MONTREAL -- Jessica Cormier snapped a 2-2 tie with the game-winner on a breakaway at 18:36 of the second period as No.2 Université de Montréal hung on to edge fifth-ranked McGill 3-2 and win the RSEQ women's hockey championship before 362 fans at McConnell Arena, Saturday. UdeM swept the best-of-three series, including a 3-2 victory in the opener on Thursday.

The result marked the Carabins fourth Ed Enos Cup title since their inaugural season in 2009-10. They previously claimed the league banner in 2016, 2014 and 2013, winning all four banners at McConnell Arena. Both Quebec finalists advance to the U SPORTS Final Eight national championship tournament in Charlottetown, P.E.I., March 14-17.
 
McGill, which had a 29-26 advantage in shots, dominated much of the game as the Carabins appeared content to play a 1-3-1 forecheck.
 
"We played well, I thought that we had the puck a lot in the game today, we had a lot of blocked shots in the offensive zone, and we certainly created opportunities," said Martlets head coach Peter Smith."I can't fault our team for how they played. They showed a lot of urgency, energy and I am really proud of how they competed today. These two last games, in particular, are so important when you look at the process of preparing for the national championship. It will serve us really well."
 
After being hemmed in their own zone for most of the opening period, the Carabins scored on their first two chances. Marie-Pier Dubé opened the scoring at 13:07 on a strange bounce after dumping the puck behind the McGill net. Only 34 seconds later, they made it 2-0 when a fluttering wrist-shot from the blue-line by Alexandra Paradis somehow eluded netminder Tricia Deguire at 13:41.
 
Jade Downie-Landry of St. Jean, Que., narrowed the gap for the Martlets with a power-play marker at 12:56 of the middle period. The junior centre led the RSEQ in scoring this season and also captured the playoff scoring crown with a 3-5-8 record in four postseason contests.
 
Three minutes later, the Martlets tied the game at 2-2 when Lauren Bowman, a junior from Calgary, scored at 15:20. It was her second marker of the playoffs -- after ending a 39-game scoreless streak overall dating back to last year -- and just her eighth goal in 108 career contests with the Martlets.
 
McGill went 1-for-4 on the power-play, while the Carabins were 0-for-3.
 
Deguire stopped 23 of 26 shots and took the loss, while Carabins netminder Aube Racine made 27 saves on 29 shots for the win.
 
"We're battle ready. This second half of the semester has done a whole lot of good for the development of our team, both the ups and the downs," said Smith. "Our team has all the elements, great leadership from everybody, we play fast, we play hard and they are coachable."

Seedings for the U SPORTS Final Eight tourney are expected to be announced on Monday. The four conference champions will occupy the top four seeds. So assuming top-ranked Alberta wins their league title, they would open their quarter-final round against the eighth-seed squad, likely host UPEI. The Carabins are expected to be seeded No. 2 and would play No. 7. The Martlets would likely be seeded sixth and face either the third-seeded AUS or OUA champion.

"In the 2013-14 season, we lost in the RSEQ final to Montreal, went to nationals seeded fifth and we won the CIS championship by beating Montreal in the final," noted Smith. "When you go to nationals, you need to beat whoever you are playing. You need to play your best for three games to win a national championship, that is what our objective is."

Montreal won five of seven meetings against the Martlets this season and have improved their lifetime record to 29-48 in 77 meetings against McGill.
 
MARTLET MURMURS: McGill had to make an unexpected lineup shuffle prior to the game as senior Nicole Howlett, an alternate captain learned that she had been suspended for what appeared to be a harmless body-checking minor penalty called in the second period of Thursday's series opener. However, Carabins head coach Isabelle Leclaire asked the league to review the video, which resulted in a one-game suspension... Howlett, a six-foot centre, only had eight penalty minutes during the regular season... Among the faces in the crowd were numerous Martlet hockey alumni, including: Melodie Daoust, Katia Clement-Heydra, Cathy Chartrand, Christina Smith, Erika Pyke, Michelle Daignault, Jordanna Peroff, Joanne Cagianos, and Adrianne Crampton...  Coach Peter Smith and graduating team captain Alison Mackenzie were spotted posing for a picture after the game, as it was her last time lacing up the skates for the Martlets at McConnell Arena.

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