In her first game back since November, Alexandra Lehmann set up a brick wall in front of the Carleton crease earning her team a 1-0 win over the University of Montreal Carabins with a 43-save shutout. The double overtime win was their first victory in the Ice House this season.
After coming off a tough loss against McGill University, the team came together for Seniors Night and celebrated the graduating players in a pre-game ceremony.
Honoured and accompanied by their families were Ravens captain Leah Scott, assistant captain Bethan Wilson, assistant captain Jennifer Semkowski, defensemen Jordan Beshara, forward Katia Boulianne, forward Hannah Dinovitzer, defensemen Rachel Knee and forward Jenna Mitchell.
“Lots of emotions at the beginning with everyone’s parents out there, but I think we really came together in terms of being there for the senior girls and playing for each other,” said Bethan Wilson, who plays alongside her sister, Megan Wilson.
After a strong, even, first period with seven shots each, only one puck passed Lehmann’s crease early in the second but was immediately waved off for high-sticking, giving the Ravens a second chance.
Montreal continued to come hard at the net, turning an even game into a one-sided one but Lehmann declined their advances every time, stopping 15 shots in the second.
“We know that she’s going to make the saves that we need her to make, and even the ones that we don’t expect her to make and give us a chance and today that was exactly it,” said Pier Martin, assistant coach for the team.
The third period also saw huge exchanges in power plays with ample opportunities to break the scoreless tie. Though Montreal’s goalie Aube Racine stood tall during the home team’s power play chances.
The biggest power play of the game came with 3:32 left in the third period when Carleton’s Bethan Wilson went to the box for interference. With the game on the line, Carleton’s penalty killers held Montreal off the board, pushing the game to overtime.
After a back and forth 4-on-4 overtime, the draw was unable to be solved, bringing them to 3-on-3. A late penalty on Montreal in the final moments of 4-on-4 gave Carleton the advantage and another call on Montreal strengthened the Ravens to 5-on-3.
With the win, the Ravens now hold a 4-8-2 record, each of the four wins coming one each from the other teams in the RSEQ.
The two points earned also gives Carleton a crucial point, ahead of meeting the University of Ottawa, in the race for the final playoff spot.
Looking ahead, Martin says that the focus will be on proving to their opponents that the wins aren’t “a fluke” as they enter the last part of the season.
“It’s going to be all about working hard, outworking them and showing them that we’ve beaten them in the past and that wasn’t a fluke, we’re going to beat them again,” said Martin.
McGill University is one team the Ravens are excited to play against again.
“We’re hoping to get some redemption there and I think we definitely have the potential and some nights it shows and some nights it doesn’t,” says Lehmann.
“I think if we just keep having a good attitude and good energy on the team we can do good things.”
The Ravens will get their rematch against McGill on Jan. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Ice House.
Editor’s note: In a previous version of this article it said Carleton was playing McGill on Jan. 25. They are playing on Jan. 24. The Charlatan regrets the error.
Feature image by Tim Austen.
