2009-10 National Women's Team

POULIN POCKETS WINNER FOR CANADA

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. – Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que.) broke a 2-2 tie with 2:04 to go, giving Canada’s National Women’s Team a 3-2 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday night and ending its mini one-game losing streak.

The win served as a measure of revenge for the Canadians, who fell 4-3 in their only previous trip to Lethbridge, back on October 8.

As it has been lately, the line of Jayna Hefford (Kingston, Ont.), Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, Ont.) and Caroline Ouellette (Montreal, Que.) was the best of the night for Canada, combining for five points, including a goal and an assist each for Hefford and Agosta.

It was that line that opened the scoring, as Hefford and Ouellette set up Agosta, but Kyle Davies struck for the Hurricanes less than four minutes later, converting a shorthanded opportunity to send the game to first intermission at 1-1.

The Lethbridge special teams struck again early in the second period, thanks to a power play goal from Mitch Owsley, but that lead would not last the second period.

With six seconds left in the middle frame, Hefford picked up a loose puck, skated hard to the net and used her soft hands to beat a Lethbridge defender and netminder Alex Wakaluk, tying the game at 2-2 after 40 minutes.

A wide-open, fast-paced third period led to a number of chances at both ends, but nothing was settled until Poulin slipped the puck past Wakaluk with the minutes ticking away, moving Canada’s NWT Midget Series record to 12-6.

Shannon Szabados (Edmonton, Alta.) made 31 saves to remain perfect against Midget competition in 2009-10, moving to 7-0.

Canada heads off on its Christmas break next week, and won’t see the ice in game action again until December 30, when it looks for a fourth-straight win over the United States in St. Paul, Minn. The next NWT Midget Series game is not until January 10, when Canada visits St. Albert to face the Raiders (6 p.m. MT).

Goals/Buts:
06:07 CAN Meghan Agosta (Jayna Hefford, Caroline Ouellette)
10:02 LET Kyle Davies SH/DN

Penalties/Punitions:
09:00 LET Darren Dietz (Interference/Obstruction)
11:46 LET Shane Pilling (Delay of Game/Retarder le match)
14:49 LET Rhys Kingston (Body-checking/Mise en échec corporelle)
18:23 LET Dillon Houghton (Boarding/Donner de la bande)

Goals/Buts:
04:01 LET Mitch Owsley (Jared Jarome) PP/AN
19:54 CAN Jayna Hefford (Meghan Agosta, Colleen Sostorics)

Penalties/Punitions:
00:40 LET Dillon Houghton (Body-checking/Mise en échec corporelle)
02:16 CAN Gillian Apps (Interference/Obstruction)
05:19 CAN Becky Kellar (Delay of Game/Retarder le match)
08:11 CAN Haley Irwin (Roughing/Rudesse)
08:11 LET Kelyer Bruce (Roughing/Rudesse)
18:44 CAN Gillian Apps (High-sticking/Bâton éléve)
18:44 LET Darren Dietz (Tripping/Faire trébucher)

Goals/Buts:
17:56 CAN Marie Philip-Poulin (Gillian Apps)

Penalties/Punitions:
14:02 CAN Colleen Sostorics (Interference/Obstruction)