The Carleton Ravens women’s hockey team fell by a score of 5-1 to the University of Ottawa (U of O) Gee-Gees on Nov. 14 at the Ice House.
“We didn’t start well,” Ravens head coach Pierre Alain said after the game. “You need to work . . . but we didn’t work enough, we were outworked today.”
The Gee-Gees opened the scoring with a controversial goal midway through the first period, as players in the crease knocked over Ravens goaltender Katelyn Steele before U of O forward Carol-Ann Upshall shot the puck into the wide open net. After the officials convened and discussed the play, it was ultimately deemed a goal.
Throughout the period, Ottawa controlled the play by peppering Steele with 15 shots on goal, while holding the Ravens to only five shots.
Gee-Gees forward Cindy Laurin extended the lead for U of O when she cut into the slot and sent a wrist shot past Steele.
Before the end of the period, U of O forward Shanie Deschatelets added her third goal of the season to extend the Gee-Gees’ lead to three.
The Ravens were able to cut the deficit to two goals midway through the second period, when Ravens forward Jenna Mitchell deflected a shot from the point and sent it past Gee-Gees goaltender Maude Levesque-Ryan.
The physical play then began to intensify through the rest of the game. Alain said he believes there should have been more penalties called against both teams.
“We always need to play physical, within the rules . . . [but] I think it was a little too loose in the third,” Alain said. “I would have given my players a penalty. It’s okay if it’s physical, but [the referee] kept her whistle in her pocket.”
While the Ravens’ penalty kill has only been successful 77 per cent of the times this season, they were able to prevent the top power play team in the nation from scoring on four opportunities.
The Ravens were unable to generate a comeback later in the game, as Gee-Gees forward Roxanne Rioux tallied a pair of goals later in the second and third periods.
After the game, Alain said his team lacked readiness ahead of the game.
“You need to work to show what we’ve practiced, but we didn’t work enough and we were outworked by the opponent,” Alain said. “We still weren’t ready to play in the first.”
“We need to sort it out and we’re going to find a solution,” he said.
Now six games into the season, the Ravens find themselves with a 2-4 record, and have lost two straight games.
“Against top-ranked teams in the country, we’re playing well,” Alain said. “It’s a matter of mentality and we need to change that.”
The Ravens will look to bounce back on Nov. 18 when they take on the Université de Montréal Carabins at the Centre d’éducation physique et des sports de l’Université de Montréal.
