(30/01/25) - Ottawa, ON., In a back-and-forth game, the Queen's Gaels Women's Hockey team fall just one goal short 3-2 from the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The Gaels went into the game Thursday evening with a record of 7-13 for the season and fifth in the OUA East, while the Gee-gees held second place with a 12-9 record. The Gaels have just five games left in the regular season and need to win a few more to get back into playoff contention since only the top five in each division progress to the post-season. Previously tied for fifth with the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, with this loss the Gaels fall just one game behind to sixth. 

One of three star's of the game was granted to Gaels goalie no.1 Emma Tennant (Mechanical Engineering) as she made 31 saves out of 34 shot on her net. Tennant was kept busy through most of the game and can be accredited to keeping the game a one goal difference for the Gaels.  This was Tennant's 19th start on the season with a 6-11 record and 9.92 save percentage. The game was largely frustrating for the Gaels as every goal scored was quickly matched by their rivals, making it merely impossible to build momentum after a goal. 

The first period saw the Gaels feeling the pressure in their zone from the Gee-Gees although Tennant was sharp on every save keeping the score null in the opening minutes. The Gaels have been strong on their pk-unit all season so when a boarding foul is called on the Gaels, they strategically close out the two-minutes down a skater with no goal allowed. Two fouls were called on the Gaels during the first and in neither could the Gee-Gees capitalize. With only two minutes left in the first, the Gee-Gees found a way past Tennant and are first to mark up the score-sheet ending the first period leading 1-0.

1:53 minutes off the bench, no. 19 Rebecca Thompson (Environmental Studies) scored the Gaels' first goal and quickly retaliated against the Gee-Gees tying the game 1-1. Thompson was assisted by no. 15 Melissa Parton (Arts and Sciences) and no. 25 Sophy Aldred (Arts and Sciences). Less than two minutes later, the Gee-Gees took back their lead with another goal on Tennant. The Gee-Gees shot 10 on Tennant while the Gaels slowly found moments in the Gee-Gees zone, shooting 2.

With 46 seconds left in the second, the Gaels knotted up the score once again on a shorthanded goal - the first given up so far in the Gee-Gees' season - by no. 16 Taya Leonard (Kinesiology) assisted by no. 26 Mikayla Cranney (Arts and Sciences). Leonard broke out of the Gaels zone and roofed the puck over the reach of Gee-Gees goalie and into the net. From this point it looked as if the Gaels were finding a momentum that could produce a lead in the third, although with just three seconds left in the second the Gee-Gees score to take the lead for the third time and final time.  The second period ended with the Gee-Gees leading 3-2, and saw the shots-on-goal go up 25 (Ottawa) to 15 (Queen's). 

The third period saw no goals made by either teams, although the Gaels began to have an offensive edge over the Gee-Gees.  Unfortunately, none of their efforts could be capitalized into a goal. Tennant kept the Gaels in close contention to their opponents with 9 saves in the third while her teammates made 11 attempts on the net across the ice. The frustrating period came to a end after short shifts and strategic plays in the Gee-Gees zone, and saw the Gaels fall 3-2. Although the Gee-Gees take home this win, the two rivals will meet again on Friday, February 7th at 7:30PM, where the Gaels hope to dominate on a home ice advantage. The Gaels now stand sixth in the OUA East with a 7-14 record one win short of a playoff position. 

Catch the Gaels in action as they continue their set in Ottawa as they take on the Carleton Ravens (5-16) on Friday, January 31st at 7:00PM.  Stream the game live on OUA.TV.