Montreal Stars Open Homestand With Tough Loss To Calgary

The Montreal Stars knew they were in tough against the Calgary Inferno, who are the best team in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League this season.

When they went down 2-0 late in the second period, the task got that much harder.

However, the Stars showed some fight, cutting the lead to 2-1 before allowing two empty net goals to eventually fall to the Inferno 4-1.

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Rebecca Johnston – the league’s leading scorer – and Jessica Campbell both scored twice, once on Charline Labonte and once in an empty net. Johnston scored in the first minute of the first period when she skated around the Stars zone and fired a wrist shot past her National team teammate Labonte. Campbell scored on a breakaway – her second of the period – with under two minutes remaining.

Calgary only had six shots in the period that saw the Stars have three power play opportunities but still managed to put two past Labonte. The Stars goaltender made several phenomenal saves – including all 13 in the first period when Calgary had three power plays. She stopped 27 shots on the night.

“Charlie was amazing,” said Emmanuelle Blais, who scored the Stars only goal. “She saved us in the first period. She was very, very good and she’s been great all season.”

The Stars finally got on the board at 5:24 of the third period when Blais drove to the net and put home a Marieve Provost rebound and past Delayne Brian who stopped everything that she saw throughout the game and made 27 saves.

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“Whenever we shot we had to drive because the goalie was definitely hot. As long as she saw it she was going to stop it,” Blais said. “Coach said after the second period to just put pucks on net and drive and that’s what we did.”

“It’s very frustrating,” said forward Ann-Sophie Bettez, who leads the Stars in scoring this season. “We’re trying to build momentum. At least we’re getting those chances, but the next step is making sure we’re capitalizing on them.”

Calgary now opened a seven point lead on the Stars and have two more games to play on Sunday and Monday.

“I think we played an even game but we just didn’t score,” Blais said.