OTTAWA – Sophomore Sarah-Maude Lavoie of Victoriaville, Que., scored the game-winner in double-overtime and freshman goaltender Jade Rivard-Coulombe posted a 20-save shutout as McGill skated to a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Carleton in RSEQ women's hockey at the Ice Palace, Friday.
 
Lavoie took a long bomb pass from rookie rearguard India Benoit of Sherbrooke, Que., and scored on a breakaway at 39 seconds of the second five-minute overtime session. She deked goaltender Caitlin Whitehead, who made 30 saves in a losing cause. Lavoie, a 19-year-old Arts sophomore, majoring in Gender, Sexuality, Feminist and Social Justice, now has a team-leading six goals – two of them game-winners – in 12 contests overall.

"We talked about how we wanted to handle the 3-on-3 alignment in the (brief) intermission before the second overtime," said McGill head coach Alyssa Cecere. "But they freelanced that play. It was a breakout and India Benoit showed a lot of patience in our end of the ice before finding a good passing lane to Lavoie in the neutral zone. She found that seam and I give them a lot of credit for moving the puck well on that play which resulted in a great scoring opportunity."
 
It was the team's third shutout of the season, all by Rivard-Coulombe, the 5-foot-10 elementary major from Chateauguay, Que. It marks the team's highest shutout total since 2021-22 when Tricia Deguire posted four.
 
McGill's last shutout was also against the Ravens, a similar 1-0 decision on Oct. 28.
 
"It was a good battle, both teams played well and we were prepared for that type of game," Cecere said. "We know that its going to be a fierce battle the rest of the season.
 
"Rivard-Coulombe was strong in the net and made key saves when we really needed them. It was a big game and I'm happy for her that she got the shutout."

The Martlets, who had a decided 31-20 edge in shots, went 0-for-7 on the power-play and killed off both shorthanded situations.
 
The result put McGill back in the playoff hunt with a 4-10-1 record and 10 games remaining. The sixth-place Martlets are just two points behind Carleton (5-9-1) and Ottawa (4-8-3). McGill will host No.1 ranked Concordia (15-0-0) in the annual faculty of management Winter Carnival Game on Sunday (Jan. 14) in a 2 p.m. faceoff at McConnell Arena. It will mark the first time ever that the Martlets will the Carnival Game, which is generally a sellout when the men play.
 
Carleton will host second-place Bishop's (9-6-0) on Saturday (Jan. 13)) at 7 p.m.
 
SCORING SUMMARY
 
U SPORTS STANDINGS & STATS
 
McGill Stats Breakdown

SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
McGill Athletics & Recreation
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca
(514) 983-7012 (cell)