Kat in the Hat takes over CIS scoring lead as Martlets stretch streak to 108

Oct. 16, 2011

MONTREAL - Katia Clément-Heydra scored twice and set up another as McGill blanked Ottawa 3-0 in women's hockey at McConnell Arena, Sunday, extending their win streak to 108 games against conference opponents.



It capped a brilliant weekend for the 21-year-old industrial relations sophomore who chalked up a hat-trick two days earlier, in a 6-1 road romp over the Montreal Carabins. She has now taken over the CIS scoring race with seven points in three games, including six goals, three of them game-winners.



Clément-Heydra snapped a scoreless draw with what proved to be the game-winning tally at 12:32 of the second period, then made it 2-0 at 8:32 of the final stanza and set up Ann-Sophie Bettez(former Lakeshore Panther) of Sept-Iles, Que., on the power-play to ice the contest with less than five minutes remaining. Bettez ended up with three points on the day and linemate Mélodie Daoust (former Lac St Louis Select), a freshman from Valleyfield, Que., assisted on the game's first two markers.



McGill thoroughly dominated the Gee-Gees with a lopsided 45-9 advantage in shots on net, including a 21-1 margin in the middle frame. The Martlets played most of the game as if they were on the power-play but were stymied time and time again by goaltender Stéphanie Mercier, a 5-foot-5 freshman from Smooth Rock Falls, Ont., who was making her CIS debut.



McGill veteran Charline Labonté of Boisbriand, Que., needed only nine saves to extend her CIS career record to 38 shutouts in 70 regular season contests. In 153 games overall for the Martlets, the three-time Olympic gold medalist has posted 67 career shutouts.



The Gee-Gees play at Carleton and host Montreal next weekend.



McGill, which owns a 6-2-1 record overall, including a 3-0 mark in conference play, will bring a modest five-game win streak across the border next weekend when they play three games in three nights against NCAA opponents, Oct. 21-23. They take on Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., followed by games against Harvard in Cambridge, Mass., and Brown University in Providence, R.I. The Martlets are 2-2-1 against NCAA teams this season and were 4-4-2 against American institutions last year.



MARTLET MURMURS: On hand to perform the ceremonial faceoff were Canadian Olympians Kim St-Pierre and Catherine Ward, both McGill graduates who won gold for Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and (LAc St Louis girls as well)... The Martlets received their CIS championship commemorative rings in a post-game ceremony at the McConnell Arena Alumni Lounge.



SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman