RDC Queens go the Distance in Double-Overtime Playoff Victory
Friday night in Edmonton, the Red Deer College Queens Hockey team kicked off their best of three playoff series versus the MacEwan Griffins. After trailing MacEwan for 40 minutes, the Queens skated away with a 3-2 victory in double-overtime.
Grant MacEwan opened the scoring 5:20 into the game with Jordyn Reimer getting one past the Queens' netminder Tracie Kikuchi. The Griffins outshot the Queens 10-8 in the opening period.
Both teams played strong defensively in a goalless second period.
The Queens came out strong in the third period and scored early to even things up, 1-1. Emily Swier scored at the 34 second mark with Kaely McMurtry notching the lone assist.
Swier scored again at the 7:56 mark to give the Queens their first lead of the game, set up by Ashley Graf.
The Griffins answered back at 13:24 as Sydney Thomlison netted the equalizer that would eventually send the teams to overtime.
One period of overtime wasn't enough to break the tie, and the two teams proceeded to double overtime.
Kaely McMurtry played the hero, scoring the Queens' third goal at 2:47 into the second OT period. Swier and Suze Vanderlinde had the helpers on the game-winner.
The Queens went 0-for-4 on the power play but also managed to kill off all four of the Griffin's extra attacker opportunities.
Queens Hockey Head Coach Kelly Coulter attributed the team's success to sticking to the game plan and believing in each other to get the job done.