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CANADA ENDS MIDGET SERIES WITH SHOOTOUT LOSS TO FLAMES
CALGARY, Alta. – Gillian Apps (Unionville, Ont.), Meghan Agosta (Ruthven, Ont.) and Sarah Vaillancourt
(Sherbrooke, Que.) scored goals 4:51 apart early in the third period to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2
advantage, but Canada’s National Women’s Team could not hold the lead and came out on the short end of a 5-4
shootout decision against the Calgary Flames on Friday night.
The game marked the end of the NWT Midget Series – Canada finished with a 16-10 record against teams from
the Alberta Midget Hockey League.
It was the Flames who carried the play in the opening 20 minutes, outshooting Canada 13-6 and taking a 1-0
lead on a goal by Spencer Brennan, who chipped a rebound past Canadian netminder Shannon Szabados (Edmonton,
Alta.) on a Calgary power play.
Canada would tie the game just 65 seconds into the second period, as Caroline Ouellette (Montreal, Que.)
took advantage of a fortuitous bounce in the slot and snapped a shot over the blocker of Flames goaltender
Alexander Caravaggio, but Calgary captain Kieran O’Neil restored the one-goal lead late in the middle
frame.
Apps drove the net to tie the game at the 2:29 mark of the third period, taking a few whacks at the puck
before finally knocking it past Caravaggio, Agosta gave Canada its first lead at 4:53, slipping the puck
under Caravaggio on a Canadian power play, and Vaillancourt picked up a Catherine Ward (Montreal, Que.)
rebound and deposited it past Caravaggio at 7:20 for a two-goal advantage.
But just as they did on Wednesday night in a shootout win over the Calgary Royals, Canada could not hold
the lead and power play goals from O’Neil and Gianni Mangone forced overtime.
After an end-to-end extra frame failed to produce the winner, Canada failed on five-consecutive shootout
attempts, with Jayna Hefford (twice), Vaillancourt (twice) and Ouellette all missing on their shots.
Brandon Long finally won it for the Flames in the fifth round, snapping a shot over the glove of
Szabados.
Canada departs Sunday for a week in Jasper, Alta., before heading to Vancouver, where it opens the 2010
Olympic Winter Games on February 13 against Slovakia.
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