OTTAWA -- Melodie Daoust of Valleyfield, Que., played the hero, scoring twice, adding a helper and netting the series-winner in double overtime as No.3 McGill defeated ninth-ranked Ottawa 4-3 in the RSEQ women's hockey semifinals at the uOttawa Sports Complex on Saturday.

The Martlets improved their record to 90-14-7 in 111 lifetime meetings with the Gee-Gees, but more importantly, clinched a berth in the CIS Final Eight national championship, slated for Calgary, March 17-20. They will first advance to the RSEQ finals for the Dr. Ed Enos Trophy, against defending league champion Montreal, beginning March 3 at CEPSUM Arena.

Daoust, a 24-year-old physical education senior, assisted on the opening goal of the contest, a power-play marker from the point by defenceman Kelsie Moffatt at 5:19 of the first period. After Ottawa scored two to take the lead in the second on goals by Alex Lafleur and Melodie Bouchard, Daoust potted one of her own, 8:27 into the frame.

Brittney Fouracres, a fifth-year chemical engineering student from Calgary, scored with just 30 seconds to go in the middle period, and the 3-2 lead held until Bouchard, the RSEQ Rookie of the Year, tallied her second of the soiree to tie the game with 33 seconds left.

McGill successfully killed off a minor penalty taken 7:09 into the first 10-minute overtime period, and the 4-on-4 extra session solved nothing. Finally, at 4:49 of the second extra frame, a 20-minute sudden-death period, Daoust carried the puck into the slot from behind the Ottawa net and fired a backhander through the five-hole of goaltender Maude Levesque-Ryan, before diving to the ice in celebration.

"They kind of lost coverage," said McGill head coach Peter Smith of the Canadian olympic gold medalist who was second in the nation with five winning goals during the regular season. "Melo comes around the net, Cora Constantinou was in front of the net creating some havoc, and Melo had all the time in the world. The goalie went down a little quick, Melo found an opening, and it was in the back of the net. She's unbelievable -- talk about a clutch performance!"

Moffatt, from Pickering, Ont., also recorded three points, having helped set up each of the Martlets' goals in regulation time. Gabrielle Davidson of Pte. Claire, Que., assisted on the goals by Moffatt and Fouracres, and Constantinou, a 5-foot-2 forward from Scarborough, Ont., earned the helper on the game-winner.

"We managed our pace real well and kept the pace of the game up," Smith added. "Overall, I give the girls top marks for the effort we put in tonight."

Heading into the extra periods, Smith emphasized the importance of taking shots and maintaining the good qualities that they'd shown throughout the game.

"Anytime you get into four-on-four overtime you want to get pucks to the net, because the goaltenders are going to be a bit nervous," he explained. "Anything over the blue line, you want to get it towards the net and look for the rebound. On the defensive side, you can't lose coverage.

"I just reminded them of those two technical things," Smith continued, "And told them to play the same way we'd been playing. We played with good structure and speed, so I told them to keep that going and build our own energy, and we did that. We had good blocked shots and zone exits and all of those things produced a real good energy."

Goaltender Taylor Hough of Toronto stopped 25 of 28 shots faced and improved her playoff record to 2-0. Her Gee-Gees counterpart, Levesque-Ryan, turned away 37 of 41 in the losing effort.

McGill was 1-for-6 on the power play and killed four of five penalties.

The Martlets will visit UdeM on Thursday, March 3 to open the RSEQ final series. They return to McConnell Arena on Saturday, March 5 at 3 p.m. for Game 2, which will also be their final home game of the season. If a third game is needed, it will be played back at CEPSUM Arena on March 6
 
MARTLET MURMURS: Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock paid an surprise visit to the McConnell Arena on Friday afternoon, a day before the Leafs-Habs game. The McGill grad made his annual donation to his alma mater and addressed both the Redmen and Martlet hockey teams in their respective dressing rooms, taking questions from the players and chatting with both coaching staffs.


SCORING SUMMARY:
McGill 4 at Ottawa 3 (2OT)
(Saturday, February 27, 2016 - uOttawa Sports Complex @ Ottawa)
 
GOALS BY PERIOD:
McGill 1-2-0-0-1 -- 4
Ottawa 0-2-1-0-0 -- 3
 
1st Period-
1, McGill, Kelsie Moffatt 1 (Daoust, Davidson), 5:19 (PP).
 
Penalties-Roy Ott (tripping), 4:23; Davidson Mcg (roughing), 14:28; Moffatt Mcg (slashing, 10-minute misconduct), 14:28; Deschatelets Ott (roughing), 14:28.
 
2nd Period-
2, Ottawa, Alex Lafleur 1 (Chown, Laurin), 2:33.
3, Ottawa, Melodie Bouchard 1 (Chown, Upshall), 7:41 (PP).
4, McGill, Melodie Daoust 1 (Moffatt), 8:27.
5, McGill, Brittney Fouracres 1 (Davidson, Moffatt), 19:30.
 
Penalties-Cagianos Mcg (check to the head), 6:05; Fouracres Mcg (hooking), 13:56; Laurin Ott (cross checking), 14:39; Bouchard Ott (check to the head), 17:19.
 
3rd Period-
6, Ottawa, Melodie Bouchard 2 (Pauck-Therrien), 0:33.
 
Penalties-Howlett Mcg (tripping), 2:58; Whissell Ott (bodychecking), 5:57; Lemire Ott (tripping), 6:22; Laurin Ott (bodychecking), 19:32.
 
1st OT Period (10 mins, 4-on-4)
No Scoring.
 
Penalties-Pyke Mcg (tripping), 7:09.
 
2nd OT Period (20 mins, 4-on-4)
7, McGill, Melodie Daoust 2 (Constantinou), 4:49.
 
Penalties-No Penalties
 
Shots on Goal-
McGill 11-11-11-6-2 -- 41.
Ottawa 8-8-5-6-1 -- 28.
 
Power Play Opportunities-
McGill 1 / 6;
Ottawa 1 / 5.
 
Goalies-
McGill,
Taylor Hough (W, 2-0-0, 28 shots-25 saves; 74:49).
Ottawa,
Maude Levesque-Ryan (L, 0-2-0, 41 shots-37 saves; 74:49).
 
Attendance: 131
Start: 7:00 PM
End: 9:47 PM
Length: 2:47
 
Referees-Pat Gagnon.
Linesmen-Jim McEvoy, Taylor Rogalsky.
 
THREE STARS:
1. MCG - 17 Melodie Daoust
2. OTT - 31 Maude Levesque-Ryan
3. OTT - 20 Melodie Bouchard


FOR MORE INFO CONTACT:
Kirsten Whelan or Earl Zukerman
McGill Sports Info Office
(514) 398-7012