KINGSTON, Ont. (February 18, 2020) - The women's hockey OUA quarter-final playoffs get started on Wednesday night and the Queen's Gaels will host the Nipissing Lakers in game one of their best-of-three series Wednesday at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available at gogaelsgo.com/tickets and Queen's Students along with Jr. Gaels are FREE. The game will also be streamed live on OUA.tv.
The Gaels finished the season with an 11-9-3-1 record to secure the 7th spot in the OUA playoffs and Nipissing finished 2nd in the OUA with a 14-7-2-1 record. The Lakers will host games two and three of the series in North Bay on Friday and Saturday nights.
SHUTOUT STREAK
The Gaels came through in spades over their final four games of the season winning all four with three straight shutouts to end the season and clinch a playoff spot.
The Gaels shutout streak now runs at 229 minutes and 53 seconds and
Makenzy Arsenault has been in net for Queen's throughout the streak. She has stopped of 103 her last 104 shots faced.
SEASON SERIES
Queen's and Nipissing met twice during the OUA regular season and both times it was the Gaels who came out on top with 2-1 decisions.
On November 23, in North Bay, a goal from
Scout Watkins Southward mid-way through the third period held up to secure the 2-1 victory. Back in Kingston on January 4,
Emma McKnight and
Alex Maw scored goals just 2:28 a part in the first period. That was all the Tricolour needed for their second 2-1 win over the Lakers with Arsenault picking up both victories.
LAST PLAYOFF MEETING
Queen's and Nipissing last met in the OUA playoffs during the 2017-18 season where the Gaels swept the Lakers in the OUA semi-final winning 3-2 in overtime at Nipissing and closing the series at home 2-1. Then a rookie,
Taylor Hicks scored the overtime winner at Nipissing and
Addi Halladay had a two-point effort in the clinching game.
STAT LEADERS
Offensively,
Kaylie Dennis led the Gaels with 11 points while Alexandra Maw was just behind with 10 on the season.
Quinn Johnston had seven goals to lead Queen's. Defender
Nicole Posesorski led the defence with nine points, scoring four goals with two coming on the power play.
In net, the Gaels are led by
Makenzy Arsenault who finished with a 2.11 GAA, 0.917 SV% and an OUA leading five shutouts.
For Nipissing the Lakers had six players finish with 10 or more points including Maria Dominico with 20 and Malory Dominico with 16. Malory also had a team-leading 11 goals.
Defender Katelyn Heppner led all Laker defence with 12 points.
In net Nipissing's Danika Ranger finished with the 5th best GAA in the OUA at 1.72 and boasts a 0.925 SV%.
SCHEDULE
Game 1: Wednesday, Feb. 19 | Nipissing at Queen's | 7:30 pm
Game 2: Friday, Feb. 21 | Queen's at Nipissing | 7:30 pm
Game 3: Saturday, Feb. 22 | Queen's at Nipissing | 7:30 pm (if necessary)
