MONTREAL -- Gabrielle Davidson of Pte. Claire, Que., celebrated her 23rd birthday in style, scoring twice, including the game-winner, and adding an assist as third-ranked McGill doubled No.9 Ottawa 4-2 to open the RSEQ women's hockey team semifinals at McConnell Arena, Thursday.

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The Martlets improved their record to 89-14-7 in 110 lifetime meetings with the Gee-Gees, including four victories in six match-ups this season. The home team has prevailed in all six meetings. Game 2 of the best-of-three playoff series will take place in Ottawa on Saturday, Feb. 27, with a rubber match slated for Sunday (3 p.m.) at McConnell Arena, if needed. The winner of the series will advance to both the conference finals and qualify for a berth at the CIS Final 8 national championship.

After a scoreless first period, Davidson, a management senior and second-team all-star, helped set up the opening goal by Alexandria Serpico of Calgary on a delayed penalty at 6:40 of the middle frame. Five minutes later, Veronik Samson scored a power-play marker for the Gee-Gees to tie the game at 1-1. But with 2:53 left in the period, Davidson netted one of her own on a nifty two-on-one passing play with Serpico, set up by a long breakout pass from linemate Shana Walker, a freshman from Toronto, to put the Martlets ahead 2-1

At 6:32 of the third, just 16 seconds after Ottawa's Camille Pauck-Therrien narrowed McGill's lead to 3-2, Davidson forced a turnover in the slot and buried a backhander under pressure to regain the two-goal advantage at 4-2.

"I just stuck with it," explained the 5-foot-4 sniper when asked how she emerged from an early-season scoring slump that had her scoring just three times in the first nine games but potting 11 markers in her last dozen outings. "I knew my teammates could capitalize on chances that I create for them and vice-versa. Now it's playoff time, so you just give everything you've got and try to bury as many pucks as you can."

The Martlets' energetic start was hampered by two penalties taken in quick succession at the beginning of the game beginning at 1:59. Just 28 seconds after defenceman Kelsie Moffatt was released from the box, rearguard Elizabeth Hillier was called for tripping.

"I think we came out with a lot of confidence, but those two penalties back-to-back kind of threw us off a bit," said Davidson, who also hit two goalposts and might just lead the league in that department. "We regrouped though and I think we finished the first period strong."

The Martlets peppered Ottawa goalie Maude Levesque-Ryan with a staggering 51 shots, including a 21-7 advantage in the second period. She stopped 47 of them in what was her first game since Jan. 29.

"We talked about not taking any penalties and we ended up taking two early ones," noted McGill bench boss Peter Smith, whose coaching record improved to 442-166-31 in 16 seasons overall. "On the other hand, our kill was great, so I thought the fact that we killed them both off shifted the momentum back to us. After that, we got lots of pucks in their end. I like the way that we ground it out, so I was okay with the first period. It wasn't the start we really wanted, but it worked out okay."

Freshman Olivia Atkinson of Toronto also scored for the home side, with a power-play goal just 55 seconds into the third to put the Martlets ahead 3-1. On the play, Daoust, a dominant force all night, merited her second assist, after earning one on the opening tally. Moffatt also collected a helper.

Goaltender Taylor Hough, an international development studies senior from Toronto, made 27 saves on 29 shots for the win.

"I thought she was terrific and kept us in it," said Smith of his 5-foot-10 netminder who stood tall on a number of occasions. "She was a good penalty-killer for us, played with lots of confidence and gave confidence to the team."

Her teammates helped her out by blocking a whopping 24 shots, many of them on good scoring opportunities, an area the Martlets had focused on prior to the contest.

"I told the players before the game that I thought the team that blocked the most shots was going have the most success. Ottawa has blocked a lot of shots all season but I thought we were real good at blocking shots in the game today and it made a big difference."

Smith highlighted the efforts of fifth-year forward Joanne Cagianos, an anthropology senior from Dorval, Que., who blocked a plethora of shots, one of them on a howitzer from the point while killing a penalty in the opening minutes. On that PK situation, Cagianos had the foresight to give her hockey stick to defender Elizabeth Hillier, who had lost hers in traffic a moment earlier. "Cagianos is an absolute warrior," said Smith. "It was unbelievable. She's got a heart the size of the whole campus."

Both teams were 1-for-4 on the power play, though McGill also capitalized on a 6-on-5 advantage due to a delayed Ottawa penalty.

The teams will face-off again at 7 p.m. at the uOttawa Sports Complex, on Saturday and the game will be streamed live on OUA tv.
 
In the other RSEQ semifinal opener, the No.2-ranked Montreal Carabins erased an early two-goal deficit to defeat Concordia 3-2 in double overtime.


SCORING SUMMARY
RSEQ SEMIFINAL (Game 1)
Ottawa 2 at McGill 4
(Thursday, February 25, 2016 - McConnell Arena @ McGill)
 
GOALS BY PERIOD:
Ottawa 0-1-1 -- 2
McGill 0-2-2 -- 4
 
1st Period-
(No Scoring).

Penalties-Moffatt Mcg (cross checking), 1:59; Hillier Mcg (tripping), 4:27.
 
2nd Period-
1, McGill, Alexandria Serpico 1 (Davidson, Daoust), 6:40.
2, Ottawa, Veronik Samson 1 (Godbout-Parent, Pauck-Therrien), 11:49 (PP).
3, McGill, Gabrielle Davidson 1 (Serpico, Walker), 17:07.

Penalties-Cagianos Mcg (bodychecking), 10:34; Bouchard Ott (hooking), 19:23.
 
3rd Period-
4, McGill, Olivia Atkinson 1 (Daoust, Moffatt), 0:55 (PP).
5, Ottawa, Camille Pauck-Therrien 1 (Bouchard), 6:16.
6, McGill, Gabrielle Davidson 2 (unassisted), 6:32.

Penalties-Constantinou Mcg (tripping), 1:34; Godbout-Parent Ott (cross checking), 3:20; Samson Ott (check to the head), 10:04; Levesque Ott (bodychecking), 13:57.
 
Shots on Goal-
Ottawa 10-7-12 -- 29.
McGill 11-21-19 -- 51.
 
Power Play Opportunities-
Ottawa 1 / 4;
McGill 1 / 4.
 
Goalies-
Ottawa,
Maude Levesque-Ryan (L, 0-1-0, 51 shots-47 saves; 57:38),
Empty-net (2:12, No goals against).
 
McGill,
Taylor Hough (W, 1-0-0, 29 shots-27 saves; 60:00).
 
Attendance: 124
Start: 7:04 PM
End: 9:10 PM
Length: 2:06
 
Referee-Vanessa Morin.
Linesmen-Stephanie Campbell, Marie-Pierre Jalbert.
 
THREE STARS:
1. MCG - 15 Gabrielle Davidson
2. MCG - 17 Melodie Daoust
3. OTT - 31 Maude Levesque-Ryan