Laurentian ladies sit atop OUA standings

Coming into the season, the Laurentian Voyageurs women's hockey team fully expected to at least equal their win total from 2014-2015, and then some. They just didn't necessarily expect to accomplish this feat just three games in.

True, besting a final record of 3-16-5 might seem like a modest initial goal. But given that the team was dead last in scoring, and second worst in goals allowed, improvement was not necessarily going to result in a boatload of additional victories.

So far, however, that has been the case, as the Voyageurs improved to 1-0-2-0 (the OUA have made the move to crediting three points for a win in regulation time, and just two for an overtime win, meaning all games have three points up for grabs), edging the Waterloo Warriors Saturday 2-1 in a shootout.

After a sluggish first period, the LU ladies picked up the pace in the second, but were not rewarded offensively, missing some key opportunities as Waterloo netminder Stephanie Sluys held the fort.

In fact, despite outshooting the Warriors 16-6 in the middle frame, the Voyageurs found themselves trailing 1-0 heading to the third period. Waterloo capitalized on a two-on-one as speedy forward Rebecca Rutherford opted to shoot, finding the top right-hand corner.

But the homeside persevered, finally putting a chink in the armour of Sluys, as Ellery Veerman fired a puck through a crowd, deadlocking the contest at 1-1 at 12:35 of the third period.

A pair of overtime sessions, four on four and three on three, could not produce a winner, with Laurentian netminder Emily Toffoli-Henderson and Sluys coming through with a handful of big saves.

The shootout was all Voyageurs, as rookies Brooklyn Davis and Morgan McCann both made good on their penalty shot attempts, while Toffoli-Henderson was flawless in frustrating the Warriors at the other end of the rink.

Coming on the heels of a 2-1 season-opening overtime win over the Nipissing Lakers, and a 3-2 home opening win over the Laurier Golden Hawks on Friday, the three-game streak has the Voyageurs sitting atop the OUA standings, at least for the time being.

"I notice the experience with our team, the maturity," said Toffoli-Henderson after the game, speaking to the fact that the third year program now features a solid core of athletes that are able to draw on two full years of post-secondary experience.

"I notice that we are a lot more calm and comfortable with the puck, that we're making more tape to tape passes, which is really nice to see."

Throw in some strong performances between the pipes from both the Sudbury Lady Wolves graduate, as well as 2013-2014 sensation Laura Deller, and one has to wonder if a first time appearance in the post-season might be a possibility for the Voyageur women.

"I think I've caught up with the speed of the game," said Toffoli-Henderson. "I'm more comfortable and confident, playing pucks and stuff. I'm just playing the game."

And with the game on the line in the form of a shootout, the former St. Charles Cardinals puckstopper is far from a bundle of nerves. "I find them fun," she smiled. "Obviously, I would rather we win in regular time, but I like to put it all out there in a shootout."

On Friday, coach Stacy Colarossi's squad built up a 3-1 lead on goals from Julie Hébert, Elissa Bertuzzi (power-play) and Emma Léger versus Laurier, holding on late for a 3-2 win.

Jessie Hurrell and Dollee Meigs replied for the Golden Hawks, who outshot Laurentian 39-31, but were stymied by Dellar. The local ladies now take their act on the road for a four-game road swing, beginning with matchups against the York Lions and Brock Badgers next Saturday and Sunday.