Queens earn one point, Ooks in double-overtime

Brent Forster - RDC

Red Deer, AB - After 60 minutes couldn't determine a winner between the RDC Queens and visiting NAIT Ooks, the Ooks scored in double-overtime, picking up a close 2-1 win at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. 

Randi Chase, Real Country 95.5 FM, dropping ceremonial puck  Colby Brochu Photography

At 12:53 of the first period, NAIT's Jordan McMillan put the Ooks up 1-0. But two minutes 24 seconds later the Queens responded. Ooks' goaltender Kaitlyn Slator stopped the initial shot but Kaitlan Linnell jumped on the rebound to even it 1-1. Jenessa Fournier and Jessi-Lynn Sumaling had the assists. 

Colby Brochu Photography

Both goaltenders were unbeatable in the second and third periods, along with five minutes of four-on-four overtime, sending the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women's Hockey matchup to three-on-three double-overtime. At 3:11, Natsumi Kurokawa broke the deadlock, giving the Ooks a 2-1 decision. The Queens earned one point in the standings.

Kelly Coulter, Queens Head Coach, liked the response after Friday's game in Edmonton. "I thought that we did a better job of keeping the puck in the offensive zone and not just rushing to score, and turning over pucks. The girls were much more composed with the puck and made NAIT defend more, so I think we did much better with that," he says. "We got more shots on net and our defencemen did a better job of getting the pucks through, as you could see on the goal that Kaitlan scored. It doesn't have to be a hard shot but it just has to get on net. It was a big improvement from last night's game." 

Veronika Bucifalova (93)  Colby Brochu Photography

Both goaltenders played well. Karlee Fetch stopped 38 shots (0.950) and Kaitlyn Slator made 35 saves. 

"Karlee rebounded quite well after a goal I think she would like back, so I thought that was a good job on her part to get refocused," says Coulter. "She saw shots a lot better tonight and we did a good job adjusting to their very powerful power play."

Both penalty kills were perfect. The Ooks halted six of the Queens' opportunities and RDC stymied all seven of NAIT's.

On Thursday, November 22, the RDC Queens (4-5-1-0) will compete against the Broncos (3-6-1-0) in Olds at 7:00 p.m.