2009-10 National Women's Team

NWT DROPS CLOSE GAME TO TIGERS

MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – Coming off a high with two wins over the United States in the past week and two consecutive victories in NWT Midget Series action before that, Canada’s National Women’s Team’s hot streak turned cold Thursday night with a close 2-1 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers.

Canada came out strong in the first, opening the scoring midway through the period by taking advantage of a scramble in front of the net. Jayna Hefford (Kingston, Ont.), who has been on a hot streak of her own in recent games, was the one to put it past Medicine Hat netminder Jesse Wilkins, while Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, Ont.) and Cherie Piper (Scarborough, Ont.) earned assists on Hefford’s 18th goal in 19 Midget Series contests.

But Canada would only hold on to its 1-0 lead until the 10-minute mark of the second, when Troy Gedny fed Joel Harker, who slipped the puck by a screened Charline Labonté (Boisbriand, Que.) to tie up the game.

The Tigers took their first lead just past the eight-minute mark of the third period, as Curtis Valk snatched up the puck and stick handled around the Canadian defence before beating Kim St-Pierre (Chateauguay, Que) for the short-handed winning goal.

Canada had its chances to tie the game in the dying minutes, but could not get another puck past Wilkins, who made 23 saves to earn the win and drop the Canadians to 11-6 in Midget Series play. Labonté and St-Pierre combined to stop 29 of the 31 shots directed their way.

The Canadian women next head to Lethbridge, where they will face off against the Titans in Midget Series action on Friday night (8:30 p.m. MT). The Titans held the advantage in the first meeting between the two teams, scoring a 4-3 win on October 8.

Goals/Buts:
11:33 CAN Jayna Hefford (Meghan Agosta, Cherie Piper) PP/AN

Penalties/Punitions:
07:11 CAN Rebecca Johnston (Hooking/Accrocher)
11:03 MH Curtis Valk (Tripping/Faire trébucher)

Goals/Buts:
10:02 Joel Harker (Troy Gedny) 

Penalties/Punitions:
06:17 MH Dru Hickle (Interference/Obstruction)
07:59 CAN Bench/Banc (Too Many Players/Trop du joueurs)
14:58 MH Adam Antkowiak (Hooking/Accrocher)
17:49 CAN Gillian Ferrari (Holding/Retenir)

Goals/Buts
08:08 MH Curtis Valk (Codi Heibert)SH/DN

Penalties/Punitions:
03:36 CAN Gillian Ferrari (Interference/Obstruction)
07:24 MH Dru Hickle (Interference/Obstruction)
16:40 CAN Gillian Apps (Interference/Obstruction)
17:52 MH David Haaf (Tripping/Faire trébucher)