News

Betting on Bettez pays dividends as Martlets skunk Stingers

Published: 13 January 2012

[Ann-Sophie Bettez (left) and Melodie Daoust celebrate goal over Concordia. Photo by Derek Drummond]

MONTREAL - Ann-Sophie Bettez of Sept-Iles, Que., scored four points and netminder Charline Labonté registered her fourth shutout in 10 starts as the No.1-ranked McGill Martlets blanked Concordia 4-0 in women's university hockey at Ed Meagher Arena, Friday.

It was the 11th straight victory for McGill, which upped their win streak over Concordia to 40 consecutive games dating back to 2006, outshot the Stingers 44-13, including a 21-4 advantage in the second period.

Labonté from Boisbriand, Que., made 13 saves to extend her CIS career shutout record to 41 and improve to 74-2-0 lifetime in 76 regular season starts.

Bettez, who set up a pair of first-period power-play markers by St Bruno de Montarville, Que., native Katia Clement-Heydra, made it 3-0 in the middle stanza when she scored with the man-advantage. She registered a third helper on a final period goal by rookie Mélodie Daoust, who finished with a three-point performance of her own.

It was a rough-and-tumble affair featuring 13 minor penalties, 10 of them going to the Stingers. McGill made them pay huge dividends, going 3-for-8 on the power play. Concordia was 0-for-1 with the extra attacker.

"They were very physical and paid the price as our power play clicked real well," said McGill head coach Peter Smith. "Bettez looked great and is on a bit of a roll right now."

The 24-year-old senior is gunning for her third RSEQ scoring crown and currenly leads the scoring race by four points, with a 9-13-22 record in 12 contests.

Marie-Pier Remillard made 40 saves in a losing cause as her record fell to 3-9 on the season. She has started all 12 games for the Stingers thus far.

McGill, which sits atop the Quebec conference with an 11-1, record, will host second-place Montreal (8-3-1) on Saturday at 3 p.m. The cross-town rivals have met three times this season, with McGill holding a 2-1 advantage. The Martlets won 6-1 at U de M on Oct. 14 but Montreal bounced back to snap McGill's 107-game win streak against RSEQ opponents with a shocking 3-2 upset on Oct. 29 at McConnell Arena. McGill avenged that setback three weeks later, however, with a 10-1 blow-out at U de M on Nov. 18.

SCORING SUMMARY

McGill 4 at Concordia 0

(Friday, January 13, 2012 - Ed Meagher Arena)

GOALS BY PERIOD:
McGill 2-1-1 -- 4
Concordia 0-0-0 -- 0

1st Period-
1, McGill, Katia Clement-Heydra 10 (C. Chartrand, A.S. Bettez), 10:46 (PP).
2, McGill, Katia Clement-Heydra 11 (A.S. Bettez, Daoust), 13:12 (PP).

Penalties-
Lawton Con (cross checking), 2:56;
MacNeil Con (bodychecking), 10:04;
Laramee-Paquette Con (holding), 13:05.

2nd Period-
3, McGill, Ann-Sophie Bettez 9 (Daoust), 7:37 (PP).

Penalties-
Lang Con (tripping), 5:36;
Doiron Con (roughing), 6:24;
MacNeil Con (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 9:48;
Rancourt Con (hooking), 9:48;
Hamilton Mcg (hooking), 16:16.

3rd Period-
4, McGill, Melodie Daoust 5 (B. Fouracres, A.S. Bettez), 17:45.

Penalties-
Shell Con (hooking), 12:25;
Clement-Heydra Mcg (check to the head), 12:58;
Lang Con (tripping), 13:38;
Ferrari Mcg (bodychecking), 14:47;
Shell Con (bodychecking), 14:47.

Shots on Goal-
McGill 10-21-13 -- 44.
Concordia 3-4-6 -- 13.

Power Play Opportunities-
McGill 3 / 8;
Concordia 0 / 1.

Goalies-
McGill, Charline Labonte (W, 9-1-0, 13 shots-13 saves, SHO, 60:00).
Concordia, Marie-Pier Remillard (L, 3-9-0, 44 shots-40 saves; 60:00).

Attendance: 500