Saints Force Game 3

The PCI Saints forced a final game in their Winnipeg Women's High School Hockey League best-of-3 quarter final with a 5-3 win over Vincent Massey yesterday.

Saints' forward Bailey Grantham opened the scoring late in the first period to give them a 1-0 lead. Vincent Massey tied things up in the second, but Grantham added her second of the night -- short handed -- with only 14 seconds left in the period to regain the lead. The teams exchanged goals in the first 5 minutes of the 3rd, with the Saints' coming from Maegan Inman. Continued pressure enabled the Saints to net another one shortly after, this time it was Hailey Morisseau, which stood as the game winning goal. After Vincent Massey was able to climb within one, Saints' Paige Shwaluk got an empty net goal to seal the win.

Saints' Head Coach Jo-Anne Clark-Gillespie says speed has been a key to their success.

"We have to use our speed, and we've been telling girls like Maegan Inman -- who has that incredible speed -- when she gets the puck in the neutral zone, she just needs to turn on those jets and go wide and she can beat any body. The Shwaluk's (Paige and Maddie), Megan Ferg's the same way, they all have speed -- Bailey Grantham -- we just have to have that confidence."

Saints' Captain Kaeley Simspon says it was a much better performance compared to their last meeting.

"It feels really awesome, especially after coming off of a pretty bad -- and slow -- game from game one. It feels great to come out here and play a really good game. It feels really awesome, we're all super excited."

Game 3 is tonight in Winnipeg, and Simpson knows both teams' seasons are on the line.

"I think both teams are really not going to go down without a fight here, so I think we definitely have to keep the momentum going. I think, even after this game, I can see that we can tighten up a bit in our own zone. So I think we can come out and play an even better game."

Puck drop is set 4:15 at Century Arena in Winnipeg.