Forsythe’s 30-save shutout and Thompson’s clutch goal power Panthers to 1-0 win over Huskies

By Thomas Becker

The UPEI Panthers secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Saint Mary's Huskies in an evenly matched contest Saturday night, with veteran goaltender Sarah Forsythe delivering a sensational performance.

Forsythe was flawless between the pipes, turning aside all 30 shots she faced to earn the shutout.

"Shutouts are always special, and it's great to have this one under my belt, but we don't win games without putting the puck in the net," Forsythe said. "I'm just grateful that everyone showed up and battled hard for all three periods tonight."

In a game dominated by defence and special teams, Carly Thompson provided the game's only goal early in the third period. Her heroics came at 3:36 of the final frame when she capitalized on an odd-player rush. Thompson picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone, skated into the offensive end, and fired a wrist shot past Huskies goaltender Ridleigh Hansen, who finished the game with 22 saves. 

"I thought about passing, but the defence stepped up and left the shot open. I saw a gap on the short side, took it, and was happy to see it go in," Thompson said after the game. "We really needed this win tonight. It was huge for our team, and we're excited to get back in the win column."

Both teams had their chances to break the deadlock earlier, especially on the power play, but neither could convert. The Panthers (2-3-1) went 0-for-9 with the player advantage, while the Huskies were equally stymied, going 0-for-8.

The Huskies (3-2-1) came close to breaking through in the first period with a dangerous two-on-one chance, but Forsythe was up to the task, making a brilliant glove save on Avery Cant's wrist shot from the left circle.

Despite the struggles on the power play, both squads impressed with the penalty kill, particularly during the second period, when each team had a brief five-on-three opportunity. However, defensive play and stellar goaltending kept the game scoreless through 40 minutes, setting the stage for Thompson's game-winner in the third period.

"That's a big win for us on home ice," said head coach Sean Fisher. "We spent the majority of the week working on defending and checking, and it was great to see our players implement that tonight and help us earn two big points."

With the win, the Panthers look to build on this momentum as they head to Antigonish next Friday to take on the St. FX X-Women, while the Huskies battle it out with the Dalhousie Tigers.

Photo Credit: Janessa Vanden Broek