SASKATCHEWAN WITHSTANDS B.C. ONSLAUGHT TO GRAB 5TH PLACE

Kali Gillanders was the overtime hero on Saturday afternoon, scoring on a powerplay 6:34 into the extra period as Saskatchewan escaped with a 6-5 win over British Columbia in the fifth-place game at the 2007 National Women’s Under-18 Championship.

Saskatchewan (2-2) led 2-0 after one period, and held a 20-4 advantage in shots on goal, but saw B.C. score five goals in just 4:11 midway through the second period to turn a two-goal deficit into a three-goal lead. Undaunted, they scored three goals of their own in just 5:51 to pull even before the end of the middle frame.

Player of the Game Alyssa Wiebe scored twice and added an assist, while Bailey Habscheid, Tiara Schoenroth and Erin Heinemann also found the back of the net for Saskatchewan, who grabbed fifth place after back-to-back last-place finishes at the January 2005 and November 2005 national championships.

Elana Lovell scored twice for B.C. (1-2-1), while Ling Ling Lok, Taylor Macleod and Player of the Game Alana Baumgartner added singles as the West Coast team improved on its seventh-place finish from the last U18 Women’s Nationals, despite taking the loss. Goaltender Rosanne Wallace turned aside 42 shots in a losing cause, as Saskatchewan outshot B.C. 48-26 overall.