MONTREAL -- Melodie Daoust, a senior from Valleyfield, Que., scored twice and added an assist but third-ranked McGill was forced to settle for a single point as No.2-ranked Université de Montréal posted a 5-4 shootout victory in a heated RSEQ women's hockey thriller at CEPSUM Arena on Friday. Laurie Mercier, an industrial relations student from Rouyn-Noranda, Que., scored the only goal of a 10-player shootout to give UdeM the decision.

The Carabins have won three of four meetings between the archrivals this season. Three of the confrontations have required a post-overtime shootout to decide a winner. McGill, which owns a 38-15 lifetime record against Montreal, has now dropped 14 of the last 25 clashes.

Daoust, the McGill team captain, returned a few hours before the game from a week-long training camp with the Canadian national team in Etobicoke, Ont. She opened the scoring with a power-play goal just 49 seconds after the initial faceoff. The fourth-year physical education major tallied another marker midway through the second to even the score at 3-3, She also forced overtime by setting up Gabrielle Davidson's eighth of the season at 18:49 of the final stanza, with the goalie pulled for an extra attacker. Daoust now leads the RSEQ scoring race and ranks second in the nation with 26 points, including 13 goals, in 15 games. Her 13 markers ties her for second in CIS goal-scoring, two behind Calgary's Iya Gavrilova, who has played eight more contests.

With an 86-110-196 career record in 97 games overall, Daoust is coming up on her 100 career contest and 200th career point. Davidson is also coming up on the double century milestone. In 150 career games, she has a 117-81-198 record overall.

Despite McGill's quick start, the Carabins tied the game on a power-play of their own just 62 seconds after Daoust's opening marker, and gained the lead less than two minutes later.

"I didn't think we were quite as competitive in the first period as we could have been," said Martlets head coach Peter Smith, who felt the team improved as the game went on. "Our third period was amongst our better periods (of the season). I thought we were terrific in the third. Overall we were good, and we could have been better. If we played 60 minutes, we might have had a different result, and we've got to come out a little sharper than the way we did."

Senior Pamela Psihogios of Laval, Que., crashed the net to bury an unassisted equalizer for McGill at 2-2 in the middle stanza but Montreal again regained the advantage on a power-play before Daoust netted her second. The teams entered the third stanza tied at 3-3 in a hard-fought period that saw the Carabins take the lead on yet another power-play with just 2:25 remaining but Davidson, a management senior from Pointe Claire, Que., forced the extra session.

The Martlets were unable to generate any offence on a 4-on-3 power-play opportunity in the extra frame as the game continued to the shootout, where goaltender Marie-Pier Chabot of Quebec City backstopped the Carabins, stoning all five McGill shooters. She was credited with 19 saves in regulation time, improving her record to 7-2. McGill netminder Taylor Hough of Toronto had a shaky start but a strong finish, making 37 saves on 41 shots. She also stopped four of five shootout attempts and her record tumbled to 8-5.

Five different players found the back of the net for the Carabins, including Mercier's shootout winner. Others to score included defenceman Alexandra Paradis, plus forwards Audrey Gariepy, Alexandra Labelle and Catherine Dubois.

Montreal boasted a stellar power-play, converting three of four chances. McGill's typically-strong penalty kill has faltered over the past two games, conceding an alarming seven goals in nine shorthanded situations. The Martlets were 1-for-4 with the man advantage.

Montreal (11-3-1) sits three points ahead of McGill (9-4-2) and will host last-place Carleton (3-12-0) on Sunday at 2 p.m. The Martlets have five games remaining on their schedule and will return to CEPSUM arena on Friday, Feb. 5 for their final regular-season meeting against the Carabins.

LINK TO COMPLETE BOXSCORE


SCORING SUMMARY
McGill 4 at Montreal 5 (OTS)
(Friday, January 29, 2016 - Arena CEPSUM @ UdeM)
 
McGill 1-2-1-0 -- 4
Montreal 2-1-1-0 -- 5
 
1st Period-
1, McGill, Melodie Daoust 12 (Fouracres, Davidson), 0:49 (PP).
2, Montreal, Audrey Gariepy 2 (Mercier, Dupuis), 1:51 (PP).
3, Montreal, Catherine Dubois 7 (Beaulieu, Barker), 3:45.

Penalties-Dubois Mtl (tripping), 0:15; Cagianos Mcg (bodychecking), 1:36; Dubois Mtl (hooking), 9:37.
 
2nd Period-
4, McGill, Pamela Psihogios 2 (unassisted),  9:02.
5, Montreal, Alexandra Labelle 5 (Passard, Paradis), 13:05 (PP).
6, McGill, Melodie Daoust 13 (Moffatt), 13:14.

Penalties-Paradis Mtl (holding), 3:19; Fouracres Mcg (hooking), 11:55; Walker Mcg (slashing), 17:19.
 
3rd Period-
7, Montreal, Alexandra Paradis 2 (Laramee), 17:35 (PP).
8, McGill, Gabrielle Davidson 8 (Daoust, Fouracres), 18:49.

Penalties-Cagianos Mcg (holding), 16:52.
 
OVERTIME (5 mins) -
(No Scoring).

Penalties-Laramee Mtl (interference), 0:54.
 
Shootout-
McGill 0 (Howlett NG, Davidson NG, Daoust NG, Pohlod NG, Lavoie NG),
Montreal 1 (Labelle NG, Dubois NG, Laurie Mercier GOAL, Cormier NG, Allemoz NG).
 
Shots on Goal-
McGill 6-8-7-2-0 -- 23.
Montreal 13-12-13-3-1 -- 42.
 
Power Play Opportunities-
McGill 1 / 4;
Montreal 3 / 4.
 
Goalies-
McGill,
Taylor Hough (L, 8-5-0, 41 shots-37 saves; 64:28).
Empty-net (0 goals against; 0:32)
Montreal,
Marie-Pier Chabot (W, 7-2-0, 23 shots-19 saves; 65:00).
 
Attendance: 196
Start: 7:03 PM
End: 9:15 PM
Length: 2:12
 
THREE STARS:
1. MTL - 27 Laurie Mercier
2. MCG - 17 Melodie Daoust
3. MTL - 23 Cloe Barrette