2019 National Women's Under-18 Championship

SASKATCHEWAN GETS SHOOTOUT WIN OVER ATLANTIC

JESSICA GOWANS

WINKLER, Man. – Brooklyn Anderson (Shellbrook, Sask.) scored in regulation time and had the shootout winner to complete the comeback and help Saskatchewan down Team Atlantic 3-2 on Wednesday at the 2019 National Women’s Under-18 Championship.

The teams traded chances early, but neither could find the back of the net in an opening period that ended scoreless and even on the shot clock at six apiece.

Midway through the second period, Valérie Haché (Shippagan, N.B.) forced a turnover in the offensive zone and fired a shot towards the net. Kara MacLean (Antigonish, N.S.) jumped on the rebound and was able to tuck it home to put Atlantic up 1-0.

The easterners extended the lead thanks to a goal from Catherine Foulem (Dieppe, N.B.). MacLean and Foulem broke in on a two-on-one and MacLean fed a perfect pass across to Foulem who snapped it into the back of the net.

Saskatchewan cut the lead in half late in the middle frame when Anderson took a perfect cross-ice pass from Elise Morphy (Regina, Sask.) and deked out Atlantic goaltender Deanna Fraser (Falmouth, N.S.) to make it 2-1.

Morphy was also in on the game-tying goal with less than eight minutes left, forcing a turnover that was picked up by Lauren Focht (Regina, Sask.), who whipped it home to pull Saskatchewan even.

Neither team could find the winner in overtime, and it took seven rounds in the shootout before Anderson scored and Arden Kliewer (Saskatoon, Sask.) turned away the final Atlantic shooter to seal the victory.

Saskatchewan will look to make it three wins in a row when it takes on Ontario Red on Thursday (5 p.m. CT), while Atlantic goes up against Alberta (1 p.m. CT).