Duncan Hood / McGill Tribune

Fans at McConnell Arena were treated to an unfortunate hiccup this past Sunday as the McGill women’s hockey team lost for the first time in RSEQ conference play since Oct. 29. The Carleton Ravens looked both physically and mentally sharper throughout the course of the game, culminating in their upset 4-3 shootout win over the Martlets. 

McGill entered the game seemingly unprepared, as two minutes in, Ravens defenceman Erin Beaver opened the scoring. Third-year Martlet forward Kim Ton-That answered back just three minutes later, halting Carelton’s quick momentum. McGill struggled to move the puck and establish the pace of the game, a rarity for a team which prides itself on its chemistry and fast-paced tempo. Leading scorer Claudia Bergeron tallied another for the Ravens in the middle of the period and Carleton exited the period with a 2-1 lead despite being outshot 11-5. 

Head Coach Peter Smith was evidently upset with his team’s performance, citing a lack of preparedness from his girls. “I thought we came out flat. I didn’t think we were ready to play the game … I am not 100 per cent sure why, but we just weren’t there today and we couldn’t recover from a flat start,” Smith said. 

The second period was similar for McGill despite some decent scoring chances. Ravens goaltender Tamber Tisdale was strong all afternoon, making key saves to stymie the Martlet offence. However, McGill evened the score when fourth-year defenceman Stacie Tardif pinched in from the point and received a pass from Melodie Daoust before burying it past Tisdale with just 15 seconds left in the frame to notch her first of two goals of the afternoon.  

Smith praised the play of Tardif and other sophomore defenceman Gillian Ferrari, who was noticeably strong on the back end, clearing the way for goaltender Charline Labonte throughout most of the game. “I thought Stacie [Tardif] played well. It was nice to see her get a few today. And I thought Gillian Ferrari was really sharp and strong on the back end. She made up for some of our defensive collapses,” Smith explained. 

McGill looked more aggressive when the third period opened, and Tardif scored her second of the night off of a hard slapshot from the point eight minutes in. The lead was short-lived as Carelton captain Sarah Seiler snapped a shot past Labonte on the powerplay. The Martlets, specifically led by leading scorer Ann-Sophie Bettez, pressed to take the lead, but Tisdale robbed her on a number of occasions, forcing the game into overtime.

The extra frame solved little, and after Bettez saved the Martlets from a quick exit from the shootout, Carleton’s Sydnie MacDonald ended the game with a swift deke past the sprawling Labonte. 

The victory marks the Ravens’ first-ever win in 65 meetings with McGill, dating back to 1999. After the game, the Ravens scrambled to Tisdale to give her the praise she deserved after stopping 36 of 39 shots. 

What went wrong was the question on everyone’s mind after the game since, McGill had beaten Carleton twice already this season by a total margin of 7-1. Smith didn’t believe that the Ravens came into the game with any new adjustments. “Nothing new. They always play us hard, forecheck us hard. I just didn’t think we moved the puck the way we’re capable of moving it. When we did have opportunities, their goalie made some good saves.”

While this game was inconsistent with any past trends, it is only a small speedbump in what has been another dominating season for the Martlets. With the loss, they move to 12-2-0 on the season, and end their nine-game winning streak. They look to erase this losing effort from their minds on Jan. 27 against Ottawa for the beginning of a mini three-game road trip. They meet Carleton again on Jan. 28.