Trojans fall in Game 1

EDMONTON, ALTA., (Feb. 27, 2020) - It's now win or go home for the SAIT Trojans women's hockey team.

The Trojans fell 4-2 to the host MacEwan Griffins Thursday night in Game 1 of their Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) women's hockey best-of-three semifinal series played in Edmonton, Alta.

Game 2 of the series will now go Friday night at SAIT at 7pm. If the Trojans lose, they will be eliminated from the playoffs. Game 3, if needed, will be played Saturday night back in Edmonton at 6pm.

The Trojans spotted the three-time defending champs a 2-0 lead in the first period when MacEwan's Chantal Ricker and Sydney Hughson beat SAIT goalie Kayin Schellenberg (2nd year, Calgary, Business Administration).

SAIT cut the lead in half late in the first when Brynn Ferguson (1st year, Regina, Sask., Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant) scored.

The Trojans tied the game with the only goal of the second period, when Brittany MacDonald (3rd year, Calgary, Medical Radiologic Technology) scored with less than two minutes remaining in the middle frame.

In the third, MacEwan would be the only team to score, getting a power play goal from Morgan Casson early in the period, and then a short-handed goal from Jill MacWilliam later on to round out the scoring.

Schellenberg stopped 37 of 41 shots in the loss, while MacEwan goalie Natalie Bender earned the win by turning aside 29 of 31 shots.