Tigers fall in shootout to X-Women

ANTIGONISH, N.S. — Dalhousie fell to St. Francis Xavier University, 3–2, in a shootout at the Keating Centre. Despite a strong performance with 47 saves by Dalhousie's goalie, the X-Women secured the victory with a goal in the extra period.

The first period between Dalhousie and StFX remained scoreless, with both teams generating numerous opportunities. Dalhousie's Grace Beer and StFX's Brooklyn Oakes each made several key saves to keep the game level. Dalhousie had a power play opportunity following a delay of game penalty on StFX's Mackenzie Lothian at 12:28, but they were unable to convert. StFX's Grace Gonyer incurred a double minor for high-sticking at 19:39, giving Dalhousie a late power play chance as the period ended. Despite the flurry of activity, neither team found the back of the net in the opening frame.

Dalhousie took an early lead in the second period with Lexie Small scoring a power-play goal, assisted by Avery Holmes and Hannah Robertson, at 1:35. StFX quickly responded as Lainey Joyce tied the game at 5:02, with assists from Isabella Mariano and Tea Pearce. The X-Women then gained a 2–1 advantage when Ireland McCloskey scored at 9:41, assisted by Joyce and Toby Graham. Despite several attempts from both teams, the period ended with StFX leading 2–1.

At the start of the third period, Leah MacSween quickly put Dalhousie ahead with a goal at 00:16, assisted by Abby Larkin and Holmes. Despite pressure from StFX, Dalhousie's defense, led by goaltender Beer, resisted numerous attempts, including a power play opportunity following a roughing penalty on McCloskey at 16:28. StFX's offensive efforts were frequent, but shots by Lothian and others were consistently denied or missed the target. The period ended with Dalhousie maintaining their slim lead, securing a 2–2 draw with StFX.

The overtime period between Dalhousie and StFX concluded without a winner, as both teams battled intensely but failed to score. Dalhousie's Casey Beisel generated multiple opportunities, including a shot at 1:10 that was saved by Oakes. On the defensive end, Beer was pivotal for Dalhousie, making key saves against shots from Alexis Perry and McCloskey of StFX. The period ended at 5:00 with the score still level, reflecting strong defensive efforts from both sides.

The shootout period began with Dalhousie's Holmes missing her attempt against Oakes. StFX took the lead when Joanna Martinsen converted her shot past Beer. Dalhousie's Larkin and MacSween both missed their chances, allowing the X-Women to maintain their edge. McCloskey's miss for StFX left the door open, but Martinsen's earlier conversion proved decisive as StFX secured the victory.

MacSween scored a goal on five shots, contributing a game-tying effort. Small tallied a power-play goal, adding to her impact on two shots. Holmes added two assists while maintaining a plus-minus of +1. Goaltender Beer made 47 saves, keeping the team competitive throughout the contest.

The Tigers continue their road trip in Moncton on Saturday.