TORONTO (February 26, 2017) - The Queen's Gaels lost in double overtime 2-1 to the No.10 Toronto Varsity Blues in their deciding game three of the OUA quarter-final playoffs. Queen's is eliminated from the McCaw Cup OUA playoffs and will turn their focus to the U SPORTS national championship starting March 16 as hosts.

GAME FLOW
The final game of the best-of-three series started off with a similar pace leftover from game two as both teams made use of the penalty box. In the first half of the opening period, each team had a pair of powerplay opportunities. The two goaltenders Stephanie Pascal (Sudbury, Ont.) for Queen's and Valencia Yordanov for Toronto held their own as the game stayed scoreless.

Toronto took advantage of some miscommunication between the Gaels to open the scoring in the opening period. Kassie Roache picked up the puck just past the Gaels blue line and forced her way to the net where she slipped a backhand shot past Pascal for her first of the playoffs.

The Gaels were outshot 17-3 in the opening period but were able to get their chances in the second, outshooting Toronto 7-3. One of those shots came off the stick of Megan Farrell (Midhurst, Ont.) who broke down the ice in on the right wing and cut to the front of the net past a Toronto defender where she got just enough on a shot that trickled past Yordanov. The goal was Farrell's first of the playoffs with Emily Gervais (Kamloops, B.C.) and Nadia Larocca (Mississauga, Ont.) picking up the assists.

The third period saw both teams with a flurry of chances, but the best went to Katrina Manoukarakis (Scarborough, Ont.) who broke in on Yordanov but was denied. After a scoreless third period the game went to overtime with Toronto outshooting Queen's 30-13.

It took double overtime before a winner could be decided. Both goaltenders held their own throughout the two overtime frames making save after save. In the end, it was a shot from Meagan O'Brien of the Varsity Blues that went for the game-winner.

BY THE NUMBERS
46 - Saves for Pascal in the loss
15 - Saves in OT for Yordanov compared to just 13 through regulation
24 - Penalty minutes combined between the two teams

UP NEXT
Queen's will hit the ice on March 16 in Napanee at the Strathcona Paper Centre as they host the U SPORTS women's hockey national championship.Napanee at the Strathcona Paper Centre as they host the U SPORTS women's hockey national championship.