MONTREAL – Mia Giles , a freshman rearguard from Hammonds Plains, N.S., scored three goals, including the game-winner at just 45 seconds of overtime, as McGill skated to a 4-3 victory over visiting Ottawa on a Super Bowl Sunday matinee at McConnell Arena.
 
The Martlets jumped into a stunning 3-0 lead in the opening period but watched in disbelief as Ottawa scored one in the second period (Arianne Gagnon) and two more in the third, with Beatrice Bilodeau at the 30-second mark and Katherine Birkby forcing overtime with just 19 seconds remaining. The tying marker, a deflected point-shot, occurred on a power play with a two-player advantage after the goalie was pulled for an extra attacker.
 
Giles registered the team's first hat-trick in two years – since forward Jade Downie-Landry accomplished the feat against Ottawa on Feb. 23, 2022 – and was the first by a defenceman in 15 years, dating back to Cathy Chartrand's three-goal effort in a home game against Carleton on Jan. 18, 2009.
 
Meganne Chaillier gave McGill a 1-0 lead with her first career marker at 11:02 of the first period. Less than two minutes later, Giles put the Martlets ahead 2-0 with her first at 12:39. She then gave McGill a three-goal cushion at 19:58 and completed her hat-trick on the first shift of overtime.
 
"We got it done, that's all that matters," team captain Meg Harley said on the McGill Streaming Network's post-game show. "Obviously it wasn't the most exciting moment of the game for us (when Ottawa tied it).  We had a big battle to get where we were in that game and I knew that we would be able to get it done in OT... I was just so happy for (Giles), she works so hard and was very deserving of the hat-trick. it was a special moment to win that game, especially on our Senior Day."

McGill had a 36-34 edge in shots and rookie netminder Jade Rivard-Coulombe registered 31 saves for the win. Ottawa starter Mahika Sarrazin only lasted 20 minutes after conceding three goals on 19 shots. She was replaced by Lauren Mackay, who stopped 16 of 17 but was saddled with the loss.

The game featured 13 penalties for 37 minutes, including a rare match penalty and game ejection assessed to Ottawa forward Reece Mepham for abuse of official. On the play, at 14:24 of the first period, she charged through the neutral zone, dumped the puck into the McGill zone and continued hard across the blueline, colliding heavily with the linesman who was stationed along the boards. Mepham continued into the McGill zone but the official went down and was unable to continue. The Martlets, who didn't score on that five-minute power-play, ended up 2-for-6 with the extra attacker, while Ottawa was 1-for-6.
 
This victory was the bright light at the end of a long tunnel for a young Martlets squad which won its first home game of the regular season in the second-to-last contest at McConnell Arena. Including preseason games, the hard-luck Martlets are now 2-12-1 overall on home ice, with a 1-10-1 mark n RSEQ play and just one game remaining.
 
The result was especially uplifting as the team paid tribute to its five graduating players in a pre-game ceremony. The honourees included the aforementioned Harley, a science senior from Oakville, Ont., plus Lydia MacLellan, an industrial relations major from Grand Forks, B.C., alternate captain Quynn Campbell, a management senior from Toronto, alternate captain Stephanie Keeper, a science senior majoring in nursing from Red Deer, Alta., and Cassidy Stasiuk, a pharmacology major from Kamloops, B.C.

The fourth-place Gee-Gees (7-12-5) will close out the regular season at home to Bishop's (16-8-0) on Feb. 16, before confronting undefeated Concordia (24-0-0) in the RSEQ best-of-three semifinals.

The Martlets (5-18-1) will conclude their campaign on Feb. 16 against fifth-place Carleton (7-16-1) at McConnell.

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