Pietroski Carries Tommies to 1-0 Win Over Reds

Fredericton, NB - The Atlantic University Sport Women's Hockey season opener was nothing short of excitement at the Grant-Harvey Centre - in the 13th round of the shootout, Emma Wilson (Midhurst, ON) cut wide before bringing the puck from forehard to backhand to slip the puck by the University of New Brunswick Reds' goalie, Kendra Woodland (Kamloops, BC) for the first goal of the night. St. Thomas University Tommies' goalie Caroline Pietroski (Etobicoke, ON) would stop the next shot of the shootout to end the night, giving the Tommies an opening night win over the defending AUS champions. The save would also top off Pietroski's incredible night - a 49 save shutout, the most in her STU career.

"We just wanted to set the tone for the season and I think we did just that," Pietroski said after her performance. When asked about the shootout, she said she couldn't recall what was going through her head. "I might've just been blanking out," she said after facing 13 shooters. "I'm not sure what was going on," she said, followed by a laugh from her and the coaching staff.

But it wasn't just Pietroski making all of the stops tonight - Woodland stopped all 21 shots she faced in regulation and overtime play, followed by 12 of 13 shooters in the shootout, as the Reds and Tommies both found multiple chances at the net, unable to get the puck past the goal line all night.

UNB kicked off the game with a 2-on-1 chance minutes into the game and had another one in the second, causing Pietroski to slide across her crease in desperation. It lead to a scoring chance from Wilson on the other side of the ice, making a move to get to the net before being met by Woodland's pad. Much like the regulation play, overtime featured much of the same - chances that could not get by either goalie.

Tommies head coach Peter Murphy said it was a great game. 

"They basically returned their team from last year where [the Reds] won," he said. "I thought the girls did really well."

After a slow start which saw the Reds heavily outshooting STU, Murphy said his players were able to put the shot total behind them and started generating chances. When asked about Pietroski, Murphy said he's run out of things to say.

"It is what it is ... she's one of, if not the best goalie," he said about his third-year leader. "She's phenomenal."

The Tommies are back in action tomorrow, visiting the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers. The Reds will take on the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleues the same day.