Ooks over Queens in Edmonton

Brent Forster - RDC

The Hockey Queens last hit the ice together in game action on November 25, so facing the NAIT Ooks on Saturday evening was a test after a long layoff. During the time the Queens had off, the NAIT Ooks have faced the SAIT Trojans twice and a Bantam Boys AA team. The Queens couldn't solve the Ooks' goaltender on the night and NAIT picked up a 4-0 home win. 

Tracie Kikuchi started in goal for the Queens while Tara Bouvette was called upon for the Ooks. 

The Queens outshot the Ooks 6-4 in the first period but neither team could score. 

Hayley Douglas gave the Ooks a 1-0 lead at 3:02 and then Brittney Savard added to NAIT's lead while shorthanded at 14:36 of the second period. The RDC Queens fired 10 shots on Bouvette while the NAIT Ooks tested Kikuchi 5 times in the middle frame.

Verca Kuzelova scored a shorthanded marker at 12:59 and added her second of the game at 14:40 of the third period. Kikuchi turned aside 17 third period shots while the Queens tested Bouvette 5 more times. Over 3 periods, the NAIT Ooks outshot the RDC Queens 28-21.

Queens Hockey Head Coach Kelly Coulter noted the difficulty of being sharp after a long break. "We looked very rusty, especially on our power play. We gave up two shorthanded goals which is very uncharacteristic of our team," said Coulter. "We needed to do a better job of getting pucks through to the net as NAIT blocked a lot of shots." 

Coulter liked the effort from a trio of young student-athletes. "Our line of Neisha Germann-Kaitlan Linnell-Nicole Spinks had a strong night with their given ice time," said Coulter.

The third place Red Deer College Queens (9-4-2-0) will host the first place MacEwan University Griffins (12-1-3-0) on Thursday, January 18 at 7:00 p.m. at the ENMAX Centrium.