Palumbo backstops the Queens over the Ooks, stops 21 in third

Red Deer, November 18, 2023 – Red Deer Polytechnic Queens goaltender Izzy Palumbo (Bachelor of Business Administration) stood on her head in the final 20 minutes of the game to walk away with a victory over the NAIT Ooks.

In the third period, Palumbo stopped all 21 shots she faced and was later named the player of the game as she steered aside multiple scoring opportunities that would have tied the game up at three. She faced a total of 41 shots, stopping 39 in the game.

The Queens would open the scoring in the first six minutes of the game with forward Rylee Mepham (Bachelor of Education) skating from the blueline into the high shot and firing the puck past a screened Ooks goaltender.

But minutes later after crashing the net on a wrap-around attempt by her teammate, NAIT's Bre Martin (Bachelor of Technology) was awarded for her efforts and tied the game up at one.

With under five minutes to play, the Ooks would take their first lead of the game and went into the second period with a 2-1 lead.

After going scoreless in the first 10 minutes of the second frame, forward Alli Soyko (Bachelro of Education) tied the game up at two for the Queens.

At the end of the period, the Ooks outshot the Queens 20-16.

But RDP would ultimately find the game-winning goal in the first two minutes of the third with defence Kyla Hansel (Pharmacy Technician Diploma) scoring her first goal since October 27 off a shot from the blue-line that made it through traffic into the back of the net.

Despite the Ooks firing 21 shots on net, they were held scoreless in the third and the Queens managed to defeat NAIT 3-2.

Head Coach Kelly Coulter explained a win is a win despite the team's lack of energy throughout the game.

"Tonight, we looked like the team who played the night before. We just had no energy tonight. But the goals we scored were with traffic in front of the net which is what we preach in the locker room every night. In this league, if a team does not take away the goalie's eyes, they will not score."

Forward Cassidy Shandro (Animal Health Technology) was named the Ooks player of the game for her one-goal performance.

The Queens will head down to Olds College next Thursday for an evening game against the Broncos while the Ooks finish their first half of the season against the Lakeland College Rustlers next Saturday