Goalie Nieve Seeley called her shutout in the Carleton Ravens women’s hockey exhibition opener a “fresh start.”
Seeley played just under two periods as the Ravens fell to the John Abbott College Islanders 2-1 in overtime on Sept. 2. It was the second-year Ottawa native’s first Carleton shutout.
“It was a good confidence booster for the season,” Seeley said.
She stopped all 12 shots and helped kill off multiple penalties. She left with the Ravens up 1-0 through a goal scored by Katia Boulianne.
John Abbott tied the game up late in the third period and threatened to take the lead, but were stymied by rookie Alexandra Lehman, Seeley’s backup. Carleton killed off multiple penalties before Islanders forward Hailey Burns netted the overtime winner.
Despite the loss, Ravens’ head coach Pierre Alain praised the new players and the penalty kill.
He pointed out he was “especially proud” of Seeley.
“She was very good,” he said. “She kept us in the game, and she’s our player of the game.”
For Seeley, it was a “good result” to start the new season, especially given her concussion woes last year.
The former Ottawa Lady 67’s Intermediate AA goalie suffered a concussion after being hit by a puck in the head during practice last November.
“Patience is key in your recovery, especially for your health and everything like that,” she said.
Seeley said she didn’t take her concussion seriously at first, having not told anyone about it initially despite the signs and having thrown up on the bus during a road trip.
“I think learning from that experience, you have to treat your body, you have to listen to the signs of your body, and if it’s telling you [that you] can’t take something, don’t do it,” she said.
Seeley’s moment of realization came after she went to watch a game two days later.
“With concussions, arenas are pretty bad—the fluorescent lighting and stuff—and right after that, I had a really, really bad week just because I went out [to the game],” she said.
Seeley said she went through bed rest and had to take a break from school, and looking at her phone or any technology for a month afterwards.
Seeley will share the net with fifth-year player Katelyn Steele. She mentioned the team’s goal to make the playoffs, the newcomers’ potential and her hopes to have a successful and enjoyable season.
“If the season isn’t fun, and you’re winning every game, then there’s no point of playing,” she explained. “I think having fun and playing well goes hand-in-hand, same with not having fun and losing goes hand-in-hand.”
The Ravens finished last season out of the playoffs, and last in the RSEQ conference. Despite the opening defeat, Seeley called it “a strong outing.”
“You just got to put in the past what’s in the past, and every game’s a new game, and every season’s a new season,” she said.
Since then, Seeley said she’s also learned to take concussions and any head injuries seriously.
“Obviously, another concussion would be really, really bad, so we got to just roll with the punches,” she said.
Photo provided
