CWHL Weekend Wrap Up: Top Teams Continue to Win
Les Canadiennes hold off Toronto this weekend (@LesCanadiennes/Twitter)
MONTREAL – The Toronto Furies are still struggling to pick up a win against Les Canadiennes in Montreal. Earlier this season, the Furies swept Les Canadiennes in Toronto but to start the 2017-year, Toronto is 2-5-0-1 in their last eight games. Les Canadiennes’, Marie-Philip Poulin, scored the first goal of the series in a 2-0 win Saturday, and the last goal of the series in a 2-1, overtime win on Sunday.
Les Canadiennes got some great goaltending this weekend, only allowing one goal in the two game series against the Furies. Charline Labonte earned the shutout in game one with 18 saves and minus the Kelly Terry goal in the third period of game two, Labonte was flawless.
In game one, Poulin scored midway through the first period and Les Candiennes relied on their defense throughout the remainder of the contest. Labonte was great but Christina Kessler was also a huge reason the Furies were still in the game late. Kessler made a series of saves in the third that could have broken the game wide open but didn’t finishing the night with 27 saves on 28 shots. Karell Emard scored an empty net, power play goal to put it away for Montreal.
In game two, Montreal got started early in the first again when Ann-Sophie Bettez got a pass from Poulin and buried past Kessler. After some back and forth play in the second and third, Terry evened the score for Toronto with her sixth goal of the season. An exciting end to the third saw the teams struggle to get shots on net, the defense blocked shots and the goaltenders were playing on their heads.
42 seconds into overtime, Poulin scored her 15th goal on the season combining with Bettez, and Julie Chu for the game winner.
Montreal now had to scoreboard watch, as Boston visited first place Calgary. A Boston win or tie, in any game of the series would allow Les Canadiennes a chance to clinch the #1 seed.
Inferno score 13 goals in weekend sweep (@InfernoCWHL/Dave Holland)
CALGARY – The Boston Blades will not be playing in the Clarkson Cup Championship this season but this weekend got a taste of what a Championship caliber team looks like. The Calgary Inferno are one of the best teams on ice, and this weekend sent a message to the rest of the league. The defending champions earned a 9-2 win on Saturday and a 4-0 victory on Sunday to sweep the Blades before the All-Star break.
Much has been made about the Calgary defense and goaltending but the offense has been on a tare recently. The Inferno have five players in the Top 11 of CWHL scoring including rookie, Iya Gavrilova who leads all rookies in points with 11 goals and 8 assists for 19 points. The team also boasts three of the best forwards in the league with Brianne Jenner, Bailey Bram and Rebecca Johnston combining for 69 points between them.
In game one, Calgary scored nine goals in the first two periods before allowing two in the third to dismantle the Blades 9-2. Meaghan Mikkelson scored 33 seconds into the game and got the offensive explosion started. Jessica Campbell and Louise Warren quickly made it 3-0 in the first and on a power play strike; Bram put Boston in a 4-0 hole going into the intermission. The second started much like the first, Mikkelson picking up her second of the game and fifth of the season to make it 6-0. Four different Inferno players would score in the second to get Inferno to a 9-0 lead after 40 minutes of play.
Delayne Brian made 12 saves on 14 shots to earn the win for the Inferno. Calgary outshot Boston 46 to 14 in the contest.
In game two, Boston buckled down defensively and improved on their play from the night before. Bram got the Inferno going in the first period, Brigette Lacquette found the forward for her 12th goal of the year. In the second frame Brianne Jenner and Jill Saulnier scored to make the deficit 3-0 after 40 minutes of play. Boston could not find any offense on Sunday against former Blade, Genevieve Lacasse. Calgary outshot Boston 47 to 14 and earned the 4-0 victory, clinching home ice in the CWHL Clarkson Cup playoffs.
The league will head into All-Star weekend with the playoff picture pretty much set.
Calgary will play Toronto and Montreal will play Brampton.
