Huskies top Panthers 2-0

(Halifax, N.S.) The Saint Mary's Huskies (13-3-1) picked up their fourth consecutive win by topping the UPEI Panthers (4-8-6) 2-0 Saturday night at Alumni Arena. 

Brooke Murphy (Balla Phillip, N.B.) and Laura Polak (Bedford, N.S.) lit the lamp for SMU. 

Rebecca Clark (Keswick, Ont.) made 16-saves to pick up the shutout. While, she wasn't overly busy, she had to be sharp as many of her saves came on quality scoring chances. 

Megan Sullivan (Bathurst, N.B.) was the player of the game making 47-saves. She was dialed in all game making big save after big save, while controlling her rebounds and limiting second chance opportunities. 

Murphy put the Huskies on the board with 2:08 left in the first. Kiana Wilkinson (Prince George, B.C.) jumped into the rush and battled for the puck down low in the Panthers zone. Mary Worndl (Kitchener, Ont.) swooped in to pick it up and spotted Murphy in the low slot – Murphy went down to a knee to snap it up over the blocker. 

Polak pushed it to 2-0 with just 24-seconds left in the opening period. Breanna Lanceleve (Middle Sackville, N.S.) forced a turnover at the UPEI blue-line and worked into the zone. She put a pass on Polak's tape and Polak made a move on goal through the right circle before sniping one under the bar from a few feet out. 

Sullivan was the story the rest of the way. Saint Mary's threw a lot of rubber her way over the last two periods and the UPEI net-minder stood on her head to keep it a two-goal game. 

Up next, the Panthers will host the Huskies in Charlottetown P.E.I. on Saturday, January 20 at the Montague Wellness Centre. 

Cam Honey-Webb 

Photo Nick Pearce