The Ooks women’s hockey team is back for another season as they played their home opener on Oct. 2 against the Medicine Hat College Rattlers. The Ooks are looking to have another strong season and make this their fifth straight season with 14 wins or more.
In the first period the Ooks had many great chances, and it showed as they put up six shots in the first eight minutes of the game. Eventually the Ooks cashed in as assistant captain Maria Ayre scored the first goal to make it 1-0 Ooks. The Ooks also shined defensively as they let up zero shots in the first nine minutes of the period.
Later, Ooks captain Sidney Kobi took a tripping penalty. Rattlers forward Zayda Summach capitalized on the ensuing power play to tie it up at 1-1. But the Ooks would score once again. It was a beautiful backhander from forward Elly Stone to make it 2-1. The shot totals from the first period were 13-5 for the Ooks.
In the second period, both teams only gave up a combined five shots in the first eight minutes. Shortly after, it was Summach who took advantage and tied it up at 2-2 for the Rattlers.
Then, the offense started to pick up from both teams. 15 shots were taken by both teams during the remaining 12 minutes of the period and nine of them were from the Ooks.
Both teams were tied at two after 40 minutes of play. Shot totals after this period were 27-11 in favour of the Ooks.
In the third period, the Ooks had a strong offensive start as they had five out of the first six shots in third. Shortly after, the Ooks would score to take the lead right back.
Captain Kobi floated a shot in from the blue line to make it 3-2 Ooks. The Ooks held down the Rattlers for most of the third period until the final minute.
The Rattlers pulled their goalie, and Rattlers defender Elizabeth Udell tied the game at three with 48 seconds left, sending the game to overtime. The shot totals after regulation time were 36-18 for the Ooks.
In the first overtime period Ooks goaltender Ella Howard came up with a huge stick save with 47 seconds left to keep the game going.
The second overtime came and went, and there was still nothing settled. This sent both teams to a best-of-three shootout. Final shot totals for this game were 38-20 in favour of the Ooks.
In the first round of the shootout, Howard denied Rattlers forward Gracie Soderstrom. In the second round, Ooks forward Kiran Keller scored to give the Ooks the lead in the shootout. In the final round, Howard shut the door, securing the shootout win for the Ooks with a final of 4-3 over the Rattlers.
Ooks goaltender Howard finished the game with a .850 save percentage after stopping 17 of 20 shots. Stone, a Personal Fitness Trainer student, scored her first conference goal in the first period and was deemed player of the game by her team.
