2009-10 National Women's Team

HEFFORD SCORES WINNER AS CANADA DEFEATS ST. ALBERT

ST. ALBERT, Alta. – Shannon Szabados had quite the homecoming on Sunday night in northern Alberta.

The Edmonton, Alta., native made 18 stops, including a great glove save in the dying seconds, as Canada’s National Women’s Team beat the St. Albert Raiders 4-2 in NWT Midget Series action.

Szabados’ glove save kept the score at 3-2 before Jayna Hefford (Kingston, Ont.) added an empty-net goal for breathing room. Szabados’ acrobatic save was the climax of the evening and brought the sold-out crowd of 2,300 to its feet.

Canada improved to 17-6 in games against Midget AAA teams this season.

Hefford’s empty-net goal was her second of the game. She also scored late in the second period, when she completed a great passing play with linemates Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, Ont.) and Caroline Ouellette (Montreal, Que.). That goal gave Canada a brief 3-1 lead, but St. Albert’s Ryan Harrison would strike right back before the period was through, making it 3-2 after 40 minutes.

Brett Grant opened the scoring at 4:26 of the first period to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead. A goal-mouth scramble concluded with Grant jamming in a rebound past Szabados.

Agosta tied the game at 12:11 of the first. After accepting a nice pass from Hefford, Agosta went in on goaltender Liam Liston and fired the puck top corner. Sarah Vaillancourt (Sherbrooke, Que.) gave Canada a 2-1 lead before the end of the first, when her quick snap shot beat Liston.

St. Albert entered the game with a 17-4-6 record, one point ahead of the Lloydminster Bobcats for first place in the AMHL.

Canada returns to action on Tuesday night when it faces the host Sherwood Park Kings. On Wednesday, it will take on Edmonton CAC in the Alberta capital.

Goals/Buts:
19:55 CAN Jayna Hefford

Penalties/Punitions:
04:04 CAN Meaghan Mikkelson (Holding/Retenir)