Box Score
BURLINGTON, VT -- Gabrielle Davidson of Pte. Claire, Que., scored the winning goal and added a pair of helpers as the McGill women's hockey team skunked the University of Vermont Catamounts 4-0 in a preseason affair at Gutterson Fieldhouse, Friday. It was McGill's seventh win in the past nine confrontations against an NCAA Div. 1 program as the Martlets improved to 38-50-7 in 95 lifetime meetings against American squads, including a 6-1-1 mark against Vermont.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

"We showed good team speed and that came to the forefront tonight," said Peter Smith, a native of Lachine, Que., who had nothing to declare when crossing the border back to Canada, except perhaps his 400th career victory as he improved to 400-138-31 lifetime in 15 seasons behind the McGill bench. "But also, Brittany Smrke played real well in our net. She looked sharp, relaxed and deserved the shutout."

It was the second career goose-egg for Smrke, a sophomore from Oakville, Ont., who made 20 saves, and improved her lifetime record to 8-0 in a McGill jersey. The last time that McGill merited a shutout against an NCAA team was 22 games ago, when Olympian Charline Labonte posted a 4-0 win at Yale, Jan. 7, 2012.

The Martlets opened the scoring at the 9:03 mark of the second period on the power play. At the point Kelsie Moffatt passed down low to Leslie Oles who quickly centred the puck to Davidson who tipped her sixth goal in six games past Vermont goaltender Madison Litchfield. It marked the 78th goal in 88 games overall for Davidson, a finance junior who potted a CIS-leading 28 markers in 20 games last season.
 
McGill struck again a little over two minutes later to double its lead. Stefanie Pohlod won a battle for the puck the behind the Vermont net and cycled along to Oles who found Alexandria Serpico in front. Serpico beat Litchfield with a quick backhand for her second goal of the season at the 11:47 mark of the second frame.
 
Following the second period Vermont followed their pregame plan to alternate goalies. Freshman Molly Depew came in to see her first collegiate action relieving Litchfield who made 14 saves for the Catamounts.
 
McGill added an insurance marker 84 seconds into the third. Pohlod skated into the Vermont zone and fired a wrist shot past Depew, who was partially screened on the play.
 
The Martlets closed out the scoring with their second power play goal of the night with 6:56 left in the game. Moffatt faked a shot at the point, skated around a Vermont defender and fired a low shot past Depew for her second goal of the season. Depew made seven saves for Vermont in the third period. Depew made seven saves for Vermont in the third period.

"We showed real good team speed and that came to the forefront tonight," noted Smith. "Our line of Davidson, Oles and Serpico generated a lot of offensive chances throughout the game. Our power-play worked well (2-for-3) and our penalty-kill was looking much sharper, killing off all five penalties. We haven't had that much time to work on the PK yet, so that was a good result for us."
 
The Catamounts open the regular season on the road Oct. 3 as they face Bemidji State. McGill, the defending CIS national champions, improved to 5-1 and will host the Montreal Stars of the Canadian Women's Hockey League in another exhibition tilt, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4 at McConnell Arena. Faceoff is set for 5 p.m.


SCORING SUMMARY
McGill 4 at Vermont 0
(Friday, September 26, 2014 - Gutterson Fieldhouse @ UVM)

GOALS BY PERIOD:
McGill 0-2-2 -- 4
Vermont 0-0-0 -- 0

1st Period-
(No Scoring).

Penalties-Cagianos Mcg (hooking), 7:18; Menches Uvm (boarding), 14:00.

2nd Period-
1, McGill, Gabrielle Davidson 6 (Leslie Oles, Kelsie Moffatt), 9:03 (PP).
2, McGill, Alexandria Serpico 2 (Leslie Oles, Gabrielle Davidson), 11:47.

Penalties-Fouracres Mcg (tripping), 4:17; Baker Uvm (tripping), 8:15; Oles Mcg (interference), 16:11; Oles Mcg (tripping), 18:40.

3rd Period-
3, McGill, Stefanie Pohlod 2 (Alexandria Serpico, Gabrielle Davidson), 1:24.
4, McGill, Kelsie Moffatt 2 (Katia Clement-Heydra, Brittney Fouracres), 14:04 (PP).

Penalties-Colang Uvm (elbowing), 13:24; Starnino Mcg (interference), 18:02.

Shots on Goal-
McGill 9-7-9 -- 25.
Vermont 4-9-7 -- 20.

Power Play Opportunities-
McGill 2 / 3;
Vermont 0 / 5.

Goalies-
McGill,
Brittany Smrke (W, 3-0-0, 20 shots-20 saves; 60:00).

Vermont,
Madison Litchfield (Start, L, 0-1-0, 16 shots-14 saves; 40:00);
Molly Depew (9 shots-7 saves; 20:00).

Attendance: 389
Start: 7:00 PM
End: 8:50 PM
Length: 1:50

Referees-Scott Prim, Jeremy Letourneau.
Linesmen-Jason Williams, Larry Legault.

THREE STARS
1. MCG - 15 Gabrielle Davidson
2. MCG - 31 Brittany Smrke
3. MCG - 13 Kelsie Moffatt