PETTET GETS OT WINNER, HELPS U18S TO PRE-WORLDS WIN

JASON LA ROSE

VELKE POPOVICE, Czech Republic – Brette Pettet (Kentville, N.S./Shattuck-St. Mary’s, USHS) completed the comeback 2:34 into overtime, giving Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team a 4-3 win over HC Slovaj Velke Popovice in pre-tournament action Tuesday ahead of the 2017 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship.

The Canadians trailed 3-1 with less than nine minutes to go before pulling even and forcing the extra period.

Just moments after goaltender Édith D’Astous-Moreau (Laval, Que./Nepean, PWHL) stopped a penalty shot to keep her team alive, Pettet finished a set-up from Amy Potomak (Aldergrove, B.C./Pacific, JWHL) to give Canada the win in its first of two exhibition games.

Sophie Shirley (Saskatoon, Sask./Okanagan Hockey Academy, CSSHL) had two goals for the Canadians, including the game-tying marker with just 38 seconds remaining, and Sarah Fillier (Georgetown, Ont./Oakville, PWHL) also found the back of the net.

Daryl Watts (Toronto, Ont./Mississauga, PWHL) and Emma Maltais (Burlington, Ont./Oakville, PWHL) added two assists apiece.

After a scoreless opening period, the Czech boys team struck early in the second when Jan Synac beat Canadian goaltender Danika Ranger (Uxbridge, Ont./Durham, PWHL) just 77 seconds in.

But that would be the lone puck to find its way past Ranger, who gave way to D’Astous-Moreau just past the midway mark of the middle frame.

Shirley tied the game on the power play at 9:19, picking up a rebound off the end boards and sneaking it past netminder Matyas Nesvadba, but Lukas Vit beat D’Astous-Moreau on a breakaway at 12:45, and Synac added his second of the period at 18:57 to send HC Slovaj Velke Popovice to the intermission up 3-1.

Fillier got the Canadian comeback started at 11:18 of the third period, setting up a wild finish.

With Canada on the power play and D’Astous-Moreau on the bench for a six-on-four advantage in the final minute, Shirley found the rebound of a Maltais shot and chipped it over David Hruska for the 3-3 goal, pushing the game to overtime.

Canada will finish its pre-tournament schedule Thursday, facing off with Sweden in Zlin (1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT), before opening the world championship Saturday against the Swedes (1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT).