It took four periods of hockey and a shootout, but the Queen's Gaels edged the Brock Badgers 4-3 in a thrilling OUA regular season women's hockey game Friday night at Seymour-Hannah Sports Complex.
 
The game was back-and-forth like a tug-of-war with both teams fighting hard for the win.
 
In the end, it was Queen's forward Hailey Wilson who was the only player to score in the shootout to give the visitors the win.
 
Badgers head coach Margot Page said it's tough to be too disappointed after a game like that.
 
"Last year it was us who would be outplayed but we still stole points, but now we're on the other side," she said. "Our second and third period were outstanding. We did everything we could to score but their goaltender played outstanding and they're a very gritty team."
 
Brock's Cassidy Maplethorpe opened the scoring just over five minutes into the first period, but Queen's answered back with goals from Devon Greenough and Hannah de Coutere in a two-minute span before the opening frame was done.
 
After a scoreless second, Maplethorpe tied the game two minutes into the third period, and then Brock defenceman Rebekah Feld scored on a deflected shot from the point with two minutes to go to grab the 3-2 lead. It was looking like a Badger victory was imminent, but Queen's pulled goalie Makenzy Arsenault and with the extra player on the ice, they tied the game on a goal from Kaylie Dennis with just 1:11 left on the clock.
 
The two teams headed to a three-on-three overtime period, where Queen's had a few glorious opportunities, but Brock goalie Jensen Murphy robbed them on two occasions and the goal post did the same on a third.
 
At the other end of the ice, Feld and Paige Cohoon both had great chances to net the winner, but time ran out and it headed to the shootout.
 
With Wilson's game-winner, Queen's improved to 2-1 while Brock slipped to 1-2, with both losses coming by way of a shootout.
 
"You can practise for them, but you're facing your own goalies so you start knowing tendencies and trying different things so it's really hard," Page said of shootouts. "But it's not like we can't keep working at it. We practice for them just like we do for the three-on-three overtimes because last year we went into them so many times."
 
The Badgers are right back at it with the second home game in as many nights when they host Ontario Tech Saturday, Oct. 26 at 7:15 p.m. at Seymour-Hannah before hosting York Thursday, Oct. 31.

Brock Badgers forward Morgan Dezell skates in on Queen's Gaels goalie Makenzy Arsenault during the first period of an OUA women's hockey game at the Seymour-Hannah Sports Complex Friday, Oct. 25.