Edmonton - For an unprecedented sixth-straight game, five needing extra time or a shootout, the No.7 Alberta Pandas were on the losing side of a one-goal decision as the Lethbridge Pronghorns earned their first-ever sweep against their provincial rivals with a 2-1 OT win, Saturday night at Clare Drake Arena in Edmonton.
Boxscore
Fourth-year rearguard Amy Van Buskirk fired the winning shot for the second straight game, potting the winner 5:15 into extra time after scoring the deciding goal in last night’s 4-3 shootout. Senior forward Megan Bach scored a single while Pronghorns netminder Crystal Patterson amde 32 saves for her conference-leading sixth victory.
Senior forward Katie Borbely tallied the lone goal for the home team as they were swept for only the second time at home in the history of the Pandas program. Goalkeeper Kaitlyn Chapman had 23 saves in the loss.
As with Friday evening, Alberta got on the scoreboard first, and early, with third-year forward Janelle Malcolm wristing a shot on goal from the Lethbridge slot before Borbely shovelled home the rebound only 2:36 into the game.
Looking to avenge last night’s first-ever loss to the Pronghorns in team history, the Pandas continued their offensive pressure throughout the first, outshooting the visitors 13-5 in the opening 20 minutes but unable to increase their lead.
Patterson, who overwhelmingly leads Canada West with 495 minutes played, with her next closest competitor 180 minutes behind, improved upon her sparkling save percentage, now sitting at .949 while her goals against average stands at 1.33, both values surprisingly only good for second in the conference to Calgary’s Amanda Tapp.
Still down 1-0 heading into the third period, Lethbridge found the equalizer at the 8:50 mark when Bach curled around to the front of the Pandas’ net and sifted a low shot through Chapman’s five-hole to knot the score at one.
Despite the Pronghorns outshooting Alberta 13-8, the Pandas had the better chances, Patterson stoning freshman forward Janelle Froehler’s shot from the slot with a blocker save and clearing a loose puck in the Lethbridge crease before Alberta defender Nicole Pratt could find it.
It was then left up to Van Buskirk who, off an Erica Williams faceoff win in the Pandas’ zone, slapped the puck home to the near side, giving Alberta their fourth-straight non-regulation loss.
Neither team fared well on the power-play, the Pronghorns finishing 0-5 while Alberta went 0-6.
Now 2-1-5, Alberta will head west for a two-game series against the UBC Thunderbirds on Remembrance Day weekend while conference-leading 6-2-0 Lethbridge will head home to host the Manitoba Bisons.
