Queens nab valuable points in playoff hunt
Queens 3 Cougars 1
Heading into Thursday’s Alberta Colleges Women’s Hockey League game against the league-leading Mount Royal University Cougars the RDC Queens sat five points out of a playoff spot and with only six games remaining.
But the Queens aren’t going down without a fight, earning a valuable two points in a 3-1 victory over the Cougars at the Arena.
“We had a meeting before practice last night and we’re treating these six games as playoffs,” said Queens head coach Trevor Keeper. “If we move beyond that, which is our ultimate goal, then that would be the second round of the playoffs.”
The Queens had their hands full with the older and more experienced Cougars, who managed 38 shots on rookie netminder Toni Ross, who recorded her first ACAC victory.
Ross found out Wednesday evening she’d be starting after sitting and watching Camille Trautman play for most of the time since Christmas.
“I was excited to get the chance to play, but Camille has been awesome and I’m just happy to get a game in.”
Keeper said it was a bit of a hunch to start the Verwood, Sask., native.
“She hasn’t started for a few games and we know she’s a good goaltender and has been battling in practice. We wanted to give her an opportunity to play at home. It was a hunch and she was up to it. Now we have to make a decision about tomorrow.”
The Queens play at MRU today.
Ross came to camp this season on the recommendation of the University of Alberta Pandas coaching staff.
“They told me to come here, so basically I was here on a tryout basis and it turned out OK,” she said. “It’s been good playing alongside Camille. She’s very technically sound so I watch her a lot ,and see what she’s doing, so I can improve.”
Ross, who is listed at five-foot-two, was technically sound herself, squaring up to the shooter and not fighting the puck.
“I’ve been working on playing bigger and getting my gloves up,” she explained.
“I made sure I watched the puck and tried to be in the right place. Plus we got a few bounces go our way.”
“Toni made some timely saves, plus we did a good job of limiting them from getting second shots or shots in the slot,” said Keeper.
The Cougars did spend more time in the Red Deer zone than visa versa, especially in the third period, but for the most part the Queens defence did a good job of eliminating second shots and keep a lot of chances to the outside.
“Mount Royal had a lot of puck pressure and I was worried whenever there was a rebound,” said Ross. “But my defence helped me out a ton, without them I’d be in trouble.”
Emily Harrison ruined Ross’ shutout bid with a power play marker from the slot at 7:09 of the third period, making the score 2-1.
“It was bit of a letdown, but a win is a win and so I don’t really care,” she said.
‘This is our biggest win for now, but the next one is just as big.”
Keeper was impressed the way Ross and the team handled the Mount Royal goal.
“We were proud of the way the girls handled the situation when Mount Royal scored. No one was nervous, everyone was in control and we stuck to our game.”
Jena Holden opened the scoring for RDC at 9:38 of the first period when she took a feed from Jayna Kitchen and walked in on MRU starter Jessica Ross and picked the corner on the stick side.
Rachael Hoppins made it 2-0 at 8:07 of the second period on the goal of the game as she deked the Cougars defence at their blueline and then beat Ross with a perfect backhand just under the bar on the short side.
Kitchen put the game away with 7.6 seconds left, hitting the open net from just inside her own blueline.
It was her eighth goal of her rookie season, tying her for third in the league.
Cougars head coach Scott Rivett pulled Jessica Ross after the second RDC goal. She finished with eight saves while replacement Kendall Kilgour made six saves.
After tonight the Queens face Grant MacEwan and NAIT to round out their regular season. Fourth-place SAIT meets MacEwan this weekend and NAIT next.
drode@reddeeradvocate.com
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