Panthers top X-Women 3-1 to force Game 5

By Reegan MacAulay

With their season on the line, the UPEI Panthers delivered when it mattered most.

Facing elimination after Sunday's 4-0 Game 3 loss, UPEI responded with a 3-1 statement victory over the StFX X-Women in Game 4 of their AUS best-of-5 semifinal Monday night at MacLauchlan Arena, forcing a decisive Game 5.

Backed by a packed and electric crowd, a second-period offensive surge, and much-improved special teams, the Panthers produced a night that perfectly reflected the belief that has defined their season.

"There's a lot of belief (in the room), and they really like one another," Panthers head coach Sean Fisher said. "They're playing really hard for one another and fed off the crowd. We were sorry yesterday we couldn't put a goal or two in the back of the net to let them celebrate and release the energy that was in the building, but we were able to do that tonight."

"That's the best crowd that's probably been in this building for a women's hockey game other than hosting nationals. It was awesome seeing the support from the community, the student body, other varsity teams, our alumni, parents, friends, and family. I know people took airplanes to be here and drove long distances. It was just surreal, honestly, to look up and see that crowd and hear them cheering for us. It was great."

Following Sunday's loss, the message was clear – the seniors had to contribute more.

"The message was that our veteran players had to give us a little more," Fisher said. "I didn't think that they played bad, but we needed a little more from our fourth and fifth-year players, and credit to them. I kind of called them out a little bit in the dressing room, and they were significantly better tonight. We need them to be at their best against an opponent like (StFX)."

Among the seniors who answered the call, Ashley McCutcheon led the charge with the biggest performance of her career in a game she ensured would not be her last.

The fifth-year forward scored a pair of goals, starting with a power-play strike at 2:04, sneaking the puck past X-Women goaltender Brooklyn Oakes off a low shot from the bottom of the right faceoff circle.

McCutcheon later sealed the deal for the Panthers' win at 14:39 of the third; after Kali MacDonald fired a point shot wide, the puck bounced off the back boards and right to an open McCutcheon in the slot, who wired home the insurance goal.

"Coach (Fisher) had been asking for the fourth and fifth-year players to step up, and I was talking to him the other day, and I said, 'There's no one more desperate than those girls because this isn't just do or die for us for the season, but it's do or die for our careers as Panthers'," McCutcheon said.

"I had full belief in that dressing room. I wasn't coming in on my heels. I was more coming in with just belief and hoping that the girls would do their jobs, and that's exactly what they did tonight. I'm happy to be able to support the girls and produce, but it was a team win for sure. I'm so proud of every single girl in that dressing room."

McCutcheon's first goal was not the first of the game, as the X-Women had a much stronger start, leading the shots 11-8 after the first period. Tea Pearce found the back of the net at 13:08 of the first on the power play, firing a high shot over Panthers goaltender Erin Cabaday from the top of the left faceoff circle.

The second period flipped the script, as consistent X-Women penalties allowed UPEI to seize control, shutting down StFX for the remainder of the game. The Panthers went 16-3 in shots in the second frame alone.

After McCutcheon's opening tally, Rachel Richards gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead at 14:00 of the second on the power play, blasting a slap shot from the top of the right circle past Oakes' blocker.

Cabaday denied 21 of 22 shots for the win, while Oakes turned aside 32 of 35 shots. UPEI went 2-for-10 on the power play, and StFX went 1-for-4. McCutcheon was named the Boston Pizza Player of the Game.

Game 5 is set for Thursday night in Antigonish, with a trip to the AUS Finals on the line.

"Sean (Fisher) always talks about us just playing our brand of hockey," McCutcheon said. "We're a great team when we all buy in and row the boat. We're just going to keep pushing here. We're not going to change a single thing when we go down to Antigonish on Thursday. We're going to come out flying and get the job done."

Photos by Janessa Vanden Broek