On Nov. 25, the Brock women’s hockey team headed to Waterloo to face Wilfred Laurier for their first of three eventual matchups this season.
Brock dominated the first ten minutes of the game, not allowing Laurier a ton of offensive zone time as they cycled in the Laurier zone and peppered the goaltender with shots. But through the second half of the first, Laurier started to generate chances off the rush, forcing the Brock goaltender Tiffany Hsu to make eight saves.
Hsu’s best save of the period came at the 11:55 minute mark when Laurier had a two-on-one and Hsu slid across her crease to make a glove save, robbing the Laurier player.
Laurier came out strong to start the second period, managing the first shot on goal. The Goldenhawks continued to press forcing the Badgers to ice the puck three times. On the defensive zone draw following the icing, the Badgers lost the draw, leading to a shot on net in which Hsu was not able to control the rebound and Laurier player Chloe Davidson scored, putting them up 1-0, early in the second period.
But it would not take Brock long to respond as just over one minute later Claudia Murphy’s shot from the point was tipped by Maddie Nicholson off the pad of Acadia Carlson. Nicholson proceeded to shoot the puck off the goalpost and Camie Matteau Rushbrook batted home the rebound for her first OUA goal, tying the game 1-1.
The rest of the second period was dominated by the Badgers as they outshot Laurier 13-7 and hit one post towards the end of the period.
The third period was back and forth action but Laurier was the better team, managing to up Brock in the shot differential nine to seven. But neither team found the back of the net and for the fifth time this season, the Badgers headed to overtime.
Brock controlled the first minute of overtime cycling it in the Laurier end leading to a shot on goal that was smothered by Carlson. The Badgers won the offensive zone draw leading to another minute of sustained zone time but they were unable to get any shots on goal.
The Goldhawks countered the other way on a two-on-one but a shot off the left wing was calmly stopped by Hsu. The next five minutes of overtime would solve nothing as the battle between goaltenders Hsu and Carlson continued. The game would need a shootout in which Brock is 1-1 this year.
The first eight shots from each team were stopped by the goaltenders. It would be Brock’s Mishayla Christensen in the bottom of the ninth round that beat Carlson low glove to end the game. That marks Brock’s second time winning back-to-back games this season, the last time coming off a shootout win against Queens on Oct. 29.
The Badgers returned home the next day for the matchup against the Western Mustangs. A game that was influenced heavily by the referees as 22 of the 60 minutes were played on the powerplay between the two teams.
Despite Brock’s sustained pressure throughout the game, managing at least seven shots in each period and another terrific performance from Hsu who made 15 saves in the second, a late third-period goal by Western’s Sarah Irwin was the only one in the game.
Brock lost the second of the back-to-back, 1-0 as they continue to struggle at home.
Brock’s next two games are at home on Dec. 2 and 3 against Nippising and Waterloo.
Tickets can be bought here or the game can be streamed on OUAtv. All scores, stats, and the schedule can be found at gobadgers.ca