Panthers fall to Aigles Bleues 3-2

MONCTON, NB—A two-goal performance in the 3rd period from AUS leading goal scorer Erica Plourde allowed the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues (14-10-0-2=30pts, 5th position) to defeat the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers (7-16-0-3=17pts, 7th position) 3-2 on Friday at J.-Louis-Lévesque Arena.

Plourde scored twice at 5:36 and 17:44 in the third with the winner for her 18th goal of the season. Aigles Bleues player of the game, Cassandra Call, scored the first goal in the 2nd period to tie the game at 1-1 after Kierra St. Peter's goal for the visitors at 6:51. There were no goals in the first period. 

Plourde made it 3-1, but the Panthers didn't give up and with their goalie on the bench in favor of a 6th forward, McKinley Nelson scored her team's 2nd. The equalizer didn't arrive. Moncton held a 34-19 advantage in shots on goal. Annick Boudreau was the winning goaltender in nets and Sarah Forsythe took the loss. Moncton had one power-play goal on 3 chances and UPEI has 0-for-2.  

The Panthers still made their presence felt on the ice even with a shooting deficit. The players were able to annihilate some of the Aigles Bleues menacing attacks. Both goaltenders were able to keep their team in the game.  

It was the only game of the weekend for Marc-André Côté's team, which has already secured its qualification for the end-of-season playoffs. The Panthers, meanwhile, were eliminated from the postseason. 

The Aigles Bleues next game will be Wednesday night in Antigonish against the St. Francis Xavier University X-Women. The Panthers visit the Tommies at St. Thomas University on Friday.

RECAP/PHOTOS COURTESY: UdeM Sports Information