2017-18 National Women's Team

CANADA FALLS SHORT IN MARATHON SHOOTOUT

JASON LA ROSE

CALGARY, Alta. – Ann-Renée Desbiens (La Malbaie, Que./University of Wisconsin, WCHA) finished with 42 saves in regulation and overtime before adding 12 more stops in the shootout, but Canada’s National Women’s Team finished on the wrong end of a 4-3 extra-time decision against the Edge School on Sunday.

Desbiens made 12 saves in the first period, 14 in the second, 13 in third and three more in overtime before she and Edge counterpart Matthew Davis matched each other stop-for-stop through 24 shooters.

Majid Kaddoura finally broke through for the Edge on the 25th shot of the shootout, sneaking a backhand past Desbiens before Davis turned away Jill Saulnier (Halifax, N.S./Calgary, CWHL) to clinch the win.

The Canadians had opened up a 3-1 lead through 40 minutes, only to see Edge score a pair of goals in the final seven minutes to force an extra period, and eventually a shootout.

Both teams came out firing in the first period, combining for 24 shots, but Desbiens and Edge starter Shawn Wiranta were up to the task and got the game to the intermission goalless.

Jennifer Wakefield (Pickering, Ont./Linköping HC, SWE) got the scoring started just 23 seconds into the second period, banking a shot off Wiranta and in from a sharp angle, before Haley Irwin (Thunder Bay, Ont./Calgary, CWHL) redirected a Marie-Philip Poulin (Beauceville, Que./Montreal, CWHL) shot for a power-play goal and a 2-0 lead less than four minutes later.

Kyle Crosbie got one back for the Edge School midway through the middle frame when a bounce off the end boards ended up on his stick at the side of the net, only for Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, Ont./Calgary, CWHL) to wire a wrist shot past Davis – who had replaced Wiranta after the Crosbie goal – at the 15-minute mark to restore the two-goal advantage after two.

David Queree got the Edge comeback started at 13:07 of the third period with a power-play goal, and Adin Kennedy slipped a shot under a diving Desbiens at 17:02 to tie the game.

Canada had its best chances early in the shootout; Poulin and Brianne Jenner (Oakville, Ont./Calgary, CWHL) hit the crossbar on consecutive shots before Davis closed the door the rest of the way.

The Esso Series continues Thursday night (7 p.m. MT) when the Canadians take to the ice at Canada Olympic Park to face the Calgary Northstars.