RECAP: Newcomers come in clutch for season opening women’s hockey victory

Goals from fifth year transfers Abygail Moloughney and Viki Harkness helped the Gee-Gees women's hockey team to a clutch, season opening victory against the Montreal Carabins.

Harkness's third period solo effort was the difference, as Ottawa won 3-1 Saturday afternoon before a packed Minto Sports Complex.

"We played really well for the first game of the season," said Harkness, a Berwick, Ont., product. "Early in the first period it took us a bit of time to get comfortable, but we stuck to our gameplan and as the game continued we settled in and we found the back of the net." 

Moloughney, who brings a packed resume from a four-year career at Syracuse to the University of Ottawa, scored on a shorthanded breakaway in the first period. Katherine Birkby created a turnover at the blue line, and Moloughney did the rest, outdueling Carabin goaltender Aube Racine. 

Les Bleues pulled one back before the end of the first, but that would be the lone blemish on Aurélie Dubuc's record, who turned aside 24 of the 25 shots she faced. 

The game was tight down the stretch before Harkness took over. The UConn transfer picked up a loose puck near her own blueline, fended off Montreal defenders and reached around Racine to give Ottawa a lead they would not relinquish. 

Kylie Lalonde scored into an empty net, assisted by Alèxe Clavelle.

Audrey-Anne Veillette, considered to be a frontrunner for RSEQ MVP, got the lone goal for Montreal and was named the game's second star.

Ottawa debuted their new-look leadership group for 2022-23. Mikaila Kraczynski will serve as the team's captain, taking over from Christine Deaudelin, who is now playing with the Montreal Force of the PHF. Harkness and Moloughney are assistants, along with Jade Todd, Kate Maclean and Angélique Proulx. 

The Gee-Gees are back on the ice at the Minto Sports Complex on Friday, Oct. 21 against the Carleton Ravens. Puck drop is at 7:00 p.m. and tickets are on sale at tickets.geegees.ca.