WESTVILLE ROAD – The Northern AAA Subway Selects put their Nova Scotia Female Midget AAA Hockey League-leading undefeated streak on the line on Saturday at the Pictou County Wellness Center against Metro Boston Pizza.
The Selects came out on the losing end for the first time in the regular season, in a 5-3 defeat. Despite two losses at the recent DQ tournament in Moncton, where they took the silver medal, the Selects had yet to lose a regular season game in league play.
Boston Pizza scored two power play goals and added an empty net goal en route to the win. The Selects had scored early to tie the game at one goal apiece midway through the first and then got the go-ahead goal with just 25 seconds left in the period.
The Selects then got into penalty trouble and were down 3-2 going into the final frame, but capitalized on a power play of their own 40 seconds into the third period to knot it up at three. The Northern Selects again allowed penalties to swing momentum and they gave up another goal while on the penalty kill, falling behind 4-3.
They pulled their netminder in favour of an extra attacker with just over a minute to play and gave up the empty-netter. Kara MacLean, Maddie Quinn and Sophia Wornell scored for the Selects while Jenna Landry took her first loss between the pipes.
Following the game, coach Troy Reid said “we weren't outplayed but we certainly took more than our share of penalties. We simply couldn't get any flow going. The minute we had momentum, we were back in the box and allowed the opposition to capitalize. There's a couple of things we need to correct and frankly this is the time get it done.”
The Selects outshot Boston Pizza 32-24 in the game but took six of nine penalties assessed in the game.
The Northern Selects remain atop the league standings with 36 points with Cape Breton in second with 24 points and Boston Pizza in third with 23. Each team has four league games remaining before the playoffs.
The Selects have all but assured themselves of a first round playoff match-up against East Hants, who are currently sixth in the seven-team league. The Selects will host East Hants next Saturday at the PCWC at 12:30 p.m., their final home game of the regular season.
