIOD:
Carleton 0-0-1 -- 1
McGill 0-0-2 -- 2
Shots on Goal-
Carleton 7-4-5 --
16.
McGill 8-11-12 -- 31.
Power Play Opportunities-
Carleton 0 /
2;
McGill 0 / 1.
Penalties (No/Mins):
Carleton 1 /
2;
McGill 2 / 4.
Goalies-
Carleton, Victoria
Powers (L, 1-6, 31 shots-29 saves; 60:00).
McGill, Charline Labonte (W, 13-0, 16 shots-15
saves; 60:00).
Attendance-112
Referee-Roger Picard.
Start: 7:01 PM
End: 8:55 PM
Length: 1:54
MOLSON CUP THREE STARS:
1. MCG - 19 Katia Clement-Heydra
2. MCG - 54 Charline Labonte
3. CAR - 31 Victoria Powers
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
McGill Athletics & Recreation
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)