MAIN PHOTO: Kaitlyn Langille of the Pens stretches out her pad to make the save as the stick of a Lynx player is blocked from getting the rebound. (Healey photo)

DARTMOUTH: If not for Kaitlyn Langille’s stand up play in the first 40 minutes, the ACCESS Benefits Penguins may not have been able to score a point in their Maritime Major Female Hockey League (MMFHL) game with the Cape Breton Lynx.

Through the first 40 minutes Sunday Jan. 29, Langille was peppered with almost 20 shots on goal compared to the nine her Penguins teammates managed on Lynx netminder Meghan Muise during the same time frame.

Langille’s stellar play continued in the third period as Cape Breton pressured to get the win—a win they needed to leapfrog over Halifax in the standings. A tie would not help their cause.

In the end, Langille, a Lockview High student, turned away 32 of 34 shots she faced in earning the tie.

Abby Carroll carries the puck along the boards.
A CB Lynx player knocks the puck off the stick of Penguin Mia Fabrizi during game action.

Cape Breton took a gamble and pulled Muise with 3:45 seconds left in the game, and that led to hemming the Pens in their zone.

The only times they managed to get a breather was when they got the puck the length of the ice. Other than that, Cape Breton defenders wouldn’t let the Pens players get the puck or possession of it for much time.

Brooke Henderson celebrates after tipping in a shot on the power-play against CB.
A Lynx player keeps the puck along the boards late in the game.

With a 2-1 lead the Pens took a too many men on the ice penalty during a quick scramble in front of their bench. That gave the Lynx a six on four powerplay.

While Cape Breton didn’t score on the power-play, they did six seconds after it expired with 19 ticks left in the game for the 2-2 tie.

Abby Carroll of the Pens carries the puck as a Lynx player tries to get her stick free from the puck.
A diving Penguin player knocks the puck off a Lynx player who was heading for a breakaway.

But knowing a tie wasn’t helpful, the Lynx kept their goalie on the bench during the final 19 seconds.

The Pens couldn’t muster anything towards the net, and the game ended in a 2-2 stalemate with both teams getting a point in their final regular season game of the year.

No. 92 Brooke Henderson, who the puck seemed to be a magnet for on this day, scored both of the Penguins goals, both with the man advantage.

Bella House had a pair of helpers, while single assist went to Rachel Walsh.

Bella House of the Pens gets to the puck first in the corner.
Mia Fabrizi looks for an open teammate to make the pass.
The Lynx try to keep a Penguin player from the scoring areas in the game.

Sam Morrison and Maira Pino managed to get the puck past Langille for the Lynx tallies. Catherine Chiasson had two assists.

Muise finished the game with just 18 shots on goal, 16 of them saves.

The Pens finish the 24-game regular season in second place behind the Northern Selects (who have 23 games played), while the Lynx will finish in fourth. Halifax is second.

On the Pens, local players include: Fiona Day of Fall River; Mia Fabrizi of Fall River; goalies Langille and Cicely Harnum of Beaver Bank; captain Rylee MacKinnon of the Fall River area; and Christina Perrin of the Beaver Bank area.

Ellie Isenor of Lantz has recently signed with the team for next year.

Fiona Day watches for where the play is headed with Lynx players nearby.
Christina Perrin no. 19 blue tries to get herself ready for a pass.

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