HAMILTON – Kaila Pinkney (Denfield, Ontario) scored the game-winning goal just 21 seconds into overtime Sunday afternoon to lift the Colgate women's ice hockey team to a 2-1 victory over the Queen's Gaels in an exhibition contest at Class of 1965 Arena.
 
Pinkney was set up for the game-winning goal after first-year Malia Schneider (Millarville, Alberta) won a faceoff in the left faceoff circle and tie up the opposing Gael to allow Jessie Eldridge (Barrie, Ontario) to skate in and swipe the puck back to Pinkney at the point. The Raiders' senior defender wristed a shot that beat Queen's goaltender Stephanie Pascal for the game-winner.
 
The Raiders have won their last four season-opening exhibition games with today's victory over the Gaels.
 
After a scoreless first period, the Raiders got on the board with a power play goal from Shae Labbe (Calgary, Alberta) with 7:51 left in the second period. The Raiders rushed up the from the defensive zone with Shelby Perry (Elginburg, Ontario) touched the puck up to first-year Bailey Bennett (Gardena, California). Bennett then hit Labbe with a pass, with Labbe's wrister sneaking just under Pascal's glove for the goal.
 
Colgate maintained its 1-0 lead until Queen's scored the game-tying, extra attacker, power play goal with 13.9 seconds left. Queen's pulled Pascal with 1:18 left in the period after calling a timeout. The Gaels gained an advantage when Breanne Wilson-Bennett (Markham, Ontario) was whistled for hooking with 30 seconds left before Clare McKellar managed to poke home the game-tying goal after a great save by first-year Peri Donaldson (Keller, Texas) off an Abby Lafreniere wrister just a split-second prior to the goal.
 
BOTTOM LINE
Colgate 2, Queen's 1 (OT)
 
FACTS AND FIGURES
-Colgate outshot Queen's 31-20 and recorded 10 shots in all three periods during regulation
-Both teams scored a power-play goal with the Raiders going 1 for 4 and the Gaels going 1 for 6
-The Raiders won the faceoff battle, 32-22, behind Labbe and Wilson-Bennett's eight wins each
 
UP NEXT
The Raiders kick off the 2017-18 season when the St. Cloud State Huskies come to Hamilton for the first time ever for a two-game series on Friday and Saturday with puck drop of both games scheduled for 2 p.m.