2005 Esso Women's Nationals

New Brunswick - 5 Prince Edward Island -2

Round Robin
March 9, 2005
Sarnia, ON

By Jim Morrison
Sarniasports.com

It was the second game of the tournament for both of these two teams.  Earlier PEI split a hard fought battle with Nova Scotia which ended in a 5 all tie.   Earlier New Brunswick skated to a 9 – 1 victory over Manitoba. 

From the opening faceoff both teams came out hard with some good scoring chances at both ends.  PEI opened the scoring only 36 seconds into their power play when MJ Webster fired a shot from the point with Jennifer Sullivan picking up the assist at the 16:16 mark of the opening period.  New Brunswick quickly answered as Chelsea Gilbert with some hard work behind the net kick the puck to her stick and skated out front and fired home a low shot to tie the game.  Isabella Aube assisted on the play at 15:37.  New Brunswick took advantage of a turn over at their blue line and skated down on a 3 on 2. With Chelsea Gilbert driving to the net and firing the shot that missed the target but got a bounce off the back boards who then passed the puck behind the sprawling goal tender and Isabella Aube poked in the loose puck.  Captain Robin Thompson chipped in with the assist at 9:57.  PEI had a 5 on 3 opportunity for 22 seconds and could not get the equalizer with just over 3 minutes left in the period.

Period ended with a score of 2 – 1 for PEI.

New Brunswick gained a two goal lead at 14:05 when Nathalie Pellerin from the side of the net spotted Sara O’Toole who passed the puck in the crease and was deflected off the goalie skate where Stephanie Roy made no mistake and buried the puck.  New Brunswick had a good short handed opportunity with just over a minute remaining but goal tender Ashley Brennan kept the door closed to end the period at 3 – 1.

New Brunswick scored their 4th goal at 13:39 when Sara Matheson hit the back of the net after a scramble in front of the PEI net where goal tender Brennan could not freeze the puck.  Ashley Duguay earned the assist on the play.  PEI had a 4 minute power play and could not score because of the efforts of Duguay killing some valuable seconds off the clock after tying up two players along the boards.  New Brunswick got a lucky bounce with a short handed goal from Brea Arbeau when she attempted to fire the puck into the corner and it hit a PEI defencemen stick and was redirected into the open PEI net. Ashley Brennan came out to play the puck but could not get back in the net in time.  Krista Black assisted on the play at 5:37.

PEI scored their second goal at 4:16 when Tessa Roche fed a long outlet pass to Pam LeClair who snapped home a wrist shot just under the cross bar.

Player of the game for PEI was MJ Webster and for New Brunswick was Isabelle Aube.