KOHLER GETS WINNER, BLACK BEATS WHITE TO OPEN DEVELOPMENT TEAM CAMP

CALGARY, Alta. – Rebecca Kohler (St. Thomas, Ont./University of North Dakota, WCHA) scored the game-winner with 11:31 remaining in the third period, helping Black to a 2-1 win over White in the opening game at Canada’s National Women’s Development Team selection camp.

Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, Ont./Clarkson University, ECAC) had the other goal for Black, which shut down the opposition offence, holding White to single digits in shots until the middle of the third period.

Black struck quickly, with Rattray picking up the rebound of a Julie McKinnon (Kelowna, B.C./Ohio State University, WCHA) shot off the post and beating White netminder Kimberly Newell (Burnaby, B.C./Princeton University, ECAC) at 2:36 of the first period.

The score stayed that way for the next 46 minutes, with few shots, and even fewer scoring chances between the two teams.

White didn’t register its first shot until the 15-minute mark of the first period, and had only six through 40 minutes; Black didn’t manage much more, with 11 shots after two periods.

Kohler got the eventual winner eight-and-a-half minutes into the final period, taking a pass from McKinnon and beating Newell through the five-hole.

Jillian Saulnier (Halifax, N.S./Cornell University, ECAC) got White on the board and made it a one-goal game less than two minutes later with an unassisted effort, but that would be the lone puck to beat Black goaltender Erica Howe (Orleans, Ont./Clarkson University, ECAC).

Howe finished with 13 saves to register the win, while Newell made 15 stops in a losing cause.

The two teams return to the ice at the Markin MacPhail Centre on Thursday night (7 p.m. MT) before closing out camp with an afternoon affair on Saturday (2 p.m. MT).

From the camp, 13 players will be selected to combine with the 27 players centralized with Canada’s National Women’s Team for a three-game series next week.