Daoust douses Gees-Gees as Martlets take flight in semifinal series

 

(Mélodie Daoust skates around Ottawa defence to score her first of two gaols in series-clinching win. Photo by Derek Drummond)

 

MONTREAL - Rookie Mélodie Daoust of Valleyfield, Que., scored twice and added a pair of assists as No.2-ranked McGill routed Ottawa 9-1 in the rubber match of the best-of-three Quebec women's university hockey semifinal series at McConnell Arena, Sunday.

 

The nine-goal outburst was two shy of the team's single-game record for most goals in a playoff game and the most since an 11-2 win over Concordia on March 3, 2009.

 

McGill, which outshot the Gee-Gees 38-15, led 4-1 after one period and 7-1 after two,

 

"Everybody looks at our team and talks about our skill level, which is obviously good, but what really makes us successful, is when we play smart and play as a team, we really do a great job," said Peter Smith, head coach of the Martlets, who improved his lifetime record to 324-115-32 overall behind the McGill bench. "Today we played smart, played together and goods things happened."

 

Jordanna Peroff of Keswick, Ont., also tallied twice, with singles going to Beaconsfield, Que., natives Kim Ton-That and Leslie Oles, plus Ann-Sophie Bettez of Sept-Iles, Que., Chelsey Saunders of Ottawa and defenceman Stacie Tardif of Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Que.

 

Alicia Blomberg of Timmins, Ont., scored the lone Gee-Gees marker, which tied the score at 1-1 midway through the first period. McGill answered that with eight unanswered markers.

 

McGill went 3-for-9 on the power-play as Ottawa, which led the Quebec league in penalties this season, received 31 of the 33 minutes called by referee Mélanie Bordeleau.

 

Two of those infractions went to Ottawa alternate captain Carley Porcellato, a 5-foot-11 rearguard from Guelph, Ont., who hammered McGill sniper Katia Clement-Heydra into the boards and received a major for bodychecking and game misconduct for her transgression, which occurred at 6:10 of the middle period. After a five-minute delay, Clement-Heydra was helped of the ice, skating on one leg and clutching a hand. She received a free trip to the hospital and her status is unclear for the next round of the playoffs.

 

Netminder Charline Labonté of Boisbriand, Que., made 14 saves for the victory, improving her lifetime record to 29-2 in post-season play.

 

Gee-Gees goalie Stephanie Mercier, who stymied the McGill offence with a 37-save shutout in Game 1, was beaten nine times on 38 shots and took the loss.

 

Ottawa had startled the Martlets with a 2-0 win in the series opener. Wednesday, but the Martlets forced a deciding game after an 8-0 win on Friday.

 

The defending national champion Martlets now advance to the league championship series, a best-of-three affair against the second-place Montreal Carabins. Due to a scheduling conflict with the men's playoffs, the Martlets have agreed to open the series at U de M's CEPSUM Arena on Wednesday at 7 p.m., with Games 2 and 3 slated for McConnell Arena on Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., if necessary.

 

MARTLET MURMURS: Fifteen of the 18 skaters who dressed for McGill registered at least one point and seven of them scored goals... Chartrand was credited with three assists and now has a 1-6-7 record to share the RSEQ playoff scoring lead with Daoust (3-4-7)... Bettez also had a three-point soiree... Peroff leads all playoff scorers with four goals in three games.

 

 

SCORING SUMMARY
(RSEQ BEST-OF-THREE SEMIFINAL, GAME 3)

Ottawa 1 at McGill 9

(Sunday, February 26, 2012 - McConnell Arena)

GOALS BY PERIOD:
Ottawa 1-0-0 -- 1
McGill 4-3-2 -- 9

1st Period-
1, McGill, Jordanna Peroff 3 (L.Oles, A.S.Bettez), 3:22.
2, Ottawa, Alicia Blomberg 1 (F.Desforges, D.Lefebvre), 7:43.
3, McGill, Ann-Sophie Bettez 2 (C.Chartrand, B.Fouracres), 9:04 (PP).
4, McGill, Melodie Daoust 1 (K.Clement-Heydra, C.Chartrand), 16:48.
5, McGill, Jordanna Peroff 4 (K.Moffatt, A.S.Bettez), 18:49.

Penalties-
Desforges Ott (hooking), 4:00;
Stanidis Ott (tripping), 8:28;
Desforges Ott (holding), 14:41.

2nd Period-
6, McGill, Melodie Daoust 2 (G.Ferrari, C.Chartrand), 7:20 (PP).
7, McGill, Chelsey Saunders 1 (E.Pyke, D.Hamilton), 8:43 (PP).
8, McGill, Stacie Tardif 1 (D.Hamilton), 16:51.

Penalties-
Lefebvre Ott (slashing), 0:43;
Porcellato Ott (major-body-checking, game misconduct), 6:10;
Leclair Ott (bodychecking), 6:59;
Coxon Ott (holding), 10:41.

3rd Period-
9, McGill, Leslie Oles 2 (M.Daoust, S.Tardif), 6:18.
10, McGill, Kim Ton-That 2 (L.Murray, M.Daoust), 18:19.

Penalties-
Crampton Mcg (obstruction-tripping), 3:03;
Stanidis Ott (check to the head), 10:00;
Desforges Ott (high sticking), 13:44.

Shots on Goal-
Ottawa 8-3-4 -- 15.
McGill 14-13-11 -- 38.

Power Play Opportunities-
Ottawa 0 / 1;
McGill 3 / 9.

Penalties-
Ottawa 10 / 31;
McGill 1 / 2.


Goalies-
Ottawa, Stephanie Mercier (L, 1-2, 38 shots-29 saves; 60:00).
McGill, Charline Labonte (W, 2-1, 15 shots-14 saves; 60:00).

Attendance: 179

Start: 2:01 PM

Finish: 4:06 PM

Length: 2:05

Referee-Melanie Bordeleau.

Linesmen-Stephanie Campbell, Denise Caughey.

THREE STARS:
1. MCG - 17 Melodie Daoust
2. MCG - 10 Jordanna Peroff
3. MCG - 8 Cathy Chartrand

 

SOURCE:

 

Earl Zukerman

Communications Officer

Athletics & Recreation

McGill University

514-398-7012 (Tel.)

514-398-1956 (Fax)

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www.mcgill.ca/athletics

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