Jefferson Hagen, MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Two nights after goaltending partner Brianna Sank sunk the NAIT Ooks with a 21-save Game 1 shutout, Natalie Bender blanked them on all 20 attempts in Game 2 on Saturday as the MacEwan Griffins won 3-0 to gain a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference championship series.
Bender's scintillating toe save with 27 seconds left in the first period off a point-blank Cassidy Shandro one-timer was perfectly timed and perfectly executed.
"I think it's more reaction – it's instinct," said Bender. "The puck's coming and you do whatever you can to stop it. It went my way."
It was the type of save that changed the momentum for MacEwan as they went into the room tied 0-0 and came out flying in a dominant second period where they took control of the game.
"Bender was outstanding," said MacEwan head coach Lindsay McAlpine. "I couldn't be prouder of our two goaltenders who have gone in against a really offensive NAIT team and come up with critical saves for us in big moments. Those are huge momentum-shifters."
Just 50 seconds into the second period, Chantal Ricker picked up a rebound and deked around Kaitlyn Slator before Morgan Casson finished it off to open the scoring. MacEwan came in waves after that and had multiple high danger chances to extend their lead.
Slator, who made 29 saves in the game, though, was equal to the task, keeping her team in it with point blank saves on a Jill MacWilliam tip at 12:20, robbing Shyla Kirwer in front at the end of a powerplay at 11:43, stopping Amanda Murray's hot shot from the slot at 9:14 and denying Jordyn Reimer at 4:53 after she had a go at a rebound while all alone at the side of the net.
"That's kind of our Griff style of play and I think we played into it really, really well," said McAlpine. "We never stopped moving our feet, we moved the puck well, we created energy. I think every time they turned around there was a Griffins player on them in that period. Could we have scored more? Potentially. I thought Slator played really, really well. But it set us up well for the third."
That's when Reimer put the Griffins up 2-0 with 12:13 left, deflecting Casson's deflection of Carley Jewell's point shot between Slator's legs.
MacEwan's top line was a terror all night for the Ooks, so it was no surprise they accounted for two of the Griffins' goals.
"I thought the best part of their effort today was each of them brought their individual strengths," said McAlpine. "We asked for Morgan to bring us pure grit. She hounds the puck well. Ricker's that finish and Jordyn's that smart, systematic player on that line and it worked out perfectly for them tonight."
Just 50 seconds into the second period, Morgan Casson potted the game-winner, finishing off Chantal Ricker's deke to put the puck past NAIT's Kaitlyn Slator (Len Joudrey photo).
Both Casson and Reimer had a goal and an assist each to pace the Griffins.
"We weren't really happy with the game we had Thursday," said Casson, who was named player of the game for MacEwan. "We just felt that we were kind of average in all zones. We just focused on what we could control today. Getting pucks deep was a huge focus. Once we were successful there, it just kind of snowballed."
MacWilliam hit an empty net from just inside her own blueline while the Griffins were shorthanded with 1:36 left to ice it.
NAIT has yet to score on 41 shot attempts in the series, which is a testament to MacEwan's goaltending and strong defensive play. Stretching back to the SAIT semifinal series where Bender and Sank also alternated starts, they've allowed a combined three goals against in four playoff games so far.
"It's awesome to have a partner who can go in and be awesome and then we can switch and do the same thing," said Bender. "Bri's been awesome this year. She's someone I've learned a lot from and I think vice-versa. The fact we could both get shutouts back-to-back, that's pretty cool."
MacEwan now has six days until their chance to clinch a fourth-straight championship with Game 3 of the series set for March 13 (7 p.m., Downtown Community Arena, ACAC TV).
"The first two games are critical," said McAlpine. "I think going into a weekend where NAIT knows they have to win three straight against a team that's playing quite well is going to be a tough task for them. But it's not impossible, so it's something we're going to need to be prepared for.
"The third game's the hardest game to win. They're going to come at us really tough and we'll need to be prepared for it probably better than we were tonight."
