Palumbo and Hirsch help Queens sink Trojans in Calgary

Brent Forster - Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics

Calgary, AB - This season Queens Hockey Head Coach Kelly Coulter has expressed confidence in all three of his goaltenders.

That confidence has been warranted as the Polytechnic's netminders lead the league with a minuscule 1.17 goals against average and 0.956 save percentage.

Friday evening, RDP's Izzy Palumbo received her first start in goal and helped the visitors pick up a 5-1 victory over the SAIT Trojans. Queens third-year forward Mary Hirsch was excellent, contributing four points. 

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens hit the scoreboard first.

Queens defender Kiera Mulder started the play by carrying the puck into the Trojans' zone. Then Hirsch took control, feeding Natalie Buttle on the left side of the slot. Buttle, a first-year Bachelor of Kinesiology student, quickly beat Trojans goalie Ali Kieren for her third goal and fourth point of the season. 

Buttle (2)

About midway through the second, Hirsch, a Bachelor of Science Nursing student deposited a rebound into the open cage for a two goal cushion. 

Then the SAIT Trojans capitalized on a five-on-three power play to pull within one. Pyper Alexander squeezed one through Palumbo's pads at 11:55 of the middle stanza.

Red Deer Polytechnic tacked on a trio in the final frame to seal a 5-1 win. Hirsch added a pair of goals, the Queens' third and fifth, recording a hat trick. Captain Camryn Wallan scored the team's fourth.

Golden's Palumbo was outstanding in net, turning aside 42 out of 43 shots (0.978) and earning her first win in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC).

Palumbo

With a four point performance, Hirsch was named the Queens Player of the Game. The student-athlete from Calgary has three goals and five assists over six games.

Alexander took the honour for SAIT.

The RDP Queens went one-for-six on the power play. The SAIT Trojans converted once on five tries. 

The second place Red Deer Polytechnic Queens (5-1) will host the SAIT Trojans (1-6) on Saturday, January 29 at 7 pm.