BOX SCORE LONDON, Ont. (February 27, 2013) - The Queen's Gaels took game one of their best-of-three OUA Championship series beating the Western Mustangs 4-0 on Wednesday night in London. Karissa Savage (Calgary) stopped 26 shots for the shutout and Taryn Pilon (Peterborough, Ont.) scored two goals, including the winner.

The Gaels will now return home to Kingston and host game two on Friday night at the Memorial Centre as they look to get the series sweep for the OUA Championship. Puck drop is set for 7:30PM, for ticket informaton click here.

If necessary game three will be Sunday at 3:30PM at the Memorial Centre in Kingston.

WEBCAST SCHEDULE:
Friday @ Queen's, 7:30PM - LIVE ON QTV and SSN
Sunday @ Queen's, 3:30PM^{*if necessary} - LIVE ON QTV and SSN

Queen's came out firing in the first period outshooting the Mustangs 22 to 11. Gaels captain Kristin Smith (Toronto) started things off with a few great chances on the backhand but couldn't get the puck past Western starting goalie and OUA All-Star Kelly Campbell (St. Thomas, Ont.).

The Mustangs went to work on the first power play of the series mid-way through the first period. Western worked the puck well to Tara Cation (Caledon, Ont.) who quarterbacked the point but Queen's was able to clear the front of the net from any second chances.

Allie Biglieri (Toronto) got in on the action for Queen's, stepping up in the play and getting a shot off the shoulder of Campbell who got enough to deflect the puck wide.

Casey Rosen (Toronto) later broke down the right wing for Western firing a shot up high on the glove of Savage, the starting goaltender for Queen's, who held on for the face-off. The Mustangs controlled the puck off the draw and Savage was up to task on Rosen again in front of the Queen's net.

After the Gaels were unable to beat Campbell on a power play, Smith nabbed a loose puck off the boards and fired a shot on net. Campbell let loose a big rebound out front and Pilon shovelled the puck past the Western goaltender to give the Gaels a 1-0 advantage.

Danielle Girard (Sarnia, Ont.) put the Gaels up 2-0 early in the second period with her first of the post-season coming on the power play. After Kingston native Marlee Fisher kept the puck in at the blue line, Brittany McHaffie (Guelph, Ont.) circled the net and flipped the puck out front into a crowd, Girard got her stick on it and beat Campbell giving the Gaels a 2-0 lead.

The two teams tightened up their defensive play in the second period as the shot count went from 33 total in the first to only 15 in the second. Queen's defensive play was strong, keeping the Mustang shots away form the net while blocking everything they could.

Off of a Kryshandra Green (Caledon, Ont.) shot that went wide of the net,  the Gaels turned up ice and Brittany McHaffie stepped over the blue line and into the slot, wristing a shot on the high blocker of Campbell who made the save.

The final half of the period saw both teams take multiple penalties but neither side was able to take advantage with their respective power play opportunities.

In the final period the Gaels once again got on the scoreboard early. Pilon managed to get her stick on a point shot from OUA All-Star Katie Duncan (Kitchener, Ont.) putting the Gaels up with a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Western finally started to get some momentum going in the third with a few power play opportunities but were unable to beat Savage. With the Mustangs on the power play they pulled their goalie late in the game. Gaels forward and OUA All-Star Morgan McHaffie (Guelph, Ont.) got to centre ice and sealed the victory for the Gaels with an empty net shorthanded goal to make it 4-0.

Savage stopped 26 shots for the win, her third of the playoffs, while Campbell stopped 34 of the 37 shots she faced. The Gaels had three players with multi-point efforts as, along with Pilon and her two goals, Smith added two assists and Girard a goal and an assist. The Gaels finished the game outshooting Western 38-26.