Sault College off to final four at nationals

They’re one step closer to their ultimate goal.

After getting knocked out of the national tournament last year in their final pool play game, Sault College’s women’s hockey team capped off pool play in the 2023 American Collegiate Hockey Association national tournament with a 3-0 record thanks to a Saturday afternoon win.

Sault College picked up a 9-0 win over Providence College to advance to the final four by finishing in top spot in their pool

The win also extends Sault College’s season-long winning streak to 29 games.

After a scoreless opening period, Sault College got on the board first early in the second period. After killing off an early penalty, Sault College got control of the puck in the Providence zone and it eventually made its way to Camille Venn at the right point. Ven proceeded to send the puck on net through traffic and it beat Providence goaltender Donna Shevory at 3:54.

With Sault College on the power play shortly after killing off a lengthy Providence 5-on-3 advantage, Brooke Brazeau made it 2-0. Brazeau took a pass in the slot as Sault College broke in over the Providence blueline and beat Shevory with a shot glove side at 14:41.

Marie-Pier Lecours extended the Sault College lead to 3-0 late in the period when she jumped on a rebound in tight and beat Shevory after her initial shot missed the net and rebounded back toward the side of the goal at 18:31.

Sault College wasted little time in the third period making it a 4-0 game. Jasmine Groleau picked up her third goal of the tournament as she jumped on a loose puck just inside the Providence blueline, skated into the slot, and beat Shevory stick side 1:10 into the period.

Alyssa Turcotte made it a 5-0 game as she skated into the slot and beat Shevory with a shot stick side at 6:48.

Groleau extended the lead to 6-0 just 17 seconds later when the puck found its way out of a scramble in the right faceoff circle and she beat Shevory with a shot from the slot stick side.

Groleau capped off the hattrick midway through the period as she took a pass in the slot from Lecours from below the goalline off a turnover and beat Shevory stick side at 9:31.

Halle MacLachlan made it 8-0 at 16:37 when she grabbed the puck in the neutral zone, broke down the left wing and beat Shevory 5-hole.

Brazeau picked up her second goal of the day with 2:26 to go as she took a shot from the slot that handcuffed Shevory, making it a 9-0 game.

Emily Hansen picked up the shutout in goal for Sault College.

With the win Sault College advances to the playoff round and will face Dakota College Bottineau, winner of Pool B in one semi-final game on Sunday with the winner of that game earning a spot in the national title game on Monday.

Sault College and Dakota College met for a pair of non-conference games in late January with Sault College winning both games by 3-2 scores on the road,