Sansom and Queens push Griffins to double-overtime, earn one point

Brent Forster - RDC

Red Deer, AB – It was a playoff type atmosphere Sunday afternoon at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, where more than 60 minutes was needed to produce a winner. The Red Deer College Queens competed hard and tested the first place MacEwan University Griffins, but were edged 4-3 in double-overtime. The RDC Queens earned one point in the standings. 

Queens Head Coach Kelly Coulter appreciated the effort against a tough opponent.

"The battle level was much better than the night before, one-one-one," he said. "They're a big, strong team."

On the power play, the MacEwan University Griffins opened the scoring on their 14th shot. Queens goaltender Karlee Fetch made a series of nice saves but Amanda Murray chipped a loose puck over the fifth-year netminder's arm.

Sutherland (7)

With 41 seconds left in the period, the Queens' power play solved the league's top penalty kill (89.6%). From the point Ashley Sutherland wired her seventh of the season over Natalie Bender's glove. Madison Sansom and Sydnee Decorby had the helpers.

The visitors captured a lead 3:53 into the second period. From the slot, Carley Jewell snapped one into the left side of the cage.

That edge held until mid-way through the final frame when the home team knotted it up 2-2. Neisha Germann used her speed wide and wristed one that Bender kicked out with the right pad. Madison Sansom was charging up the left and deposited the equalizer. It was her first goal in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC).

"When we forechecked them well, we could turn over pucks. They didn't quit," stated Coulter. "They didn't get down and the girls were resilient. They continued to attack."

Germann (23)

Just under three minutes left on the clock, MacEwan jumped ahead. In front, Jill MacWilliam shifted right and tucked it in the far side, but the Queens quickly responded.

About 30 seconds later, Red Deer's Avery Lajeunnesse beat Bender low on the stick side with a backhand, eventually sending the game to four-on-four overtime. It was the first-year forward's team leading eighth goal.

When neither side could convert in the first five minute frame, the game was sent to three-on-three double-overtime. At 1:08, the visitors struck. Jaime Erickson was in alone on Fetch and found space low behind the Open Studies student, providing MacEwan a 4-3 decision.

Madison Sansom was named the Collegiate Sports Medicine Queens Player-of-the-Game, contributing her first goal. 

"She's really bought into how things work here with our Queens program. She's been working hard and it's nice to see her get rewarded," said Coulter. "She's really improved in her time that she's been here. I'm very happy to see her get it. She's a pretty honest player."

Amanda Murray received the top player award for the Griffins.

Karlee Fetch made 33 saves. Natalie Bender turned aside 15 shots.

Two regular season games remain for the RDC Queens against the NAIT Ooks. This will be a preview of the opening round of the postseason.

On Friday, Feb. 21, the Queens (14-5-3-0) will challenge the Ooks (12-9-1-0) in Edmonton at 7:00 pm. Then 24 hours later, the venue will shift to the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre for the final contest before the playoffs. Third place NAIT cannot catch RDC for second.

The first place MacEwan University Griffins (21-3-0-0) have completed their regular season. They will face the fourth seed in the semi-finals. Currently the SAIT Trojans (5-16-1-0) and Olds College Broncos (4-15-3-0) have 11 points in the standings for fourth spot, but SAIT would have the edge with one more win. The two teams will meet in a crucial home-and-home series to determine who will face the Griffins.

Camryn Wallan (21)