The Swift Current Innovation Federal Credit Union Wildcats continued their strong play of late Wednesday night blanking the Notre Dame Hounds at the S3 West Arena.
Forward Stevie Christiaens scored her first two goals at the Saskatchewan Female U18 Hockey League level and goalie Ashley Vezeau made 27 saves for her first shutout in the league in the Wildcats dominant 4-0 win. Emily McCleary also netted her first goal in the Saskatchewan Female U18 Hockey League.
"It's really exciting because I haven't scored all season and it's been building up," Christiaens said on Country 94.1's Local Sports Live postgame show. "Once I got my shootout goal a few games ago I could just feel it coming and after I got the first one, I knew I was buzzing."
Eston's Christiaens opened the scoring about 6:30 minutes into the game on a nice pass from Jade Thompson as she beat Hounds goalie Juliette Gagne-Delaunay on her blocker side.
"I seen the puck and it was open so I shot it trying to just get a puck on net and it happened to go in," she said.
The score stayed at 1-0 until 12:41 left in regulation when Christiaens doubled down, beating Gagne-Delaunay on her blocker side again after a Hounds' defenceman blocked her first shot attempt on the play.
"I kind of whiffed on my shot on the first one," she said. "I was trying to get it high because I knew she was down. All my emotions were running so high."
Swift Current began to pour it on offensively in the third period as Kara Bergen pushed their lead to 3-0 on a snapshot midway through the frame.
Defenceman Emily McCleary added more insurance on an end-to-end rush turning a defender inside out in transition before beating Gagne-Delaunay low on her glove side.
The Wildcats registered 25 of their 47 shots in the third period and only allowed seven of the Hounds' 27.
"We were trying to make as many plays as we could, trying to open the ice up, get as many shots as we could and see what happened," she said.
Wildcats netminder Vezeau moved to 4-1 on the season and helped Swift Current move to 5-3-1-1 to sit second in the league standings just two points shy of Battlefords for first.
"We've been rooting for (Vezeau) all season and to see her get that achievement is very inspiring," Christiaens said.