KINGSTON, Ont. - The Golden Hawks started their first road trip of the season Friday night with a 1-0 overtime win over Queen's to sweep a home-and-home against the Gaels.
Coming off a 4-2 win last Friday, Laurier was eager to ride their momentum into the Memorial Centre.
Regulation saw relentless grit and determination on the ice, with defence at the forefront to maintain the scoreless tie throughout the game.
Laurier's defence held strong; blocking shots and keeping Queen's offensive pushes at bay.
Queen's defence, led by goaltender Emma Tennant's solid performance, absorbed 14 Laurier shots, particularly in a high-pressure third period, as the purple and gold ramped up its offence.
Tennant faced a final push from Laurier's forwards but held her ground, turning aside several dangerous chances.
The penalty kill units were also pivotal, with both teams effectively neutralizing power plays as both teams went a combined 0 for 3 with the player advantage.
In the dying minutes of overtime, Laurier goaltender
Kayla Renaud made a crucial save on a 2-on-0 chance, leading to a loose puck that
Elle Spencer picked up.
Despite being at the end of her shift, she used her adrenaline to fire the puck glove side, securing the win for the Golden Hawks.
Renaud was a key player for Laurier, posting an impressive 25-save shutout, her first of the season.
"[Kayla] kept us in that game for sure," said manager of women's hockey operations and head coach
Kelly Paton. "While giving up 2-on-0's is not ideal, we are still proud of that win and want to keep doing that. But we still want to make some key adjustments to our style of play for our game tomorrow."
The Golden Hawks continue their road trip Saturday afternoon in Oshawa when they take on Ontario Tech. Puck drop is at 3:30 p.m.
Catch the action live on OUA.tv and check @WLUAthletics on X for updates.
