BIG FIRST PERIOD HELPS WHITE PAST ROYALS AT FALL FESTIVAL

JORDAN MADY

CALGARY, Alta. – Sarah Potomak (Aldergove, B.C./University of Minnesota, WCHA) had a goal and two assists, Jamie Lee Rattray (Kanata, Ont./Brampton, CWHL) added three helpers, and White topped the Calgary AAA Royals 5-2 on Thursday night at Canada’s National Women’s Team Fall Festival.

The Canadian women scored three times in the first 18 minutes to take a commanding lead.

Emily Clark (Saskatoon, Sask./University of Wisconsin WCHA) needed just 39 seconds to five White a very early lead, finishing off a bang-bang passing play with Victoria Bach (Milton, Ont./Boston University, HE).

Bach added a goal of her own, bouncing in a shot after a three-on-one break, and Rebecca Johnston (Sudbury, Ont./Calgary, CWHL) added a third goal just 27 seconds after that to send White to the dressing room with a big lead after 20 minutes.

Although White outshot the Royals 12-8 in the first period, the Midget team would hold an 11-8 advantage in each of the second and third frames, for a 30-28 edge overall.

Potomak had the lone goal of the second period just past the midway mark, gathering in a pass from Rattray and roofing a shot past Royals goaltender Calum Humble for a 4-0 lead.

Calgary finally found the back of the net early in the third period when Jackson Zlotty beat Geneviève Lacasse (Kingston, Ont./Calgary, CWHL), and Jake McGhee added a second goal on the power play at 5:08 to make it a 4-2 game.

But efficient passing on the power play ended with a Sarah Nurse (Hamilton, Ont./University of Wisconsin, WCHA) goal off the post and past Humble at 9:17 of the third to put the game out of reach.

Ann-Renée Desbiens (La Malbaie, Que./University of Wisconsin, WCHA) got the start in the White goal and pitched a shutout in her 30 minutes of work before giving way to Lacasse.

White goes for a second victory when it takes on Red on Friday night (8:30 p.m. MT) in a battle of opening-day winners, while the Royals meet their cross-city rivals, the Calgary AAA Flames, at 5:30 p.m. MT.