Brooke Lonoway was the only skater to score during the shootout as the Battlefords AAA Sharks beat the Swift Current Diamond Energy Wildcats 4-3 in St. Walburg during SaskEnergy Hockey Weekend.
The Wildcats opened the scoring five minutes into the first period. Merissa Zerr was allowed to skate in front of the Sharks' net and snapped it past Battlefords goaltender Rachel Mitchell.
With 34 seconds left in the frame, the Wildcats extended the lead to two. Dayna Winzer's shot from the point beat Mitchell's blocker, but bodies in front of the net obstructed her view.
In the second, Swift Current scored again four minutes into the period. Jessica Pele's shot found its way through traffic in front of Mitchell, who never saw the puck until it was in the back of the net.
The Sharks responded quickly to the Wildcats' goal. With the puck loose in the crease, Alyssa Alger jammed it through Swift Current goaltender Jasey Book's legs.
Battlefords cut the lead to one with a shorthanded goal eight minutes into the period. Laura Harper jumped on a Wildcats' turnover and snapped the puck over Book's glove to make it a 3-2 game.
The Sharks kept up the pressure throughout the period. Their best chance to tie the game came with eight minutes to play in the second. Mallory Roy had a wide open net, but a Swift Current defender poke checked the puck away before Roy was able to get a shot off.
In the third, the Sharks got the best chance early in the period. Jetta Derenoski was sent in alone on a breakaway, but her shot missed wide.
The Wildcats put pressure on the Sharks until the final seconds of the period. With the goaltender pulled, Derenoksi went on an end-to-end rush and scored over Book's right shoulder to tie the game.
In a strange move, Swift Current switched to Brooklyn Weisgerber for the rest of the third and the duration of overtime. Neither team could gain an advantage in overtime and the game went to a shootout. The Wildcats put Book back into the net for the shootout.
Lonoway's shootout goal came in the sixth round to give the Sharks their first win since Sept. 29 against Melville.
The two teams met again Sunday afternoon at the Battleford Arena. This time, the Wildcats came out on top, beating the Sharks 4-1.
The Sharks opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal with 7:32 to play in the period. Zerr gave the puck away in the Wildcats' zone to Derenoski, who snapped it off the post and behind Weisgerber.
Swift Current tied the game a minute into the second period. With a scramble in front of the net, Kate Scidmore knocked the loose puck past Mitchell. Three minutes later, Keely Chalk redirected a centring pass from Zerr through Mitchell's five-hole to break the tie. With five minutes left in the period, Kayla Kirwan's shot from the point beat Mitchell, as she couldn't see through a screen in front.
The Sharks had chances in the third, but Weisgerber was up to the challenge. Brooklyn Haubrich scored into an empty net with 47 seconds left to seal the game for the Wildcats.
Battlefords host Regina next weekend for games Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Both games are at the Battleford Arena. Saturday night's game starts at 7:30 p.m. Sunday's game starts at noon.
