Broncos edge Queens in shootout, RDC earns one point

Brent Forster - RDC

Olds, AB - The Red Deer College Queens have been playing in many tight games lately and were involved in another close contest on Thursday evening on the road against the Olds College Broncos. In a low scoring game, three periods and two overtime frames couldn't produce a winner, and the host Broncos eventually edged the Queens 2-1 in a shootout.

Kaely McMurtry opened the scoring at 11:58 of the first period on the Queens' power play. Mairead Bast, who was back in the lineup after nursing an injury, spotted McMurtry open in the slot and the Bachelor of Education Middle School student quickly fired the puck past Lexi Bruce.

Kaely McMurtry (6) Pic - Tony Hansen

The talented Port Coquitlam forward's ninth tally of the year lasted as the lone goal until the third period.

With 8:39 remaining in the game, the Broncos' Fiona Milligan finally got a puck by Miranda Cook to knot the game 1-1. Five minutes of four-on-four, and five minutes of three-on-three overtime still left the game deadlocked, so each team chose three shooters.

The Olds College Broncos' first shooter, Kali Cummings, was the only skater to find the back of the net and the Broncos picked up a 2-1 win. The RDC Queens earned one point in the standings. 

Karissa Cullum, a Kinesiology student from Russell, Manitoba, was named the Queens Player-of-the-Game. Fiona Milligan received the award for the Broncos. 

Karissa Cullum (22) Pic - Tony Hansen

Miranda Cook stopped 27 out of 28 shots in regulation and two overtime periods (0.964). Bruce made 29 saves (0.967) over 70 minutes.

The Queens connected on one out of four power plays. The Broncos went zero-for-eight.

On Friday, February 1 at 7:00 p.m., the third place Red Deer College Queens (7-8-4-0) will host the Olds College Broncos (6-10-1-0) at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. The Queens are five points above the Broncos in the standings.