2016 National Women's Under-18 Championship

QUEBEC BEATS B.C. FOR SECOND WIN OF WEEK

WENDY GRAVES

REGINA, Sask. – Four different players found the back of the net for Quebec as the team improved to 2-0 with a 4-3 win over British Columbia at the 2016 National Women’s Under-18 Championship.

Gabrielle David (Drummondville, Que./Limoilou, CEGEP), Amy Landry (Beaconsfield, Que./Dawson College, CEGEP) , Rosalie Demers (Blainville, Que./Stanstead College, CAHS) and Alice Fillion (Québec, Que./Limoilou, CEGEP) were the goal-scorers for Quebec.

British Columbia got a pair of markers from Amy Potomak (Aldergrove, B.C./Pacific, JWHL), as well one from Maegan Beres (Lions Bay, B.C./North American Hockey Academy, JWHL).

An evenly matched game came down to an unfortunate break late in the third period. After a pair of B.C. players collided in their own zone, Quebec took the puck the other way. A cross-crease pass from Alexie Guay (Magog, Que./Stanstead College, CAHS) to David didn’t get through, but a trailing Demers jumped on the loose puck to put Quebec up 3-2 with 4:30 to play.

Fillion scored into an empty net with 1:48 to play for what proved to be a much-needed insurance marker, as Potomak – set up near the face-off dot – beat a screened Édith D’Astous-Moreau (Laval, Que./Nepean, PWHL) over her far shoulder with 11 seconds left.

Quebec opened the scoring early. Raphaëlle Pouliot (Mirabel, Que./Édouard-Montpetit, CEGEP) drove hard to the net, battling a B.C. defender the entire way. She drove too deep to get a shot off, but she sent a short pass back to a trailing David. David rifled in a forehand from the low slot.

A great individual effort by Potomak allowed British Columbia to equalize halfway through the second. Potomak created a turnover in the neutral zone, then carried the puck cross ice before finishing with a wrist shot from the face-off circle.

Quebec grabbed some late momentum by scoring with only 18 seconds remaining in the middle period. Léonie Philbert (St-Bruno, Que./Dawson College, CEGEP) outraced two British Columbia players to gain possession of the puck below the goal line; Landry took the pass in front and flipped a backhand to the back of the net.

British Columbia once again pulled even early in the third, this time on the power play. Kristen Guerriero’s (Pointe-Claire, Que./Dawson College, CEGEP) stick broke on a clearing attempt in her own zone, allowing Potomak and Beres to walk in. Potomak’s shot was saved; Beres converted on the rebound.

D’Astous-Moreau got her second win, and Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, B.C./Kamloops, KMHA MT1) took the loss.