Tommies surge past Tigers

At the start of the day the St. Thomas Tommies and Dalhousie Tigers were tied in the AUS standings with 16 points apiece. Not any more. STU rode a 3 goal first period to a decisive 5 - 2 victory over Dalhousie this afternoon and sole possession of 3rd place in the league.

The Tommies got rolling on the powerplay at 6:08 when Sweet Caroline Hammerheim fired the puck home from the side of the net off a nice feed from Lyse Rossignol. Lucrese Nussbaum got the the second assist. Thirty two seconds later Katie Brewster would get her second goal of the season from Charity Walls and Dominique Bernier for a two goal lead. Dal would cut that lead in half at 11:22 when Miranda McMillan scored on the powerplay but Kelly Matthews would restore the 2 goal advantage at 19:28 from Rossignol and Kayla Blackmore.

Dominque Bernier would put St. Thomas up by three at 6:51 of the second frame off some fine passing on a 2 man powerplay. Nussbaum and Blackmore got the helpers. STU held the advantage in shots over two periods, 20 to 13.

Dalhousie came out desperate in the third but couldn't beat Julia Sharun to close the gap. When Katie Brewster took a hooking penalty at 12:20 of the period the Tigers gambled and pulled Ashley Boutilier in an attempt to spark the team. The gamble failed as Bernier gained control of the puck at the Tommies blueline and rushed up ice before feeding Amy Kelbaugh for the shorthanded empty net marker at 13:30. Miranda McMillan scored with 2 seconds remaining on a 5 on 3 powerplay at 18:29 but that was as close as the Tigers could get, as Julia Sharun picked up her 4th win of the season.

With her three points on the afternoon, Dominique Bernier received first star honours. Final shots on goal were even at 26 apiece. Next up for St. Thomas is a home game against first place St-FX next Saturday afternoon at 2 PM. This will be a great game.