MONTREAL - Forward Ann-Sophie Bettez of Sept-Iles, Que., continued her torrid scoring pace with two goals and defenceman Cathy Chartrand of Lac Nominingue, Que., added three assists as the No.1-ranked McGill won for the 78th consecutive outing, blanking Concordia 3-0 in women's hockey at the Ed Meagher arena, on Valentine's Day, Sunday.

 

It marked McGill's 32nd straight win over the Stingers, who haven't scored against the Martlets in more than six regular season games, dating back to a 16-1 McGill win on Nov. 15, 2007.

 

Bettez, a 22-year-old management junior who has nine goals and one assist inher last four games, scored what proved to be the winning tally on the power-play at 12:29 of the opening period and made it 2-0 less than three minutes later. Chartrand and Caroline Hill of Dorval, Que., and set up both markers.

 

Bettez now ranks third in the nation in goals with 20 goals, just four shy of the Quebec conference record that she established last season, with two contests left to play. The 5-foot-4 all-Canadian winger has a 20-7-27 record in only 16 games.  She leads the Quebec conference in power-play goals (6), shorthanded markers (3) game-winners (5) and insurance goals (5).

 

Bettez, a two-time all-Canadian who earned CIS rookie-of-the-year honours in 2007-08, has an astounding 99 goals and 206 points in 110 games overall with the Martlets.

 

"She's on fire and has really turned it up a notch over the last two weeks," said Amey Doyle, who is serving as head coach of the Martlets while Peter Smith is coaching with the Canadian Olympic women's hockey team in Vancouver. "Her speed was hampered by an ankle injury early in the season but she is 100 per cent healthy now and playing with lots of confidence.  'Ann-So' is so fast and skilled that she is a constant scoring threat whenever she has the puck."

 

After a scoreless second period, Jordanna Peroff of Keswick, Ont., converted a pass from Chartrand to put the game out of reach at 19:13 of the final stanza.

 

Chartrand, a third-year veteran who previously patrolled the blueline with the Canadian national team, continues to lead all CIS rearguards in scoring with an 8-17-25 record in 18 games.

 

McGill outshot the Stingers 40-9, including a 17-1 margin in the middle period but Concordia's Audrey Doyon-Lessard held the fort and registered 37 saves in a losing cause. Andrea Weckman, a freshman goaltender from Kitchener, Ont., needed only nine saves to register her fourth shutout and improved to 5-0 on the season.

 

The cellar-dwelling Stingers dropped to 1-14-1 and will miss the playoffs for the first time in school history. They play at fourth-place Carleton (7-11-0) on Feb. 20.

 

McGill (18-0) will make the short jaunt around Mt. Royal to play the second-place Montreal Carabins (12-5-1) on Feb. 19 before closing out the regular season at home to the Stingers on Sunday, Feb. 21 in game that has recently been rescheduled for a 7 p.m. start.

 

MARTLET MURMURS:  Catherine Ward, the three-time all-Canadian rearguard who graduated from McGill last spring, was credited with one assist in Canada's opening victory at the Olympics, a lopsided 18-0 win over Slovakia... Former McGill all-Canadian netminder Kim St-Pierre made nine saves to register the shutout for Canada... Canada will host the Swiss squad on Monday at 5:30 p.m. Eastern, followed by their final pool game, against Sweden on Feb. 17 at 5:30 p.m.

 

SCORING SUMMARY

McGill 3 at Concordia 0

(Feb 14, 2010 - Ed Meagher Arena @ Concordia)

1st Period-

1, McGill, Ann-Sophie Bettez 19 (Chartrand, Hill), 12:29 (pp).

2, McGill, Ann-Sophie Bettez 20 (Hill, Chartrand), 15:45.

 

Penalties-

Cecere Mcg (interference), 8:12;

Roper Con (roughing), 11:09;

Tardif Mcg (hooking), 17:07;

Chartrand Mcg (holding opp. stick), 19:07.

 

2nd Period-

(No Scoring).

 

Penalties-

Lang Con (hooking), 7:34;

Rancourt Con (hooking), 17:28;

Soberano Mcg (roughing), 19:35;

Lang Con (roughing), 19:35.

3rd Period-

3, McGill, Jordanna Peroff 3 (Chartrand), 19:13.

 

Penalties-

MacNeil Con (bodychecking), 9:49;

Soberano Mcg (tripping), 13:20;

Smith Mcg (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 15:36.

 

GOALS BY PERIOD:

McGill 2-0-1 -- 3

Concordia 0-0-0 -- 0

 

Shots on Goal-

McGill 10-17-13 -- 40.

Concordia 4-1-4 -- 9.

 

Power Play Opportunities-

McGill 1 of 4;

Concordia 0 of 5.

 

Penalties (No./Mins.):

McGill 5/10;

Concordia 4/8.

 

Goalies-

McGill, Andrea Weckman (W, 5-0-0, 9 shots-9 saves; 60:00).

Concordia, Audrey Doyon-Lessard (L, 1-14-0, 40 shots-37 saves; 60:00).

 

Attendance-150

 

Referee-Gisele Bordeleau.

 

THREE STARS:

1. Ann-Sophie Bettez, McGill

2. Cathy Chartrand, McGill

3. Caroline Hill, McGill

 

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SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman

Communications Officer

McGill Athletics & Recreation

514-398-7012

earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca